The word intermezzo has several meanings, one of which is relevant to chess. Why is this term the title of the novel?

Discuss Rooney’s choice to minimize representing Bridget, Margaret’s siblings, and Ricky on the page. How do their absences play into the reader’s experience of Margaret’s personal dilemmas?

How do Sylvia and Naomi’s careers affect their respective dynamics with Peter? How does Peter’s belief that he needs to choose between the two women impact Rooney’s depiction of sex work?