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Beautifully written, “Intermezzo,” by Sally Rooney, opens with Peter, age 32, a Dublin lawyer, and his brother Ivan, age 22, a chess prodigy, dealing with their father’s laborious death from cancer.
The brothers have had a fractious relationship, and grief does nothing to bridge the gap between them. Peter is brainy and self-assured, or appears to be, and views Ivan as an oddball, even referring to him as “autistic” to one of two women Peter is juggling relationships with.
Initially it’s easy to judge Peter, who has been seeing a woman half his age for eight months, and popping pills and drinking to excess, an ego-maniac with little regard for anyone but himself. Naomi, the young woman, depends on Peter financially. He bails her out of trouble when needed, in exchange for her prowess in the bedroom, or where ever they decide to have sex. Theirs is a carnal relationship that fills a need. Though Naomi might appear hard and streetwise, there is a tenderness about her that elicits empathy.
She accepts Peter regularly visiting Sylvia, a former lover who suffered a tragedy that led to their breakup. Sylvia is a wise, good soul, and family friend, who knew and cared for Peter’s father and continues to maintain a long-standing friendship with Ivan. We are kept in the dark about what exactly happened to Sylvia.
Ivan has immersed himself in chess throughout his life and spends his time studying moves and perfecting his skills, continually beating older, more expert players. At one chess event, he’s assigned a driver, Margaret, an attractive woman in her 30s. He and Margaret are instantly attracted to each other. Margaret is married, but separated from her alcoholic husband. The two begin a love affair that heightens the strain between Peter and Ivan, threatening to shatter any hope the brothers have of reconciliation.
“Intermezzo” is a brilliant, character-based novel. At the beginning, Rooney uses short, staccato sentences when relating Peter’s story. This takes some getting used to but soon readers will be caught up in the narrative and curious to discover more about the small, but expertly wrought, cast of characters. Rooney allows tension to build slowly, leaving readers guessing as to where the tale will end and what will become of the brothers and the women in their lives.
This is a personal novel about families and lovers—about the pain they can inflict on one another, the chasms that result and healing made possible with acceptance and forgiveness. “Intermezzo” is deep and thought-provoking, a perfect choice for books clubs.
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