Two Brothers Redefine Their Lives After Father’s Death
Intermezzo by Sally Rooney is about two brothers with a tenuous relationship who are coping with the death of their father, realigning their lives in their post father worlds, and grappling with the meaning of life and spirituality as well. The book takes place during a period that leads up to the approaching Christmas holiday. The older brother is an educated, successful attorney. The younger brother is an Irish chess champion who lived with their father, and was with him during his final days. Both brothers are in relationships with women that are not exactly traditional, and this initially becomes a certain degree of conflict between them. There are family and comunnity expectations to contend with, as they move forward into the lives that feel most comfortable to each. Life doesn’t come in “one size fits all,” despite what well meaning parents, siblings, friends, and coworkers may think. It takes strength to stand up for the things that give our individual lives meaning and pu...