The Sense Of An Ending By Julian Barnes, Random House, $29.95.
Julian Barnes’ books seem to get shorter as he ages, but that doesn’t mean they’re any less engrossing.
This one, more of a novella than a full-blown novel, has been long-listed for the Booker Prize and finds the author back in a contemplative mood.
The start is a little irritating, with our central character Tony and his somewhat smug schoolfriends trading smart-arse banter to impress in class.
But persevere, because what follows is surprisingly intense and searching as Tony, now in his 60s, looks back on his friendship with the burningly intelligent Adrian Finn, who stole his girlfriend and then committed suicide as a young man.
Tony’s effort to reconnect with those memories and understand what really went on and why such a bright light was so suddenly snuffed out, all seen through his self-deluding hindsight, provides the backdrop for a smart and taut plot. It delivers several sharp turns that leave you reeling.
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