A review by brekkerlun
Intermezzo by Sally Rooney

emotional reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

As someone who struggles to read about
grief and illnesses
, I feel this was done very tastefully and with care for the reader (as well as for the characters). I found both main characters quite relatable, whilst at times I also despised them, which seems to be a pattern for me with Rooney's books. Nonetheless I kept thinking about them and what they might be doing when I wasn't reading, which is testament to how real they felt, and how compelling the author's writing is for me.  An exploration of how complex different relationships between humans can be, and how to cope with our existence as a whole.

"The demands of other people do not dissolve; they only multiply. More and more complex, more difficult. Which is another way, she thinks, of saying: more life, more and more of life."
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