Julian Barnes can convey the angst of a lifetime in an economy of words. He is a master at revealing his characters secret selves and insecurities in short novels that another author might spend 400 pages on. "A Sense of an Ending" won the 2011 Booker Prize, the second novel by Barnes to do so. This thought provoking book can be read in two sittings; yet I was still thinking of the characters and their complex relationships more than a day later.
The novel begins with the friendship of four boys at their public school in England. Like many adolescents the seemingly strong bonds that were forged in school did not last into their life beyond. The main character, Tony, an insecure teen, grew into an insecure adult. Tony has reached his 60s and is only now beginning to "get it" as his former girlfriend Veronica keeps reminding him. During his university years Tony lost Veronica to Adrien, a friend he idolized in his school days. The years go by, Tony marries Margaret, a practical woman, and has a daughter. Tony and Margaret eventually divorce. Tony is lured back to the past by a surprising legacy and thus lies the mystery that leads to the climax of the novel. In the end Tony does "get it" as does the reader.
This is a beautifully written novel that exposes the character and hidden feelings of one Englishman and in a broad sense reflects on the culture of his countrymen who came of age in the 60s right before the sexual revolution.
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