To be honest, I am mildly disappointed.

This book is about two brothers that are ten years apart in age and it follows them in the months after their father’s funeral. Rooney is great at writing dialogue and interpersonal dynamics but I found myself detached from these characters.

I enjoyed reading Ivan and Margaret’s chapters and the depth to the writing was so well written. While, Peters chapters weren’t as well developed and it lacked substance. I believe a lot more could’ve been done with the brother’s relationship as I wasn’t really invested.

I’m rating this book 3 stars because I did enjoy some parts but overall sadly it wasn’t for me. If you enjoy reading lit fics about personal relationships I would still recommend this.

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I'm intrigued :) My first Sally Rooney, believe it or not, and this made me want to read more. She's a good writer.

I was really excited for this sample as I enjoyed sally rooneys normal people! This sample has me wanting more and I can’t wait the entire book!

Sally Rooney is back and better than ever! This sampler offers a glimpse into the first pages of Intermezzo and I already can't wait to read the rest! Will be wondering about Ivan until publication day.

Thank you for approving this arc read. Unfortunately this was a miss for me. I believe the lack of quotation marks was a big factor in me not enjoying this read. Also it was hard to follow the storyline.

The notification that my request for this sampler had been approved, genuinely, made my entire day. Thank you to the publishers.

What can I even say, I preordered this book weeks ago and now I'm only even more excited to receive my copy. A new Rooney book, to me, feels like uncovering the intricate secrets of everyday life hidden in plain sight - like taking a peek behind the wallpaper in your room. She remains an author of incredible skill when it comes to creating an evocative atmosphere and tapping into the unexplainable.

While Ivan's chapter was a lot more organized, Peter's felt like a catapult straight into this new side of Rooney. The narration was extremely stream of consciousness and quite chaotic which I can only attach to the Peter's internal, emotional mess. It fluctuated between present time and memories almost seamlessly, like there's no real present for him – like he's experiencing everything that is happening and has happened all at the same time. His father's passing seems to plunge him into extreme melancholy while walking all these familiar streets and meeting people that have had different roles in his past. Something that I thought was really interesting was how by having this type of continuous prose, everything is given the same level of importance. The memories, conversations, thoughts - it all coalesces into one. Everything feels just as significant.

One moment that really caught my attention was when Sylvia texts Peter and he thinks of the ringtone that used to go off when they texted in the past, when their relationship was different. He's almost viscerally reminded of that specific period of his life and the elements that framed, and he wishes he could still hold his old phone and hear that familiar ringtone: ''Just to hear that sound once again, he thinks. To feel that his life has been preserved somewhere and not forgotten, gathered around him, packed protectively around him still''. Everything seems to just come spilling out of him and he's desperate to have some kind of control.

Both points of view are aiming to explore relationships, but they do so in vastly different manners which I really enjoyed. It only made it even more apparent how starkly different Peter and Ivan seem to be. I'm intrigued to see what avenues of relationships Rooney decides to explore this time and, especially, where Ivan and Margaret's relationship will go. Although I think we can already get a glimpse from their age difference and what this means to each of them.

I was really sad once I realized the sampler was over - which is extremely positive. I thought it gave a good idea of what the book will be like and I'm just incredibly excited to get my hands on it and continue tagging along Peter and Ivan's journey for a while.


Again, thank you to the publishers for giving me this opportunity. I enjoyed it immensely.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy

I really enjoyed this sampler and it is classic Sally Rooney writing which I love. Can’t wait to read the full thing!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for this ARC. Like other Sally Rooney novels this delves deeply into characters, this time those grieving and uses the same idiosyncratic writing style which for me takes some time to get used to. Half formed sentences, running dialogue and management of multiple characters voices all make Rooney iconic and this novella is no different. A good read, fans will love this I am sure.

Thank you NetGalley and Faber for the sampler. Of course the sampler has left me counting down the days to publication. This seems to be Sally Rooney at her best. Inner thoughts and feelings of characters, so precise and sharp, I found myself reading and rereading.

‘I know that you are a person with desires, and so am I, even if I am helpless to do anything about this knowledge.’ Ivan and Margaret’s initial encounter is sweet, sometimes awkward, although never uncomfortably so, with perfectly built suspense and intrigue. I need to know what happens next. Five stars! Full review on Goodreads to come.

Huge huge thank you to Faber for allowing me to read this sample of one of my most anticipated reads of the year! I was on cloud nine after receiving the email as I've adored Sally Rooney's work for years and Normal People is probably what brought me back to my bookworm roots as an adult.

Straight away you can tell this is going to be something special and I can't wait to read this in the evenings, savouring every single word.

Unsure what to make of Peter as of yet but very intrigued to see where his arc will go; immediately feeling very protective over Ivan, there's such an innocence to his interactions with Margaret that's so compelling and I can't wait to dive in deeper.

I really wanted to enjoy this but found myself struggling to follow what on earth was happening. It felt like an endless stream of thought that no made sense. Sadly, not for me.

I don't know what else to say except that I am blown away. Sally Rooney you have done it again! If these first 50 pages are any indication this will be a stellar 5 star read for me, I can't wait to dive into the meat of this story and really figure out the characters -- arguably the best part of Rooney's craft! I'm elated!!

I cannot wait to read the whole of this book! The prose is beautiful and I’m so intrigued with how the story is going to go.

Thank you NetGalley for accepting me to read the first 50 pages - what can I say? It’s really good, and I really can’t wait for the 24th of September!

Sally Rooney is a MASTER at her craft!!! Her writing never fails to surprise, enrage and enrapture... I am so so excited to read the rest the second its out!

I found the change in voice here utterly triumphant. Having adored the first two books, and been less keen on the third, I can't wait to read the rest of Intermezzo. Thank you for the sample.

My thanks to Faber & Faber Ltd and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read a sampler from ‘Intermezzo’ written by Sally Rooney in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Peter and Ivan Koubek are brothers and as well as having an age difference of ten years they’re completely different in character.
It’s difficult to give a review after having read just the first two chapters of ‘Intermezzo’ and I wasn’t sure I was going to enjoy it especially as the sentences in the first chapter were short, abrupt and not easy to read, but once I’d moved on to chapter two I was hooked. I much preferred Ivan who I found the most interesting of the two brothers with his dental brace, his awkwardness and lack of social graces, and the description of his interaction with Margaret was perfect. I’ll now have to be patient until I can buy the full copy of the book and continue with the story.

This sampler provides the first two chapters of Sally Rooney’s highly anticipated new novel. Although short this has given me a good chance to get used to and appreciate the unique writing style and give me a taste of what is to come. Really looking forward to reading the whole book soon!

We're in for a treat with this one.

After reading the sampler chapters, I found myself enamored with the writing style. Rooney delivers delicately crafted relationships, emotions, and character flaws woven into distinct, engaging prose. There’s so much to unpack here, and I can totally see Intermezzo becoming my fall obsession.

*sigh* If only my full-length copy would arrive sooner!

It took a while to get used to the writing style but once I did I got really into it. I really enjoyed this sampler. Looking forward to reading the rest of the book.