The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes (review by Lauren L. '17)

The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Sense of an Ending is a remarkable story spanning forty years stemming from the protagonist’s acquaintance with a man he had known for less than a decade before the man unexpectedly commits suicide. It is blunt in its telling, the protagonist exposing his own ignorance throughout life as well as the many inadvisable decisions he had made and interspersing among them happier memories. It is refreshing to see his joys and regrets, all reluctantly accepted, and they reveal what he truly values in his life. The ending is unexpected and somewhat confusing; however, when the full implications of what had happened are understood, the shock value is enough for the book, and the questions it provokes, to linger in the reader’s mind for days afterward. Though it may not be enjoyable for all, I firmly believe that everyone should at least read the first few pages before deciding definitively whether or not The Sense of an Ending is to their taste. - Lauren L. '17

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