Intermezzo (sampler)

Reeled me in from the first line & left wanting so much more. Bring on release date. I need this in my life!

This was a sampler so please bear that in mind. I am unable to review the full book at this time as I only received a sampler.

As with all Sally Rooney's books, this was a fascinating portrait into humanity, in all its shades. Her writing as always pulls you in, effortlessly making you care about the characters and their lives. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the book.

Disclaimer: I'm a huge Sally Rooney fan, but was somewhat hesitant going into Intermezzo. On the surface, it doesn't really appear that captivating to me, but holy moly I was entrenched the second I started reading.

While this was only a sampler, reading Peter and then Ivan's point of views were so precise, unique, quintessentially Rooney. While Peter's read as a stream of consciousness and want for escape, Ivan's read like honest attempt at socialisation and communication mixed with desire.

As I said, I didn't really need that much convincing, but just this short snippet of Intermezzo has me waiting impatiently for the next five days to be over with so I can read the whole thing!

Sally Rooney honestly never fails to amaze me. Her ability to write such complex characters and plots whilst making the entire book just so real is amazing!

I really enjoyed getting a little teaser into the next book ahead of its release and it makes me so so desperate to read the rest of this book! Luckily for me, it’s just one week away!

The only downside this Sampler had was its formatting. It sometimes made it incredibly hard to figure out what was speech or the plot as we know Sally doesn’t use quotation marks so my only thing was the formatting!

although this sampler only contains the first two chapters of the book, it was enough to remind myself why I love Sally Rooney so much. i really liked it, it left me wanting more. Sally Rooney is one of my favorite authors and she never disappoints with her books. i’m so excited to get the physical copy and keep reading on September 24th!

huge thank you to Netgalley and Faber Books for the sneak peek!

Thank you Netgalley and Faber for providing me with this sample.

Oh my goodness, I already know this will be one of my favorite reads of 2024. The way this book pulled me!!
Sally Rooney is one of my auto-buy authors - her writing style is so beautiful, it is truly unmatched.
I cannot wait to finish this story and to love this book forever.

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.

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 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 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!!

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.

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!

This little sampler has me hooked! Sally rooney has done it again! I absolutely love her writing and she has kept that up. Will definitely purchase the book as I'm hooked

The book follows two brothers - the elder, in his early 30s, struggling (as usual) with finding himself, and experimenting with love, despite being drawn to a woman he dated years previously; the younger, in his early 20s, and perhaps on the autism spectrum, finding his path in life - personally and professionally.

The book is, as usual with the author, superbly well written. The words and sentences flow seamlessly into each other, making the reading experience feel like an infinite stream, slowly moving along the meadow. The characters are, also as usual with the author, troubled and struggling with internal doubts, endlessly questioning each and every choice they make. That being said, this book does seem to be more mature than the previous ones by the author, offering a more balanced view of the protagonists' psyche - while the indecisiveness remains, the perpetual suffering (often self inflicted) so prevalent in the previous books is muted here, with the characters being more at peace with themselves (albeing not fully there yet).

I enjoyed the sampler very much, and look forward to reading the full novel once its out. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this excerpt in return for an honest review.

Ah, this definitely hooked me in! I wasn't such a fan of the POV of the opening chapter, so I wasn't sure if I was going to like it, but once it switched to Ivan and Margaret I was gutted when the sample chapters ended!

A new Sally Rooney you certainly don’t want to miss.
The first 50 pages have already packed a punch, Rooney’s characters are like no other - two brothers who couldn’t be more different, and you feel for both immediately. Rooney’s way with words let you dive right into the story, full of grief, love and family dynamics.
I cannot wait to read the entire novel. Thank you faber for the sampler.

Although this sampler only contains the first two chapters of the book, it was enough to remind myself why I love Sally Rooney so much. Her writing style is so captivating and particular. I can't wait to read the full book when it comes out! Thank you Netgalley and Faber for the opportunity to read the first 50 pages of the book.

Sally Rooney never misses. Her style of writing is so sharp and distinct, and completely shines in this sampler just as it does in her previous projects. So much character exploration and depth in just the first 50 pages. Cannot wait to read the rest of it and become deeply infatuated.

Oh how I wish this was more than just a sampler. Sally, like always, grabs me since page 1 and I can tell I'm gonna love this book.
Her writing has definitly improved, difficult as it could be to believe that she could get better than she already was.
I just love how she can write the most complex and yet mundane human emotions in such an amazing way.
There's really not much to be said from this sample, except it seems great, I'm definitly intrigued and I can't wait to have the complete book in my hands.
I predict a 5⭐️ reading for me.

I am glad this is about two siblings, who are worlds apart from each other. The contrasting qualities and POVs will serve as an engaging bridge into their story. Obviously, hard to judge a book by its sampler, but I came to this with little expectations, no matter how much I enjoyed Rooney’s earlier books (a mix between 3-5 stars, really). As the sampler went on, I enjoyed the details about Peter and Ivan’s life - now, I have high expectations. The whole story must be compelling.
I liked the contemporary setting. As for Rooney’s prose, it is pretty cool. I must admit I loved some of the good to best examples of the crisp, fast-paced, incomplete sentence prose when I first encountered them, but gradually grew tired of the style, and nowadays I can only stand that kind of style if serves the narrative and themes. The first chapter is very much in that crisp style, and the dialogue and characters’ inner thoughts blend into the descriptive paragraphs. It is beautiful and works well in this story, especially for certain POVs.
Looking forward to the entire novel. I feel it will be something special, and open a new chapter in Rooney’s career. We will witness the transitioning to another level in her writing.

This was an incredible sampler and I can't wait to read the full book! The writing was so captivating and I love how different the writing was for the two brothers. I love the way the story is being set up and can't wait to see where it goes!

This is a great introduction to Sally Rooney's Intermezzo.
I found the most to like in Ivan and Margaret's stories. As an autistic person, I found Sally's description of Ivan to be kind and thoughtful. In comparison, Peter's story is a bit too straightforward so far.
Despite the age difference between Ivan and Margaret, I really hope they get a chance at happiness.

Thank you for the sampler!

From the few pages I have read I am already loving this story. Quintessential Rooney.

If you have enjoyed her previous books, read this!!

I really enjoyed the first couple of chapters of this sampler for Intermezzo and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't gutted it wasn't the whole book as I just want to continue with the story NOW!

This book is top of my list for purchase as soon as it is released as I can't wait to read more from Ivan and Margaret- not too sure on Peter yet but I'm hoping he'll grow on me as the book progresses.

Thank you to the publisher for this sneak peak via Netgalley

Okay so far I’ve only read 50 pages and I love it?!! I need more and I can’t wait for my copy to come now end of September!
Guys you need to read this book. I already know it’s going to be incredible!!

Thank you to Netgalley for my sample!!

(Rating is for sampler only, I have not read the whole book)

Intermezzo, as everyone surely knows, is the fourth novel from Sally Rooney, about two brothers who have just lost their father. The sampler was quite long, of the first two chapters, and I thought it was most similar in structure to Beautiful World, Where Are You, but without the letters/emails, which is a Rooney staple. I found the first chapter harder to get into, about Peter who is the older brother, but I still was enjoying myself until it switches to Ivan, who is the younger brother and overgrown chess prodigy and I was absolutely hooked. Even in just the two chapters I felt really grounded in the characters and the setting and that Rooney was really setting up her pieces in an interesting way, which is something I've always liked about her novels - they do feel like a set piece in which she can explore thoroughly and thoughtfully so many elements of human experience. I of course can't wait to read more.

Wow the sampler of Intermezzo gives so much depth to the story in only 52 pages. I’m preferring Ivan and Margaret’s characters so far to Peter, but I feel there is a lot more to come from Peter’s story. Emotional with so many conflicting feelings between all the characters. The intimacy between Ivan and Margaret is powerful, real and poignant.

I’m really looking forward to receiving my preorder at the end of September. Thank you to Netgalley and Faber & Faber for this sample.

I am incredibly grateful to Netgalley and Faber and Faber for my sampler. It is a great read that leaves me wanting to read more!!!! I can't wait for this to be out, I won't walk, I'll RUN to get it.

Thank you NetGalley and Faber and Faber for providing me the e-arc sampler of this much awaited book.
Just two chapters in and I can't wait to read more.
None writes contemporary fiction like Sally Rooney does. The first glimpse of the characters are what you would except from Sally to create and write about.
I'm also very intrigued by the possible neurodivergent representations.
CANT WAIT TO CONTINUE!!

I don't always love Sally Rooney's writing. Sometimes it's self conscious and laboured. The sampler of Intermezzo shows she is back on form. I loved the tender love scene between socially awkward Ivan and Margaret, 14 years his senior. I disliked intensely Ivan's older brother, who expects to turn women's heads. I can't wait to find out how the story develops.

I loved this sample. Super compelling story and characters. The writing style is very unique and effective. I'm looking forward to the release of Intermezzo this month.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.

I can't wait to read the whole book and see how the dtory unfolds!
My only criticism is, that this is just a sample of the first 52 pages. 😃

Cannot wait to get my hands on this book at the end of September. Reading the sampler has just made me more excited.

I absolutely adored this sample. Sally Rooney strikes again. I really liked the opening and how this book starts, an unfortunate situation for the characters but written very well. Sally Rooney slowly creates a picture of these characters, their situations and the tone of the book is set. I also am interested in reading more about the chess aspect of the book, it reminds me of the Queens Gambit. I cannot wait until the release date and I can read it all, This sample already has me hooked on the characters and hopefully the full book will not disappoint .

This was just a sampler but I am a massive fan of Sally Rooney and this has just got me in the mood for the upcoming novel

sally rooney is SO BACK with a bang!! i absolutely adore rooney’s writing and intermezzo just feels like a complete step up for her. the writing is so beautiful. i can’t wait to get my hands on a copy when it is published!

I got only the sampler and now I am left wanting more. the sampler give me a short glimpse into the life of the different narrators. Sally Rooney has a very unique way of captivating her readers and I am going to be thinking about this book until it comes out and I can read the rest

This is my first taste of a Sally Rooney book, and I seriously did not understand the hype until now. I absolutely love Sally's unique, direct, and expressive prose. The uncomfortable way she builds understanding and depth to characters is also somehow endearing the characters to the reader. Sally has a way of helping the reader to feel deeply connected but also disgusted by characters, which is such a skill for a writer. I'm super excited to get my hands on the full book on release day. Thank you for the ARC sample copy.

I have been left feeling so irrevocably blue. Intermezzo has such a different tone to her previous novels, and yet I can’t help but feel the need to sit down with a cup of tea and read this book cover to cover. I feel as though this novel is one to be cherished and savoured.

Rooney does it again and again every time, and to put it simply, she is the writer of our generation. There is no doubt about that in my mind.

I will be the first person inside my local book store on September 24th. I simply cannot wait to delve deeper into the brilliance of Sally Rooney’s new novel.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publishers for this sampler !

This sampler was not enough, I need the whole book IMMEDIATELEY!!!! From the first couple of chapters, I can tell that this is going to be iconic.

The first two chapters have really grabbed my attention; this might be the best introduction in a Sally Rooney book yet. I'm now eagerly anticipating the book's release to dive deeper into the lives of the two brothers, Peter and Ivan, and their experiences with grief and loss, as well as their relationships. Rooney’s writing, once again, is beautiful, lyrical, and deeply moving. I can already tell this will be an emotional read, and the end of September can't come soon enough.

Sally Rooney is a master crafter. The way she can write and flick between different characters and yet they feel so unique is a testament to the true greatness of her writing.

Intermezzo is my most anticipated book of 2024 and I feel so grateful to have received this sampler. The first two chapters were the perfect insight into this book. The pace, language and character insights had me gripped and I’m very intrigued to see how each of these develop.

Rooney’s previous works are all heavy on the characters and how human they are. From this glimpse into the lives of the two brothers I can tell this book is up there within her best work.

I am very interested to see how the two very different brothers lives and relationships build and intertwine.

I cannot wait until release day and I will be diving into the book the second I receive it.

I'm so excited for this book i honestly can't wait to read it fully!!!! this first two chapters set up one of my most likely best book of 2024! i can't wait for the 24 of september!

Rooney has graced us with - dare I say it - her greatest opener of any of her releases thus far.

Intermezzo is one of those titles, the minute you know it's on a release schedule, you're counting down to it and the sampler has not disappointed. Rooney's characters, plot points, insights into the human experience, pacing, language, are all exquisite, a feat given how incredible her previous releases have been.

The complexity of Peter, Sylvia and Noami's situation, which to some could feel simply resolved, juxtaposed by the naivety and simplicity of Ivan and Margaret's storyline, which, even they explore, can become unnecessarily, or necessarily, complex, are two beautiful narratives I'm already invested in after only 50 pages. There's a parallelism transcendent of the usual language in both narratives inciting intrigue, query, care, and a whole host of strong emotions - something Rooney seemingly conjures with ease in every novel she crafts.

It's safe to say this sampler has done what a sampler should do and I, for one, am grateful for the Waterstones early opening times on release day to get myself down and purchase this such-to-be masterpiece. In my reading, there will be no Intermezzo, that's for sure!

Sally Rooney is so back.

I’ve been eagerly awaiting the opportunity to request an advanced copy of Intermezzo all year and although this was just a sampler, it has only added to the excitement for release day in a few weeks!

It’s early days but from the few chapters I’ve read, this could be my favourite Rooney novel yet, roll on September 24th!

Very excited for this sample from the upcoming novel by Salley Rooney. Highly enjoyed Normal People so this is very exciting!

Thoroughly loved this. Can’t wait to read the whole book.!!! 5 stars for sure. Salley Rooney has done it again like she always does

The first two chapters were a joy to read. I felt a little unsettled by the writing style of Peter's character at first, yet I was left wanting to read more. Chapter two was absolutely gorgeous. I felt an instant love for Ivan and Margaret. I can't wait to get my hands on a full copy of this book.