Sally Rooney’s newest novel “Intermezzo” was released Sept. 24 after a wave of anticipation since its announcement in March. “Intermezzo” marks another success by Rooney and beautifully depicts the process of grief and its effects on relationships, both romantic and platonic.
“Intermezzo” follows the lives of two brothers: 32-year-old Peter, a successful lawyer, and 22-year-old Ivan, an antisocial aspiring chess prodigy, as they navigate their lives in the wake of their father’s death from cancer.
Both brothers deal with unconventional relationships throughout the course of the novel. Peter is torn emotionally between Sylvia, his former girlfriend who provides a sense of stability in his life, and Naomi, a much younger woman who resparks a sense of energy within him. On the other hand, Ivan finds himself involved with Margaret, a much older woman who has to decide whether she can look past their age gap.
Rooney is a master at crafting nuanced and realistic characters, and “Intermezzo” serves as a continuation of her previous works’ best qualities. Both Peter and Ivan have their fatal flaws and marked characteristics, but Rooney writes in a way to accurately depict the thoughts and rationales behind both Ivan and Peter’s actions. Rooney has often been criticized for writing unlikeable main characters, but I don’t think that is the case at all. Rooney’s characterization of both brothers is poignantly accurate, so I doubt readers would struggle to empathize or connect with them throughout the novel.
Rooney’s novels mainly focus on romantic and platonic relationships between characters, but “Intermezzo” serves as her first foray into the genre of family dynamics. Peter and Ivan hardly had anything in common with each other but connected after their father’s death through grief. It is interesting to see how each of the brothers react and cope with their father’s passing; Peter initially takes the lead on getting funeral affairs in order while Ivan struggles to make sense of his emotions. However, as the novel progresses, Peter continues to be affected by grief and begins to spiral, a sentiment I believe is relatable to anyone who has experienced the death of a family member.
“Intermezzo” reflects a pattern of literary techniques that define Rooney’s work, and it continues to create a double-edged sword in regards to the novel’s enjoyment and composition. The book switches between the perspectives of Ivan and Peter each chapter, and they both have a relatively isolated storyline. Whenever Ivan and Peter interact directly, it results in some of the most jarring and compelling parts of the novel.
On the other hand, this results in some parts of the novel feeling slow paced and hard to get through. At a whopping 454 pages, one cannot go into reading “Intermezzo” expecting a quick and easy read. Rooney is a master of the “slow burn” in which she carefully and cunningly moves through plotlines. The technique is certainly not for every reader, but in my opinion results in a novel filled to the brim with incredible commentary and amazing structure.
“Intermezzo” represents a continuation of some of Rooney’s most impressive writing qualities in a new dynamic. Since the release of her first novel, “Conversations with Friends,” readers and critics alike have agreed she continues to mature as a writer, and I believe “Intermezzo” certainly reflects that sentiment. As long as readers go into the novel knowing what to expect, I am certain they will find enjoyment in it.
