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The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes - 4 stars

PBT Comments: This book is set in London and contains references to local landmarks. It is on the posted list, but really could have been set anywhere. Content advisory for sensitive readers: (view spoiler)[descriptions and multiple passages on suicide (hide spoiler)]

This is a story of a retired man looking back on his youth and trying to make sense of his past. It is divided into two parts. In Part One, set in London in the 1960’s, narrator Tony Webster recounts his time in school with his group of four intellectual friends. They take a somewhat arrogant approach to life, history, and literature, while at the same time want to appear diffident and “cool” to their peers. At one key point, they analyze a school mate’s suicide, to puzzle out what may have caused it, while casually discussing the ramifications in a rather callous way. The narrative proceeds to describe their college days and relationships, with a focus on two of the four, Tony and Adrian. Part Two takes place about forty years later. Tony summarizes his life up to that point, and the past comes calling. He receives a mysterious bequest, which leads him to unravel a series of unsavory events. He discovers that what he believes to be true about his past is not quite what actually happened, that he has forgotten some rather important facts. From the distance of age, his younger self seems like another person and his past actions disturb him deeply. He feels a need to solve the mystery and atone for his behavior.

The author explores the interaction between time and memory, mortality, self-perception, and the myriad of ways we can deceive ourselves to lessen guilt and remorse. The writing is beautiful, sophisticated, and philosophical. It packs a substantial amount of emotional depth into a rather slim novel and is compelling enough to read in a single sitting. Barnes cleverly inserts significant bits of information to keep the reader interested in finding out more, while not revealing everything until the end. In fact, the enjoyment of the novel will likely hinge on the reader’s response to the ending. It provides a great deal of “food for thought” in terms of evaluating the consequences of one’s actions and facing responsibility. There is lots to discuss and would be an excellent selection for a book club. While all loose ends are not tied up, it does provide The Sense of an Ending.

Link to My GR Review