The Sense of an Ending
BOOKER PRIZE WINNER • NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A novel that follows a middle-aged man as he contends with a past he never much thought about—until his closest childhood friends return with a vengeance: one of them from the grave, another maddeningly present.
A novel so compelling that it begs to be read in a single setting, The Sense of an Ending has the psychological and emotional depth and sophistication of Henry James at his best, and is a stunning achievement in Julian Barnes's oeuvre.
Tony Webster thought he left his past behind as he built a life for himself, and his career has provided him with a secure retirement and an amicable relationship with his ex-wife and daughter, who now has a family of her own. But when he is presented with a mysterious legacy, he is forced to revise his estimation of his own nature and place in the world.
- Pages
- 162
- First published
- October 5, 2011
- Language
- English
- Edition
- Ebook
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Shelved by 1 Litcadian
Reviews
Finished August 13, 2025
Hmm I can now safely say that I am not a Julian Barnes fan. Just finished his short story The Sense of an Ending and honestly it was boring. Found the audiobook to push through just so I can add this to the challenge for a “read a DNF”. I had paused my reading and marked it as such but now I’m thinking I should have just DNF and forgotten about it. If you want a character study book this one isn’t it. Virginia Woolf’s Mrs Dalloway is much better. Edit… I’ve added notes in my highlights for the ending. It’s a vague and confusing one. Still not sure what to think of that.