Intermezzo

Intermezzo, Sally Rooney's fourth novel, entered our lives this past September. The novel begins at the funeral of 22 year-old Ivan and 32 year-old Peter's father. It gives us our first glimpse into their relationship and forms our initial impressions. As the story unfolds, we are drawn into their lives through their father’s illness, the hospital visits, funeral arrangements, the uncertainty of where their father’s dog will go after his death, their mother Christine’s recklessness, and the complexity of their lives. Peter walks, and it feels as though we are walking beside him on the streets of Dublin.

Sylvia, who came into Peter’s life while he was still in university, can no longer be with him years later due to an accident. Peter withdraws and suffers, and neither his father nor his brother Ivan can bear this situation. Ivan cannot handle the change in Peter since Sylvia left their lives—he wants his old brother back. Over the years, this drives the two further apart, leaving nothing of their former relationship. Every time they are together, they start arguing. Both carry traits that the other cannot tolerate. They harbor resentment toward each other for reasons they aren’t even aware of. At the funeral, Peter’s decision to give a speech annoys Ivan because he feels that he is the closest to their father. Meanwhile, Peter is frustrated by Ivan’s poor social skills and his disheveled, almost homeless appearance. In reality, Ivan is not bad at relationships, nor does Peter give the speech because he thinks he is closer to their father.

After the funeral, the brothers try to return to their old 'normal' lives. Ivan participates in a chess tournament organized by the town council, where he meets a beautiful woman named Margaret. Following his victory, they grow closer and eventually find themselves in each other’s arms. At first, Margaret is hesitant about the situation. At 36, freshly divorced, she struggles to see the logic in being with someone as young as Ivan. Meanwhile, Peter finds himself entangled in a strange love triangle with Sylvia, the woman he broke up with years ago but remained friends with and never stopped loving, and Naomi, a university senior who is Ivan's age.

Both brothers have personal issues to resolve, but they also have unresolved tensions between them. Peter fails to connect with Ivan because of his lack of understanding and tactlessness regarding Margaret. Although Peter often makes snide remarks about Ivan being a 'loser,' he now feels even lonelier in Ivan’s absence.

Intermezzo, alongside themes of loss and grief, is a novel that, once again, showcases Rooney’s ability to explore and depict modern human relationships with striking realism. It doesn’t tell you a perfect story, true. It’s about two brothers dealing with their father’s death, their relationship with each other, with other people, and their lives. But that’s exactly what Rooney excels at—portraying the truths of life through ordinary lives. We get drawn into the story, and we feel what the characters feel. This is why Rooney is so popular.

In this novel, Rooney has chosen a narrative style not too different from her previous works. While we witness Peter's inner thoughts, dialogues suddenly interrupt, and he engages in internal monologues. Just like in Beautiful World, Where Are You?, the perspective shifts with each chapter: one moment we’re reading about Ivan’s life, and in the next, we continue the story through Peter’s eyes.

Of course, there are also dialogues in the novel that don’t shy away from discussing contemporary issues. In this book, alongside legal debates, Rooney incorporates conversations about the philosophical aspects of lying, the nature of reality, and gender equality. As I mentally added my own thoughts to these discussions, I braced myself for an inevitable emotional moment, and Rooney did not disappoint. Just like in her other novels, before I knew it, the book was over—right when I thought we’d dive deeper into reality with Ivan or ponder the purpose of existence with Peter.

One of the main reasons I appreciate Rooney's novels and narrative style is that it feels as if she can hear all the thoughts in my head and is observing my life. As someone who knows what death and loss are like, I felt so close to Ivan and Peter that I shared in their pain. It felt as if they also shared in my suffering. Even when you think you might harbor hatred towards a family member, Rooney reminded me of the truth that you are deeply in need of their love. As humans, we are in need of love and being loved. In the novel, love holds a place as what guides our lives and gives meaning to our existence.

I don’t know if Intermezzo will come to us as a television series like Conversations with Friends and Normal People or as a film, but one thing is certain: I will be watching no matter what. While reading the book, you already form images and characters in your mind.

Loss, grief, the complexity of human relationships. The intricacies of existence, the influence of family norms, the definition of happiness. The sense of being. Losing the loss. The dead, existing in thoughts, is erased from the universe when they are no longer in our thoughts. This is what Intermezzo is all about.