She has been described as the Jane Austen of her generation, the so-called “millennials.” At 33, with only three novels, Conversations between friends, Normal People (L’Olivier, 2019 and 2020, both adapted into series) and Where are you, admirable world? ? (L’Olivier, 2022), the Irish Sally Rooney has become an extraordinary publishing star, translated into nearly forty languages. For the worldwide release of her fourth novel, Intermezzothe writer gives to “Le Monde des livres” the only interview she has been willing to give in France.
Like your previous novels, “Intermezzo” is highly anticipated. How do you feel before the publication of a new book, when the pressure is so high?
The period before a book is published is not a pleasant experience for me. It is a source of stress that I face with difficulty. I don’t think I have ever managed to get used to it, but I have come to understand and accept that the moment a book is published is a major interruption in my ordinary life, that it will inevitably be difficult and stressful. When my first books were published, I didn’t understand why I was so stressed, I blamed myself for not coping better, that sort of thing. Today, I am simply preparing myself for five or six unpleasant months before my life resumes its normal course. Since I only publish one book every two years, I consider it an acceptable compromise, because, in between, it gives me time to work. At least that’s what I tell myself.
“Intermezzo” tells the story of two brothers, Ivan and Peter, just after their father’s funeral. Ivan, 22, is a talented chess player, while Peter, 32, is a lawyer, and they seem to have little in common. Although love is one of your main themes, you had never written about love and hate in the context of brotherhood (especially in relation to the loss of a father). What drew you to this theme, and why?
Writing about these characters was not a conscious decision. I didn’t sit down at my desk with the intention of “tackling a theme” or “exploring the subject of brotherhood,” or anything like that. One day, many years ago, I came up with a story about a chess player who goes to a small country arts center for a simultaneous [séance où le joueur dispute plusieurs parties à la fois]. I started writing about it, and as I got to know the characters better and better, I realized that the chess player had an older brother. I started writing about the brother and his entourage, and my novel developed from there. At no point did I think, “I have something to say about brotherhood.” In my novels, I don’t have anything in particular to say about anything. I just want to bring my characters to life for my readership, in the same way that they came to life for me.
You have 83.3% of this article left to read. The rest is reserved for subscribers.
