a review of “Intermezzo” by Sally Rooney

Sally Rooney’s Intermezzo is a novel that dives deep into the intricacies of human relationships, specifically between two brothers, Peter and Ivan, who are struggling to find common ground after their father’s death. Known for her ability to portray messy romantic entanglements, Rooney shifts focus here to explore the fragile and often fraught connections within a family.

What I loved most about Intermezzo was how Rooney captures the rawness of grief and the tension between siblings who are fundamentally different yet bound by blood. Her characters are flawed, sometimes even frustrating, but that’s what makes them feel so real. Peter and lvan’s relationship is strained, but the way Rooney slowly peels back their layers, revealing their hurt, anger, and deep longing to connect, is masterful. It’s these moments of vulnerability that draw you in, even when the characters make decisions that make you want to put the book down and scream.

However, I have to admit there were times when the story dragged. The middle section felt a bit slow, and while I appreciated Rooney’s attention to detail, some scenes felt repetitive. And though I was invested in Peter’s journey, his ending felt too neatly tied up. For a novel that delves so deeply into complicated emotions, I expected a bit more ambiguity in how things wrapped up.

That said, the last few pages hit me hard. I got teary-eyed reading them, and that emotional punch is what Rooney does best. She has a way of making even the smallest moments feel monumental. Despite its flaws, Intermezzo is a moving exploration of sibling bonds, and I’ll be eagerly awaiting whatever Rooney writes next.