Our Top 10 Most Notable Books of 2024!
From the Book Recommendations for What's On Your Mind Series
PODCAST
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Hi everyone! In today’s episode I wanted to talk about my top 10 most notable books of the year! I recently shared my top 40 best books of 2024 to read in 2025 and these 10 are the most noteworthy of the bunch. An extremely tricky and difficult choice given how much I loved each and everyone of the 40 books! However, without further ado here is the full list!
First on my list is a Literary Fiction Book - Intermezzo by Sally Rooney
Sally Rooney's Intermezzo is a poignant exploration of family, grief, and human connection, centered on two Irish brothers, Peter and Ivan Koubek. Following their father's death, the brothers grapple with their strained relationship, personal struggles, and the emotional weight of their past. Peter, a successful yet emotionally troubled lawyer, navigates his grief and complicated romantic entanglements with Naomi, a university student, and Sylvia, his first love. Meanwhile, Ivan, a socially awkward former chess prodigy, begins a passionate relationship with Margaret, an older woman working at a local art center.
The novel is structured innovatively, with alternating perspectives: Peter's inner turmoil unfolds through a fragmented, stream-of-consciousness style, while Ivan's chapters are narrated more traditionally. This contrast deepens the exploration of their sibling dynamics, touching on themes of masculinity, class, and privilege. Rooney’s signature focus on intimate relationships is evident, as she delves into both romantic and familial bonds with empathy and precision.
Chess serves as a metaphor throughout, reflecting the strategic and sometimes unexpected moves in life and relationships. The title, Intermezzo, captures the idea of transitional moments, both in the brothers’ lives and in the broader themes of the narrative, offering a meditation on identity, memory, and the connections that sustain us.