After five years of marriage, Cass and Jonathan Coyne have
reached a plateau in their marriage. Neither is particularly enthused,
the cute quirks from early in their relationship are now full-blown
pet-peeves, and they both can't help but start to dissect every single
event that has brought them to their general complacency with their
relationship. But Jonathan is blindsided when his wife requests they
take an "intermission;" borrowing a term from Cass' job as a theater
marketer. For six months they'll be on a break and after their time
apart, they'll meet and figure out if they want to stay married. Things
are further complicated when Cass decides she wants to move to
California, live with one of her college girlfriends, and split custody of
their dog, Puddles.
Of course, things don't go quite as planned. Feelings are hurt, secrets
are uncovered, and Cass and Jonathan both have no idea how
to feel in this arrangement. In some ways, things are great as they
live their separate lives, but neither can deny they miss the stability
and companionship of their marriage. But when Cass gets involved
with a hot-shot Hollywood publicist, and Jonathan starts seeing his
high school ex-girlfriend, the Coynes are unsure of how to move
forward. And like it always does, the past creeps back into the
picture, making Cass and Jonathan wonder if they ever knew each
other at all...
THE INTERMISSION by Elyssa
Friedland is a dynamic look at modern marriage. I have to admit, Cass
and Jonathan are both unlikable characters from the beginning, but you
do start to understand where both of them are coming from as the
story moves on, and you learn more about their pasts. Cass has always
been insecure about growing up poor but attending an Ivy league
university and trying to fit in with the rich kids. Jonathan has mostly
taken for granted his privileged upbringing, but he also knows he's
been really lucky, considering some of his past actions, too. They both
see the other as something of a prize early on. Jonathan has the
dynamic, gorgeous woman who is not only smart but successful. Cass
has married a man who has so much money he doesn't know what to
do with it, but he's genuinely good. So why are they both so unhappy?
There were times when things could have been solved by the two leads
being honest with each other as well as themselves. As the book
continues, the nuances of what they have kept from one another
become clearer, and it is understandable how two seemingly
compatible people can drift apart. And while much of the book is
lighthearted, there are some serious issues discussed that keep it
grounded. The ending felt very rushed, but things do come to a
satisfying conclusion. THE
INTERMISSION is an interesting book, heightened by Friedland's
deft and relatable writing style. Recommended!
Have you ever had a secret so gut-wrenching you couldn't
tell anyone, not even the person who shares your bed?
Told from the alternating perspectives of a husband and
wife who both have something to hide, this incisive novel
pulls back the curtain on a seemingly-happy marriage,
posing the question: how much do we really know--and how
much should we want to know--about the people we love the
most?
After five long years, the unshakable confidence Cass
Coyne felt as a bride is gone. Her husband, Jonathan, on
the other hand, is still smitten. It's true that the
quirks he once found charming in his wife--her high
standards, her refusal to clean the dishes--are beginning
to grate. But for him, these are minor challenges in a
healthy relationship.
So it comes as a complete shock to Jonathan when Cass
suddenly requests a marital "intermission": a six-month
separation during which they'll decide if the comfortable
life they've built is still the one they both want.
Aside from a monthly custodial exchange of their beloved
dog, contact will be limited. But as the months pass,
they begin to see that calculated silences just like
these have helped to drive them apart--and that it may
finally be time to confront the blistering secrets
they've been avoiding.
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