York – Relaxed Reads – Ground Floor 823.92/ROO

London – Third Floor 823.92/ROO

I’ve always been more of a non-fiction reader but, encouraged by my library colleagues, I’ve recently dived into the world of fiction again and rediscovered the pleasure of getting totally lost in a story. After devouring ‘Normal People’ earlier this year, I was keen to read Sally Rooney’s most recent novel, ‘Intermezzo’. Like ‘Normal People’, this book explores the intricacies and intensities of interpersonal relationships, moving from witty, tender dialogue to complex inner monologues that sometimes melt into streams of consciousness. However, whereas in ‘Normal People’ the central relationship is romantic, in ‘Intermezzo’ the relational core of the story is that of two brothers.

Often troubled by tension, misunderstanding and explosions of long-buried anger, the brothers’ relationship is the central force of the narrative, around which the relationships in the novel are positioned. Ivan is aged 22 and a competitive chess player; Peter is 10 years his senior and a successful lawyer. Both characters are in complicated relationships with women: Ivan begins a secret relationship with 36 year old Margaret, who is facing up to her own troubled past, and Peter is torn between his ex-girlfriend Sylvia, and Naomi, a free-spirited college student in her early twenties who relies on him for financial handouts. Both brothers are grieving the recent death of their father from cancer, and the book sensitively explores how the pain of loss pierces through their lives in different ways. As the story unfolds, we learn more about their emotional histories and become deeply drawn into their contrasting – yet intertwined – inner worlds.

Rooney’s characteristic naturalistic style is compelling, turning the smallest details of everyday interactions into rich repositories of meaning. Something I loved about this book was that no character was a straightforward hero of villain. I found Peter unlikable at first, but warmed to him as the narrative took us deeper into his memories and inner struggles. Each character delighted and frustrated in equal measure. I was so invested in the novel that I became worried the ending would leave me feeling unsatisfied, but Rooney manages to create a sense of hope and resolution without resorting to artificially tying up loose ends. If anything, the ends become more deeply entangled.

I’d recommend this book to anyone getting back into reading fiction again.