A Profound Tale of Love, Loss, and the Fragile Threads That Bind Us

Peter, a sharp-witted Dublin lawyer in his thirties, appears unshakable—until the death of their father sends him spiraling into sleepless nights and tangled relationships. Torn between Sylvia, the woman he’s never truly let go of, and Naomi, a carefree college student, Peter is desperately trying to hold himself together.

Meanwhile, twenty-two-year-old Ivan, a socially awkward but brilliant chess player, has always felt like the opposite of his charming, composed older brother. But when he meets Margaret, an enigmatic older woman with her own ghosts, their lives become intensely, irrevocably intertwined.

As grief weaves through their days, Peter and Ivan enter a fleeting yet transformative interlude—a time of longing, recklessness, and the aching possibility of healing. In this profoundly intimate story, Sally Rooney once again captures the raw, intricate beauty of human connection—where love is both the wound and the cure.

A poignant and deeply intimate exploration of love, grief, and human connection, this novel unravels the fragile complexities of family and the unexpected ways we find healing.