A review by bbrreenna
Intermezzo by Sally Rooney

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Sally Rooney’s writing style choices feel more extreme and unconventional here. I almost put it back on the library shelf after the first chapter. I would have really missed out. It is a wonderful novel about characters navigating grief (mainly, the death of a parent; but also, the loss the life they almost had; and the loss of a marriage) while struggling between their desires and what society deems appropriate.  Each POV felt very distinct to me, and contributed largely to understanding Peter, Ivan and Margaret. 

The stream of consciousness writing is unleashed compared to her other work that I’ve read (Normal People). Combining a rationing of paragraph breaks with her consistent boycott on quotation marks, the narrating voice is a distinct experience. There are many sections that are a first hand account of a character experiencing a memory. The details all blurred together but the feelings, especially uncomfortable ones, coming through in sharp pangs. Absolutely anxiety inducing at times, particularly when following Peter in third-person POV. 

Let's talk about the characters. Peter. I hate him and also find him the most relatable. I wanted to scream into the void reading about him continuously walk down self-destructive paths. Two eyes wide open, but blinded by grief. Grief exacerbated by anxiety, self-loathing, depression. Completely hypocritical in the judgements he makes of others, but slightly redeemed by judging and hating himself the most. It was always Peter that had me putting down the book to go touch some grass.

Ivan. Intensely awkward but also hyper-aware of social norms as though he has studied them as a non-participant. Ivan is not the only character steadfastly aware of social norms, but does seem the character least concerned with them. Peter, on the other hand, ties himself up in knots according to what is socially accepted. I only recall four scenes where Peter and Ivan directly interact, yet the characters are so intertwined. 

Then the women characters. Naomi, Sylvia, Margaret. We only ever see the POV of one, Margaret, but they are all beautifully fleshed out. There are beautiful snapshots of all of them, in different ways, reckoning with how to survive, and attempt to thrive, within patriarchal conditioning, despite being  people who lead very dissimilar lives. 

This is in the running for my favorite read this year. Rooney did not give me the character events, ending, or number of paragraph breaks that I wanted. If she had, I probably wouldn't have liked it as much.
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