There are books so compelling that you can’t put them down, the real page-turners. And then, there are books so beautifully written that you don’t want to finish them, because you’re not ready to let them go.
Intermezzo is the latter.
I first picked it up earlier this year, but I couldn’t even make it past the second page. The narrative structure confused me; was it a dialogue? A monologue? It’s written in third person, but it felt abstract, hard to grasp at first.
Later, I brought it along as a hospital read. With fewer distractions, I finally sank into the emotional undercurrents of the story; the thoughts and feelings of the two brothers felt unfiltered, raw, and deeply human.
Peter’s inner world is restrained, his thoughts brief and dismissive, as though he’s always holding back. He’s the eldest, the responsible one, and you can feel the weight he carries. He seems to suppress his own feelings for the sake of the family, and I understood that.
Ivan, on the other hand, is all depth and complexity, overthinking, overanalyzing, and struggling to make sense of his emotions. I’m glad he found Margaret. She’s probably my favourite female character, someone who, despite her own troubles, manages to gently peel back each layer of Ivan’s emotional mess. She’s always present, always attentive.
Then there’s Sylvia and Naomi.
At first, I liked Sylvia; she felt like a safety net for Peter. But as the story unfolded, I struggled to understand her. Her actions felt selfish. Although things were eventually resolved between her and Peter, I wish the author had explored more of her past to explain her behaviour.
Naomi brought a refreshing shift. Even though she complicated Peter and Sylvia’s relationship, her presence made things feel lighter, less emotionally burdensome.
Overall, Intermezzo is a poignant reminder that grief affects people in different ways.
And while friends can offer comfort, there’s something irreplaceable about family.
As messy and complicated as family can be, they’re the ones who’ve lived through the same chapters of our lives, and that shared history means something.
I'd rate Intermezzo a solid 4.5 out of 5.
It took me a while to find my rhythm with the writing style, but once I did, the emotional depth and character exploration were incredibly rewarding.
It's not an easy read, definitely, but it's a worthwhile one.
The book is also available here :)
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