Intermezzo

Get ready, Rooney fans! The queen of modern intimacy is back, and this time she’s pulling us into the complex, grief-stricken, and beautifully messy lives of the Koubek brothers. It’s time to dive into Intermezzo!

What is the Story?

Intermezzo follows two brothers in Dublin who couldn't be more different. Peter is a high-flying, charismatic lawyer in his thirties; Ivan is a twenty-two-year-old socially awkward competitive chess player. Though they share a history, they have never been close, and the recent death of their father has left them more estranged than ever.

The story unfolds as both men navigate new, unconventional romances while drowning in the "intermezzo"—that middle period of grief where life feels suspended. Peter finds himself torn between his first love, Sylvia, and a chaotic college student named Naomi. Meanwhile, Ivan falls for an older woman named Margaret, a relationship that challenges everything he thought he knew about himself.

As they navigate these tangled webs of desire and duty, the brothers are forced to confront one another—and the version of themselves they’ve been hiding from the world.

Why You Need to Read This

• The Master of Dialogue: Sally Rooney returns with her signature "no quotation marks" style, creating a stream-of-consciousness feel that makes you feel like you are living inside the characters' heartbeats.

• A New Perspective: While Rooney is famous for her focus on young women, this novel offers a profound and sensitive look at male vulnerability, sibling rivalry, and the way men process loss.

• Chess as a Metaphor: Using the language of chess—the intermezzo is a tactical move in the middle of a game—the book explores how we react when life throws us an unexpected move we didn't prepare for.

Key Details

♟️ Pick up your copy now and prepare for a deep emotional journey! Are you Team Peter or Team Ivan? Let us know what you thought of Rooney’s latest masterpiece in the comments!

Would you like me to generate a post for another recent bestseller, or perhaps a classic that fits this "origin story" or "character study" vibe?