"The Sense of an Ending" is a gripping reflection
of a life half-lived, as the title character notes the
changes in his life and the impending nature
of the grave.
In his sixties now, Tony has begun excavating his
past in hopes of finding some answers, spurred on
by a mystery surrounding a former
lover and events of a lifetime ago.
What bearing does the suicide of a college
friend have on the present? Will history repeat itself?
Is Tony's life salvageable?
What are the motivations behind his
ex and her angry, aloof, ominous presence?
Though intriguing, the mystery and the unveiling
of secrets actually took a backseat to what was the preeminent
feature of the book; Barnes' retrospective of a life
half-lived. Or, at least, lived in a fugue state.
The commentary on memory, perspective, aging,
and obsolescence is remarkable...absolutely
spot-on and mesmerizing. Better than any self-help
book or psychological treatise on the matter.
The honesty and depth of the shares are
extraordinary.
The circuitousness of the story, flashing back on events--or is
it merely remembrances--of time as a college man, of his
marriage, of trying to love...it all makes for a beautiful
flow, each non-event later underscoring something significant.
A beautiful and haunting search for meaning and truth...
identity and understanding.
