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A review by a_picara
Intermezzo by Sally Rooney
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
There are beautifully crafted sentences throughout, but by hour 6 of this novel into was already over the whining of the characters and nothing changed or developed after that point. The men are afflicted by patriarchal expectations of society and need women to soothe their emotions that they are unable to deal with. The women are devoted because...sex?? There is no reason the women should like, let alone love, these men. And yes, that is mostly the point of the book-- that people don't choose who to love but have to choose how to show up for the people they love. But it really beats you over the head with these rumination.
The two brothers are supposedly vastly different, but there is nothing to distinguish them in their interiority. And most of the book is inside their heads. This was deeply frustrating to read, felt like a waste of time, and whenever I checked my progress I couldn't understand how so much was left. But the sentence-level construction is impeccable and shows excellent skills as a writer. I just wish the narrative was interesting and the characters worth spending time with.
The two brothers are supposedly vastly different, but there is nothing to distinguish them in their interiority. And most of the book is inside their heads. This was deeply frustrating to read, felt like a waste of time, and whenever I checked my progress I couldn't understand how so much was left. But the sentence-level construction is impeccable and shows excellent skills as a writer. I just wish the narrative was interesting and the characters worth spending time with.