By The Keystone Newspaper Beloved by millennials, author Sally Rooney launched her new novel “Intermezzo” on Sept. 24 attracting crowds and sales among young readers.
By Bethany McDonald
The 33-year-old literary author Sally Rooney, also known as the “Salinger of the Snapchat generation,” released her newest novel “Intermezzo” on Sept. 24. Rooney has produced well-known novels over the years such as “Conversations with Friends,” “Normal People,” “Beautiful World Where Are You” and her latest long-awaited novel “Intermezzo.”
Rooney’s novels touch on topics such as politics, morality and intimacy, speaking to the millennial generation. According to the New York Times, the release of Sally Rooney’s “Intermezzo” gathered crowds of readers at more than 140 bookstores across the country. Critics have compared the book release gatherings to a release for “Harry Potter,” Book 8.
The story of “Intermezzo” is one between two Irish brothers, Peter and Ivan, who have just lost their father due to battling cancer. The story switches between each brother’s perspectives, diving into how they separately deal with grief and personal relationships. The brothers are not necessarily friends throughout the majority of the novel, for the death of their father and relationship statuses have surfaced old and new conflicts between them. Ivan and Peter each fall in love with women who are “unsuitable” for their current stage in life, creating an inner conflict affecting their behavior towards each other. The title “Intermezzo” stems from Ivan being a competitive chess player which is prevalent throughout the story but not the main concern.
In chess, “intermezzo” refers to a move made during a combination to hinder the opponent’s defense. In the novel, Rooney frequently rearranges the moves made by each brother, somehow affecting the other brother’s life. Overall, the novel uncovers how love and grief affect our personal and relational lives and how unfortunate circumstances can lead to good.
I got my hands on Rooney’s new novel four days after its release, finishing it in five. Rooney is not my overall favorite author, but her novels have a chokehold on me as a reader. Each time I pick up her new novel, I finish it in a week, shifting my other priorities.
The reason for this, I feel, is that Rooney’s novels are truthful. Although her novels are fiction, each character somehow feels known to the reader, as though they have met them in real life somewhere.
In “Intermezzo,” Rooney’s language is so vivid that you deeply feel for each brother, understanding their choices no matter your opinion of them. Although critics have deemed the book as “too focused on the internal thoughts of its characters,” I feel that is what makes the novel sacred to readers. For the reader can grasp each brother’s thought processes, creating a stronger connection to the story. And these thought processes are not comfortable to read, for each brother is deeply lost and confused. Ivan and Peter’s separate internal conflict is the driving force of the novel.As a result, it’s portrayed externally through their poor language and actions toward one another, and their partners.
I deem “Intermezzo” as Rooney’s saddest novel, for each character is sad in their own way. So although no major conflict jumps out of the page to be easily read, it is found internally. Ivan and Peter seem like normal people, but when immersed in their minds, you can see they are just like us.
By reading “Intermezzo” you will encounter relatable modern relationships, grief and the importance of human connection. In my opinion, “Intermezzo” is a prime example of why we need human touch and connection despite our inner dialogue, for overtime it silences it. The magical thing about Rooney is through her writing, you can experience thinking, living and feeling as if you were someone else.