Tiffany Budert-Waltz

Sally Rooney’s Intermezzo is a quiet, powerful exploration of love and loss, set against the streets of Dublin and West Ireland. What Rooney does so well here, as in her previous novels, is create characters that feel incredibly real (people you know, or maybe even parts of yourself). Peter and Ivan, the brothers at the center of the story, are written with a kind of emotional authenticity that makes their relationship feel lived-in, complicated, and tender. The heart of the story is the quiet grief both brothers carry. Rooney doesn’t dramatize their emotions; instead, she lets their sorrow and love simmer under the surface, making it feel more raw, more relatable. You can see how their unspoken pain colors their interactions, their silences, and their attempts to connect with one another. The pacing is slow, but intentionally so. It allows you to sit with the characters in their discomfort, in their emotional messiness. In the story, the women, Sylvia, Naomi, and Margaret, each add their own dimension. Sylvia’s warmth, Naomi’s restless energy, and Margaret’s grounded nature balance the brothers’ more restrained emotions, creating a rich, layered dynamic. You feel like you’re not just reading about them, but seeing their lives unfold before your eyes. If I had one critique, it would be that the novel’s second half slows down a bit too much. The momentum dips just when you want things to pick up, but at the same time, that’s part of Rooney’s magic. She doesn’t rush toward any dramatic revelations. Instead, she lets the characters’ emotions build in a way that feels honest and real. By the time you reach the end, it’s not so much the plot that stays with you, but the emotional journey of these characters. Intermezzo doesn’t offer easy resolutions. It’s more about the small moments that make up our lives: the miscommunications, the unsaid things, the way grief and love are intertwined. It’s a book that asks you to slow down, to sit with the characters and their emotions, and in doing so, it becomes a deeply moving experience. If you’re looking for a novel that explores the quiet complexities of love and loss, Rooney’s Intermezzo will stay with you long after you finish the last page.