Book Club Discussion Questions for Intermezzo by Sally Rooney

Book Club Discussion Questions

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For supplemental discussion material see our Beyond the Book article, Sally Rooney Reads from Intermezzo in Dublin and our BookBrowse Review of Intermezzo.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

These discussion questions were written by Alicia Calvo Hernández for BookBrowse.

1. Sally Rooney is a renowned author. Before reading Intermezzo, did you have any expectations based on her previous novels? How did your actual reading experience compare to these expectations?
2. How does Intermezzo differentiate itself from Rooney's earlier works?
3. Rooney's first two novels have been adapted into successful TV series. Do you think the potential for a TV adaptation influenced the way Intermezzo is written? If so, how?
4. The novel is told from the perspectives of Peter, Ivan, and Margaret. Why do you think the author chose these three as narrators? Do you agree with this choice, or would you have preferred other characters to take on the narrative role?
5. What techniques does Rooney use to distinguish the voices of these three characters? Did their distinct perspectives enhance your understanding of the story?
6. Regret is a prominent theme in the novel. How is it portrayed through the different characters? Did any of their experiences with regret resonate with you personally?
7. "You can drive yourself crazy thinking about different things you could have done in the past. But sometimes I think, actually, I didn´t have that much power over my life anyway. I mean, I couldn´t give myself a new personality out of nothing. And things just kind of happened to me". Do you agree with this quote?
8. Complicated relationships with parents are a recurring theme in Rooney's novels. How do you think Peter and Ivan's relationships with both their father and mother shape their actions?
9. Sally Rooney often addresses difficult topics in her novels, such as infertility, depression, and in Intermezzo, suicide and grief. Some readers believe there should be content warnings for sensitive themes. Do you agree with this view? How do you think including such warnings might impact the reading experience?
10. Beyond the age gap between some characters, what other power dynamics influence the relationships depicted in the novel, whether romantic, sexual, familial, or friendships?
11. Do you think Naomi and Sylvia represent different kinds of love and affection in Peter's life? How do their relationships with him differ in terms of emotional depth and connection?
12. While Rooney's previous characters often travel to different countries, Intermezzo is largely set in Dublin and small Irish towns. How does this setting influence the characters and their stories?
13. An "intermezzo" as a chess term refers to an unexpected move that forces the opponent to address a new threat, and as a musical term it refers to a short piece or move inserted between larger sections. Do you think either of these definitions align with the plot of the novel?
14. Chess is featured in the title, the cover design, and is associated with one of the characters. Do you think chess plays a significant symbolic role in the novel beyond these references?
15. The novel's ending is left somewhat open, with an air of hope. Do you find the conclusion to be genuinely optimistic, or do you think there's an underlying ambiguity?

Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Farrar, Straus & Giroux. Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.