Sally Rooney’s latest novel, Intermezzo, marks a departure from her previous works by focusing on the relationship between two grieving brothers—Ivan, a 22-year-old competitive chess player, and Peter, a smooth-talking barrister. Critics have praised the novel for its depth and humor, with The Guardian‘s Anthony Cummins calling it a “tender, funny page-turner” and Rooney’s “richest treatment yet of messy romantic entanglements.”
While themes of intimacy and communication, central to Rooney’s previous works like Normal People and Conversations with Friends, remain prominent, critics have noted Intermezzo as a more confident and mature work. Jo Hamya of The Independent awarded the novel five stars, declaring that Rooney “at last, discovers the full potential of her prowess,” while The i‘s Anna Bonet described it as “mature and profound,” even if it’s not without flaws.
However, some critics have pointed out a lack of development in the novel’s female characters. The FT‘s Shahidha Bari observed that characters like Naomi, Peter’s love interest, are less fleshed out and can fall into familiar tropes, while others noted the “impressionistic” writing style, a shift from Rooney’s usual sparse prose.
In interviews, Rooney has downplayed concerns about similarities to her earlier works, focusing instead on making each book the best version of itself. Despite some critiques, Intermezzo is seen as a significant evolution in her writing, with some even calling it her best novel yet.
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