Intermezzo - the new novel by Sally Rooney

[westisbest1982]

Anyone else looking forward to reading this? It's out in a few weeks' time:

www.faber.co.uk/product/9780571365463-intermezzo/

Not me. I find her books unbearable and her popularity inexplicable. Plus she's a virulent antisemite.

No, her books are so uneventful with characters who would charitably be described as an absolute chore.

I've joined the library reservation queue - think I'm #5 for one of a bunch of copies "on order". I was disappointed by her first novel but have enjoyed the others and her short stories.

Agreed. She's massively overrated, as is Zadie Smith. The media get hold of certain writers and over-promote them. Rooney also holds nutty Marxist views. In general, I try to ignore everything but the quality of the art, but when someone says "I don't believe in the individual, only the collective good matters," I can't help shivering. Many other Communist loons believed that, and in the 20th-century 100 million people died as a result.

Yes! Agree on all counts. Recently tried to read Normal People and couldn’t finish it. Just pretentious chick lit.

My reply was in response to this btw

I thought Normal People was fine for what it was and understand why it was so popular. Then got a fair way through Conversations with Friends and abandoned it, and found Beautiful World completely unreadable

I’ll probably give Intermezzo a miss

I couldn't care less about her political views, she's a wonderful writer and that's why I'm a fan.

The book is just £10 now on Amazon.

I was super disappointed by the book about a writer - was that the third one? - where it just seemed to suggest she hates her readers and takes them for granted.

I was frustrated by normal people but liked the tv adaptation. Liked conversations and enjoying beautiful world. I’ll order the new one.

I think she’s a great writer

The reviews are out now and the consensus is that the book is excellent.

I'm interested in reading it and have reserved a library copy. It will be a long wait though!

Can't wait! I pre-ordered months ago. The reviews are solid.

I don't enjoy her books but can't let this stand. She is not a virulent anti semite, she supports the BDS movement in support of Palestine which is a perfectly reasonable stance given Israel's actions in Gaza. Smearing supporters of human rights with the tag of anti semite is repugnant.

One chapter in and I’m hooked.

I wasn't really expecting it but I had notifications a couple of days ago for the eaudio version on Libby (library ebooks app) and then on Friday for the ebook version. I've listened to about half an hour but still plan to read from the beginning - though I do like the audio reader and hope to listen to more during the loan period.

Are you her publisher?

I’ve finished it and absolutely loved it. I loved Normal People and couldn’t stand Conversations with Friends and thought Beautiful World was self indulgent nonsense (those letters were turgid).

Good to hear! Look forward to reading it at some stage.

I adore her books. Didn’t realise she had a new one out. Just ordered- I’m so excited!

I don't mind slow burners, painstaking descriptions, lack of action and slow paced books at all.

I just find her writing so bland and shallow; can't understand the hype at all.

I've just finished this. Rubbish. At the core an interesting idea but so over written. The short sentences. The lack of punctuation. Ivan was an interesting character. Peter less so.

She is massively over hyped.

She's utterly terrible, Conversations with Friends was navel-gazing wank with insufferable characters doing dickish things, Normal People was slightly better, but she's been taken up with people in the literary circle who've decided she's brilliant so there's no escape for the rest of us apparently. Shame as there's lots of other writers who could do with the exposure