Book Shorts. Reviews in a Nutshell.
FEATURED REVIEW
Intermezzo
by Sally Rooney
This beautifully written novel by Sally Rooney explores love, grief and family. The story is set primarily in present day Dublin, Ireland. The book explores the relationship between two brothers who have just lost their father to a long term illness. The older brother Peter, is a successful lawyer who is torn between his love for two women; and Ivan, the younger brother, who is a chess prodigy and is just beginning his first serious relationship and very much in love. The death of their father has further fractured an already tenuous relationship between the two brothers. Both brothers, while dealing with the pain of grief, are trying to understand the other. Their struggles culminate in a renewed sense of hope, acceptance, redemption and reconciliation. Intermezzo is a good read.
Review by Barry Novick
September 4, 2025
So many books, so little time. Right, right - we’ve all heard it many times. Hummingbird's new BOOK SHORTS will present book reviews you can read in a minute and capture the essence of the story, thumbnail reviews that hopefully will entice you into your next read. I read constantly. My tastes vary, so I’ll review books that I love, not necessarily current books. Other HB contributors will review books that follow their interests, both newly published and past. All in all, we’ll review books we think are captivating, compelling, unputdownable. If you’re looking for a good book to take to the beach, make that long commute shorter, or curl up with, hopefully our reviews will help you find it. Lynda Bernard
Please feel free to comment in the “Comments” section below the byline or by clicking here and sending it to us. We will repost the review with your comments. We are trying this shortened format because we know everyone is so busy! We are only posting recommended reads. Let us know what you think. All reviews are by Hummingbird contributors.
