The Sense of an Ending By Julian Barnes
By Julian Barnes
This novel follows Tony Webster, as he deals with his past and two specific people who shaped him. The first part shows us Tony's friendship with three other boys, one of them named Adrian who the others admire deeply, Tony not least of all. But Adrian gets into a relationship with an ex-girlfriend of Tony's, the insufferable Veronica, which Tony views as a betrayal by Adrian and an act of vengeance by Veronica.
The second part follows Tony as a middle-aged man who has to deal with the two of them again after Adrian dies, leaving his diary to Tony who has to convince Veronica to give it to him. Tony thought he left them all behind, but finds he has to revise his own life and who he always thought he was. The man he thought he was is erased by Veronica's return to his life and how he handled that situation from his past.
This was a great book. The prose was elegant and fun to read. Tony's narration was playful and his reactions to the situations he finds himself in seemed completely natural and relatable. I read it in one sitting and can definitely see myself reading it again. I think there is a lot to be gained by doing so.
Easily a 4 star read.
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