If you liked ‘Intermezzo’... you’ll love these
Editor’s note: We’re experimenting with a new (hopefully more useful) template for a recommendation list. When I really like a book, I most often want something similar—in theme, style, or atmosphere. Searching by genre is useless (fantasy or sci-fi eg) because each encompasses very different types of books. Looking up the author helps—but the options are limited.
About the lead image: This 16th century oil painting titled 'Three Siblings of the Gaddi Family with Dog' was painted by the Italian Renaissance painter Sofonisba Anguissola.
As many Sally Rooney die-hard fans will attest, the author writes intricate prose about complicated relationships and, in the case of ‘Intermezzo’, that of one with a sibling. That's the string we've pulled on, for this edition. Tarini Uppal offers a thoughtful list of books that explore this particular relationship in all its complexity.
Let us know what you think at talktous@splainer.in. Also: if you’d like to see a similar approach for music and entertainment, as well.
Written by: Tarini Uppal is a seasoned publishing professional, having worked at Penguin Random House India for close to a decade. She has worked with some of the country’s bestselling and award-winning writers—from Amitav Ghosh to Ramachandra Guha. She loves all things ‘food’ and has published some gorgeous cookbooks. You can follow her food journey on Instagram @toopsie.
Since the global literary phenomenon that was ‘Normal People’ shook the world into paying attention to a twenty-something, awkward, Irish girl, she has gone on to write book after book, each being an event greater than the last. This year, we were lucky to have got a new Sally Rooney novel — ‘Intermezzo’. After three hugely successful novels centred around friendships, this is the first time that she has veered away from her formula. She wrote about brothers, their relationships, and how they navigate life after losing a parent. If there’s one thing that is just as complex as a young girl’s friendships, it is the relationship between siblings.
Across time and genres, some of the greatest works of literature are centred around sibling relationships—even all our childhood favourites like ‘Little Women’, and ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’.
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett: When I first read Patchett’s ‘Commonwealth’, I was convinced it was one of the greatest books about siblings. But then I read ‘The Dutch House’. Set across five decades, the book is about the tumultuous lives of siblings Maeve and Danny. When their wealthy father dies, their stepmother slowly takes over all his assets and eventually throws them out of their lavish mansion and childhood home, the Dutch house. All they have is each other and despite the hardships they face, their strong sibling bond shines through till the end. If you are easily daunted by big books, perhaps try out the audiobook for this one. It is narrated by Tom Hanks!
My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite: If the title doesn’t make you want to pick up this book, I don’t know what will. The story of two sisters with opposing personalities is one of the craziest novels I’ve read. I laughed and felt scared all at once. Koreeda’s beautiful sister, Ayoola, has a small problem. She kills all her boyfriends. Koreeda is then summoned to come and help clean up the mess. One day, Ayoola starts dating a doctor that Koreeda’s been in love with. She loves her sister but is she willing to let her get away with this forever? This is a highly entertaining short, easy, read and if you enjoy dark, comic satire, this one is for you.
The Last Romantics by Tara Conklin: So far we’ve only talked about relationships between two siblings. In this novel, we are introduced to the four deeply connected Skinner siblings through the eyes of the youngest, Fiona. We watch them come together to survive the tragic death of their father, slowly drift away, and come together again. But things are different this time. Through the crazy ups and downs of their lives, their love and care for each other remain intact. Washington Post says, “It is the strength and fragility of the siblings’ bond, the evolving nature of love that is at the core of Conklin’s novel.”
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett: Desiree and Stella are identical twins. At the age of sixteen, they run away from their suffocating lives in a small town and find themselves in New Orleans, free to be whatever they want. They eventually take very different routes and are estranged. This novel follows their parallel lives where one identifies as black and one as white. The novel spans three generations and four decades exploring family, race, and gender. What would you do if your other half disappeared? If you’ve never read Bennett, the intertwining of plotlines and foregrounding of the family drama in her work will keep you gripped till the very end.
A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley: This Pulitzer Prize-winning novel from the 90s is still one of the greatest family sagas there is. It is a powerful modern-day reimagining of Shakespeare’s ‘King Lear’, as a farmer in Iowa decides to divide his property of a thousand acres for his three daughters. When the youngest objects, she is cut out of his will. This leads to a series of events and much like in ‘Lear’, the complete deterioration of the father’s sound mind. What stands out most as you read the sisters navigating this situation, is that family tragedy is something so universal, whether it was in 16th century England or 20th century Iowa. If you want to delve into a well-plotted, classic family drama with a huge reveal at the end, this is a book you need to put on your TBR list right away.
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah: If you, like me, love a good cry while reading, then look no further. This book is widely known for breaking hearts and inducing ugly crying. Set in World War II, during the occupation of France, this is a story of two sisters, trying to survive a war. The young, stubborn, and rebellious Isabelle and the mature, sensible Vianne, who has a family and a daughter to protect at all cost. Through their lives, the novel tells the untold story of women during the war, their resilience, courage, strength and their will to go on.
Grief Is the Thing With Feathers by Max Porter: Sibling relationships aren’t limited to fiction alone. In this beautifully original form of prose-poetry, much like in a lot of the books on this list, it is the loss of their mother that brings two, young, grieving brothers together. This book, quite like Rooney’s ‘Intermezzo’, is not sentimental, instead, it shows the dark, messy side of grief and what real mourning looks like. It is a short book, but I recommend you take your time with it. It will stay with you for long after.
Family Life by Akhil Sharma: I still remember the exact moment that I read this book in 2014 because it left such an impact on me. Immensely vivid, devastating, and powerful, this is the story of brothers, part of an Indian immigrant family in America. Everything is going swimmingly, until one day tragedy strikes, and one of the boys is left brain-damaged. As the parents become obsessed with finding a way to bring their vegetative son back, it’s like they have forgotten the other one. This is the story of the boy who survives, the boy who has to navigate a new foreign life, and one who wants to hate his brother for ruining his life but can’t. This novel is very high on my list of greatest reads of all time and is a heart-wrenching unpacking of what it means to be brothers.
