INTERMEZZO

Intermezzo is the first book that I read by Sally Rooney after continuously hearing her being described as the "Salinger of the Snapchat generation". The style of writing was initially difficult to grasp for it was the first time I was reading a work written in such a minimalistic, prose kind of format, free from the traditional bounds of minute details such as quotation marks and long descriptions, rather focusing more on the internal dialogue of characters which felt very fresh and engaging.

Now coming to the story, the book for me personally felt like a deeply introspective narrative about two brothers, both standing at very different stages in life bound by the shared grief of the death of their father. Set in Dublin, from late summer to Christmas, the book follows Peter, a 32 year old lawyer, and Ivan, 22, a once promising chess player (and also unwillingly a data analyst), whose progress through the rankings has stalled for a while.

Rooney perfectly describes the complicated relationship between siblings, especially when there is a significant age gap. Both brothers fail to understand each other often ending up misinterpreting each other's actions and intentions. Both of their perspectives are written in conflicting tones: Peter reflecting confidence while Ivan being marred by insecurity. and self-doubt. Ivan, who once looked up to his brother as an idol, eventually develops a resentment towards him over the years.

Without giving away much, the book narrates their dynamic over time, the people who come into their lives and how each of them responds to changes. The writing was new and raw-something that may take time to get used to, but I'm glad that I stuck around. The book was a perfect portrayal of emotions like grief, turmoil, hatred and love. I definitely recommend it to readers who like to read about contrasting perspectives and enjoy new styles of storytelling!