I only got a sampler, or should I say teaser, but by now I have read the full book.

“Sometimes you need people to be perfect and they can’t be and you hate them forever for not being even though it isn’t their fault and it’s not yours either. You just needed something they didn’t have in them to give you.”⁣
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From: 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘻𝘻𝘰 by Sally Rooney⁣
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I have read all Rooney’s books and even though I really liked them (I think my ranking would be: NP > CwF > BWWAY), I wasn’t AS starstruck by her books as I would have thought (or hoped?) with all the attention they were getting. And her latest book came with an unprecedented amount of hype. ⁣
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But let me tell you: this is BY FAR my favorite. After the first discomfort of getting used to Peter’s syntax (with fragmented, staccato thoughts without regular sentence forms), I was completely swept away by the characters in this book. Two brothers deal with the grief of the death of their father and they are both in opposite age-gap relationships while going though this. The juxtaposition of the brothers, who are very different from each other, and their relationships is quite cleverly done without being too on the nose. ⁣
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All these characters feel so real. They are flawed and develop over time and went straight to my heart. I loved how Ivan finds Margeret and they, despite her being much older than him, feel a kinship that transcends that age gap. They seem “to belong to the same camp”. As opposed to Ivan’s brother who never seems to connect with him and is even caught thinking: “Never really know what he’s talking about, do you. Pointless even to try.” and later “like talking to a dog”. It is an example of how different people need different things from each other and that a real connection between people is hard to force.
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Rooney’s prose is beautiful and recognizable in Ivan and Margeret’s chapters and less so in Peter’s, but I loved how she sort of references that in one of the later chapters when Peter thinks: “Thoughts running rapid with broken phrases” and that’s exactly how it felt.

The opening chapter of Sally Rooney’s fourth novel was fascinating and has me hooked! I haven’t purchased the book yet, but it’s on my TBR list, and I can’t wait to dive in. The first meeting between Ivan and Margaret was especially captivating, setting a promising tone for the rest of the story.

This was an excellent, intriguing opening to Sally Rooney’s fourth novel which I have now read in full and much preferred to Beautiful World, Where Are You. I particularly liked the depiction of Ivan and Margaret’s first meeting.

An interesting chapter. I haven't yet bought the book but I have added it to my tbr list to read soon!

Really not my favourite at all. I just couldn't get into it as much as I tried. God, I tried. I can see why others might like it but this just wasn't for me!

It was an enjoyable sample, easy to read like Sally Rooney does well. Of course difficult to review as it wasn’t the whole book, so maybe I can come back and update this if I do read the book!

This is my first Sally Rooney book. Now I get the hype. The writing is just beautiful.

Intermezzo by Sally Rooney is a collection of short stories that explore themes of love, loss, desire and the complexities of human relationships. The stories are set in contemporary Ireland and feature a diverse cast of characters, including young adults navigating their way through life, older couples grappling with the challenges of aging, and individuals reflecting on past relationships.

While the stories are primarily character-driven, they often reflect larger societal issues such as class inequality, gender roles, and the impact of technology. Rooney's observations are never heavy-handed but rather seamlessly woven into the narrative. I am in awe of the writing, both sensitive and insightful, and her characters are memorable and relatable.

sally rooney has such a talent for writing about interpersonal relationships and human connection, and it’s something i’ll never tire of reading.

Sally Rooney has done it again! Such mundane yet remarkable characters that could walk off the page. Still baffled by Rooney’s writing, it’s incredible. While some of her works aren’t for everyone, I think this one could be the most universally loved and recommended <3
So glad this is finally hereeee! Thank you NetGalley for an early sample, can’t wait to get my mitts on a complete copy after this taster.

Incredible. Truly I think what will be known as Sally Rooney's greatest.
The cast of characters and the incredible change of povs meant I did not want to put this down.
5 stars

The sampler introduces us to two brothers- Peter and Ivan Koubek. One a lawyer, the other a chess player. They are both dealing with the recent death of their father in their own ways. Rooney writes as eloquently as ever with the underlying angst of the protagonists and their awkwardness. Not many writers can convey emotions in such a compact manner. A unique perspective to relationships in modern-day Ireland.

I found this read to be very Insightful and thrilling read. Sally Rooney always writes thought provoking books with twists.

There's a real buzz every time there's a new Sally Rooney novel, and for a good reason! Intermezzo is another one to add to the list of perfection by Rooney!

Maybe I didn't have enough of Intermezzo by Sally Rooney to become invested in the characters, but this exert fell flat for me. Rooney's writing, as always, was simplistic but gracefully so. Yet, I was severely uninterested in the plot. My eyes enjoyed reading the words, but my heart could not hear them. I was excited to read this book, especially as it was a story that would focus on a familial relationship rather than a romantic one, but maybe I went in with too high expectations. Such is the curse of pedestaled authors. I will try this book again, when my memory has blurred and the hype has died down to go in with fresh eyes.

Absolutely fantastic - I've just finished the novel and it might be my favourite Sally Rooney novel thus far.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review

Sally can do absolutely no wrong. I can't wait to read the full book and experience yet another world shattering Rooney release.

Intermezzo has both Sally Rooney’s classic storylines: messed up character dynamics and complicated relationships. However, her writing style shifts entirely away from her other novels. Each of the perspectives are written in a style that illustrates how the character’s think. Peter’s, the lawyer and older brother, thoughts are disjointed, fast paced, and confusing to read; Ivan’s, the chess genius and younger brother, thoughts are rambling, a long stream of thoughts where he is hyperaware of himself and yet notices nothing at all. Instead of telling us who there characters our, Rooney writes it for us in through style. It is masterfully done, and I am excited to continue reading!

Looking forward to buying the full novel!! Sally Rooney is a great Irish author. I don't think this will live up to Normal People (one of my favourite books of all time) but from the sample, it seems this will be another emotional, heartfelt book.

This was a beautifully written sample of the main novel which has made me want to purchase the full novel.. I love Sally Rooney’s writing and her characters as immediately people you are invested in. I can’t wait to read the hole novel..

Great sampler - I wish it was the whole thing though!

Can't wait to read the whole book, it lives up to all of Sally Rooney's others!