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/

I ended up strongly disliking it, surprisingly. Her new style of writing I found very off-putting and the story was barely existent.

I'm think with Normal People the TV version was actually better than the book and that brought more readers in.

There was also a weird bit at the back that seems to be saying "I copied some of these phrases from other authors"

I loved NP and CWF. I am now reading Beautiful World and it's such a disappointment. Am having to force myself to read it.

I couldn't have put it better myself!

I'm midway through. It's OK but I find the sex bits pretty awful. They're making me cringe.

I've read most her novels, waiting for Intermezzo to become available at the library - I did find the marketing campaign for it absolutely bizarre! https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/books/a62246098/sally-rooney-intermezzo-galleys/ is an interesting read
Was not a fan of beautiful world, where are you I read it, probably when it came out, but could not tell you anything about it!

I think she writes them really badly 😆. And I thought that was the worst bit of Normal People (TV version) too. It makes the characters seem incredibly serious and joyless.

I liked Conversations with Friends, and to a lesser extent, Normal People, but I’ve liked the two subsequent novels rather less. I thought Beautiful World was brave to include an unhappily mega-famous novelist, and those rather turgid email essays, but the pastiche Joycean prose of the older brother’s narrative in Intermezzo got on my nerves, and I found his dilemma (choice between the sexy, free-spirited student he pays for, or the ravishingly gorgeous, brilliant, charismatic academic he can’t sleep with since her accident, and who is completely fine with him dividing his favours between them) was pretty standard self-indulgent male fantasy stuff for a female writer of literary fiction…

Also, I think that while you can forgive teenagers and undergraduates for making a pig’s ear of their sex lives, it’s a bit more tiresome in people well into adulthood.

I think this may be why I find her writing a bit painful. It feels like she always does the female characters a disservice. It grates a bit. All I recall from NP is Connor saying 'well I wouldn't know about that' over and over.

I'm on page 94 and deciding whether to persist with it or give up - there's 15 people in the library queue waiting for it so I'd make someone happy.

It's turgid and so far I haven't felt engaged with any of the characters - all of them are quite dislikable. I should have known really, books and authors given lots of hype rarely live up to expectations.

A friend gave me the book. I'd never read any SR and didn't watch NP.
Really enjoyed Intermezzo but the ending was disappointing.

I thought CWF was AWFUL. I really could not sympathise with her characters, they were so annoying. I don't understand the hype around her at all.

I started Normal People but gave up. I watched NP on tv. Shte.
Conversations with Friends I didn't read but watched the tv series. Again pure shte.
Sorry Sally.

Her stance is to destroy the livelihood of other writers and pursue censorship. She is a bad (or possibly misguided, ignorant, deluded, self-righteous) person.

Oh and her writing sucks.

"......the pastiche Joycean prose of the older brother's narrative in Intermezzo....."
I've only read the first chapter but you got that right @DriedHydrangeas.

I'm only reading it as it's my Book Clubs choice for the month.

I was actually thinking about rereading it, having reread Beautiful World last week, and liked it more than last time around.

@mewkins, yes, that was always my issue with believing in Connell’s brilliant emails and stories — the fact that every time he opens his mouth he seems to say ‘I wouldn’t know about that.’ I mean, yes, possible to be inarticulate in person and scintillating on the page, but still …?

I quite liked it save for the ending. Didn’t mind her writing style, it was an easy read.

Well yes but...I wouldn't know about that 😆😆😆

Just devoured this book and loved it. Really interesting to read back these reviews, not read any SR so maybe that helped. Best book I’ve read in ages.

Would you say what you liked so much. @CointreauQuaint? It's my least favourite of her four, because of the pastiche Joyce stuff in Peter's POV sections as someone said above.

I also thought Normal People was rubbish! I thought I was in a minority! Sorry OP won’t be bothering with any of her others, but I genuinely hope you enjoy it.