I’m finally sitting down to write this omg. Last month I got to read Sally Rooney’s latest novel, Intermezzo, and was absolutely obsessed. It may very well be my favorite Rooney book – previously Normal People – for its incredible depiction of grief and relationships. While her writing style might take some getting used to, Rooney’s talent for portraying very real, very raw emotions – that are often too hard to articulate – is insane. I truly appreciate her work for this reason above all else.
Normal People was the book that made me fall in love with Rooney’s writing, maybe two or three years ago now. I doubt there’s anyone on the planet who hasn’t read the book or watched the TV show but in case you haven’t, I’ll give you a brief summary; following two adolescents through relationships and self-exploration as they grow older and continue to transition through different phases of life, Normal People is incredibly memorable. I truly believe anyone could relate to this book in some way, if not in life circumstance then in their relationships and emotional worlds. Main characters Marianne and Connell meet in school, vulnerable to social status and their peers’ opinions. As their lives keep crossing, these identities take new form and our connection to them grows as readers. For me personally, bits of this book were a bit dark and I wasn’t too happy with the ending, leaving room for my favorite Rooney book to be replaced – which leads me to her latest work.
Intermezzo again struck me as being whole-heartedly relatable in a way I never expected – things I’d never say aloud, things I didn’t think anyone else thought, were written right on these pages. It was like she was in my brain. Though the book is largely focused on the main characters’ recent loss of their father, I found their relationships to be more interesting and memorable as they add to the other important theme of identity. Something I loved about this book were main characters Peter, Ivan, and Margaret’s identical thought processes – a real-life exposé on human nature and our inherent deprecation. While each character was dealing with their own life and analyzing their interactions with others, they were all judging themselves profusely. We’re all prone to it. I’d forgotten this trademark of Rooney’s work, and thoroughly enjoyed it again.
Along with illustrating the vulnerability of human interaction, Rooney’s depiction of grief is incredibly nuanced and personal. As someone who’s lost a parent young, this was a really special read and put into words the many feelings that come with grief and loss. Brothers Peter and Ivan battle to continue their lives after their dad passes, finding themselves in complicated relationships as they struggle to cope and heal. I found these relationships to be extremely interesting as they revealed more of each characters’ inner worlds and, again, depictions of themselves. The parallels of the two relationships become obvious as both brothers use them as crutches to meet their insecurities. Peter’s relationship with two women becomes complicated as everyone involved fights to define themselves and their needs, but I eventually came to appreciate Rooney’s unconventionality.
Ivan is incredibly lovable – a sweetheart – and goes through the will they, won’t they slow burn found in Normal People that I live for and absolutely loved, but this one was unique as age and life circumstance defines Ivan’s relationship with Margaret. I found Ivan to be different than Peter but a lot alike in their self-consciousness and internal debates. For character lookalikes – I imagined Ivan to be a more handsome version of McLovin from Superbad
Peter – a combination of Hugh Grant and the brothers from While You Were Sleeping
My heart breaks for baby Ivan – Peter, a bit more difficult to feel sorry for and problematic to a point, and Margaret I sympathized with if not annoyed with her cowardice at times. I found her and Ivan’s relationship to be really endearing and Peter’s relationship with both his ~first love~ and the younger, unpredictable Naomi to really display his emotional avoidance and desire to both have his cake (Sylvia) and eat it, too (domesticate Naomi).
I can see how this might be a slow read for some; there isn’t much of a plot, the characters’ internal dialogues can go on and on and on at times (which I loved, but I get that not everyone gets the appeal). I would say Intermezzo is a good beach read – a book you bring on vacation not expecting to love but totally falling for it by the end. I know I’ll be bringing it with me on future trips, now knowing these characters intimately and wanting again to escape to their world. I thought Intermezzo was really well written, especially in exploring each character’s opinions of themselves and the world around them as they each provide their own perspective on grief and relationships. I found all of the characters to be really lovable – even Peter in his arrogance. I think this novel is really smart, funny and flirty at times, extremely sensitive in all the right places, and I definitely recommend. I immediately purchased a copy of it to reread (a huge honor – I only buy books I really, really loved). A solid 5-star read, and I’m extremely glad I picked up this book on a whim.
Penelope Margot 