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Intermezzo

Sally Rooney

Faber & Faber Limited 2024 | 441 pages
E25-12

This novel revolves around two brothers, Peter and Ivan Koubek, who seem to have little in common. After the death of their father, they struggle with grief and their inability to connect with each other. Peter, a successful lawyer in his early thirties, is involved with two women at the same time: Sylvia, the first love of his life, and Naomi, a much younger college student who depends on him for money. Ivan is a 22-year-old professional chess player. He sees himself as socially awkward and the opposite of his elder brother. At a chess tournament he meets Margaret, a much older divorcee with her own problems, and they begin a passionate affair.

The book follows Peter and Ivan while they learn to deal with their relationships with women, as well as their relationship with each other. This moving story is set in Dublin and small-town Ireland.

References in the press

Intermezzo received largely positive reviews. Alexandra Harris in The Guardian called the novel ‘an accomplished continuation of the writing that made Rooney a global phenomenon’ while noting it was ‘more philosophically ambitious, stylistically varied, disturbing at times and altogether stranger.’ The novel’s portrayal of sibling relationships received particular attention. Johanna Thomas-Corr in The Sunday Times praised how ‘the explosive arguments between Peter and Ivan, in which one knee-jerk judgment breaks the fall of another, are among the most masterly scenes she has written.’ Some critics expressed reservations about certain aspects of the novel. James Marriott in The Times argued, for example, that ‘The novel’s insistence on a mood of ethical and intellectual refinement can feel claustrophobic and precious.’

Recommendations

If you appreciated reading Intermezzo you may also like to read Normal People or watch the series on Netflix.

Classic books with similar themes include:

East of Eden (1952), John Steinbeck’s well known book about a struggle between two brothers. ‘Set in California, it spans several generations, weaving a complex tapestry of love, betrayal, and redemption.’
Chess Story (1942) by Stefan Zweig, a novel about a lawyer and a chess player, exploring the tension between who you are and who you are forced to be.

Or a contemporary book:

Blue Sisters (2024) by Coco Mellors, a novel about three estranged sisters returning to their family home in New York after the death of a fourth sister.