The novel is not about chess. The novel is about Chess is the vehicle—not the destination.
The title itself, Intermezzo , refers to a short, connecting movement in a larger musical or dramatic work. It suggests a pause, a breath between the major events. In chess, the "intermezzo" (or zwischenzug ) is an intermediate move—a surprise tactic inserted before an expected reply. This perfectly encapsulates the story’s theme: the grief the characters feel is the intermezzo of their lives. It is the unexpected move, the pause in the forward momentum of their youth, forcing them to recalculate their entire strategy. Chess Fiction Intermezzo By Sally Rooney -202...