Sunday, 14 April 2013
The Sense of an Ending - Julian Barnes
How well do we really remember events from times gone by? An action, tone of voice or glance that we interpret and store away. Do we sometimes choose a more favourable version of a memory that shows us in a better light, allowing us to live with ourselves a little more comfortably?
Tony has gone through life seemingly with little impact on those around him. He’s coasted through an average unassuming life - work, retirement, marriage and a thoroughly amicable divorce. He presents to us his recollection of his youth; the clique he belonged to; the ex girlfriend he never really understood and the tragedy of his closest friend Adrian that punctuates the end of his student life. All these memories are revisited and reevaluated when he finds out he has been left Adrian's diary in a will.
Barnes takes us through a fascinating, thought provoking exploration of Tony’s past at a pace that keeps you trying to figure out what has really happened. When the conclusion unfolded it struck with such effect that it stayed with me long after I finished reading it. The first time I read it I wanted to start it over again as soon as I had got to the end. I wanted to go back and see what I had missed and re-read it with the knowledge of the ending in mind. It’s one to keep on the shelf and revisit.
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