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aalliisshhaa's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
ashleyytruong's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
suchikaashyap's review against another edition
3.0
The Only Story sounded like a very deep and philosophical book about love and life especially with the opening line.
But the glimpses of beautiful prose scattered through the book was not recompense for the air of melancholy that surrounded the book.
The book tries to tackle the ever difficult concept of love through nostalgic lenses, a feat not easily accomplished and Barnes was no exception. The novel is through the eyes of Paul, a much older Paul talking about his great love Susan whom he met when he was a teenager. The book opens up interesting questions about whether great love leads to great happiness. Whilst there are some interesting questions and philosophical musings in the book, the overall air of the book was a bit stale for me to enjoy it thoroughly
But the glimpses of beautiful prose scattered through the book was not recompense for the air of melancholy that surrounded the book.
The book tries to tackle the ever difficult concept of love through nostalgic lenses, a feat not easily accomplished and Barnes was no exception. The novel is through the eyes of Paul, a much older Paul talking about his great love Susan whom he met when he was a teenager. The book opens up interesting questions about whether great love leads to great happiness. Whilst there are some interesting questions and philosophical musings in the book, the overall air of the book was a bit stale for me to enjoy it thoroughly
crtsjffrsn's review against another edition
2.0
I tried so very hard to get into this book, but it thoroughly bored me. There was no hook to get me interested in the character, and the shifting point of view just made it that much harder to follow and engage with. Reading it actually seemed a bit tedious to me, and I found it challenging to reach the finish line.
[This review is based on an early access copy provided by the publisher via First to Read.]
[This review is based on an early access copy provided by the publisher via First to Read.]
imani_r's review against another edition
3.0
This is the first book I’ve read by Julian Barnes. His writing is wonderful. The first part of this book is incredibly captivating, but gets really slow through the second part, dragging along, and by the third part - with the changing point of views - it’s plain tedious. :/
gouricanread's review against another edition
3.0
The Only Story by Julian Barnes has been on my shelf for over a year and it's one of my very few hardcover books.
It tells the story of Paul Roberts, who at nineteen, falls in love with Susan Macleod, a married woman of forty-eight. He starts spending a lot of time at her house being hated and liked by her toxic husband and daughters until he and Susan move to London together, leaving their families behind to live the life of “his” dreams. The rest of the book shows how their relationship and their personalities change overtime. The narrator is Paul and he discusses the impact this relationship, his first love, has on his ideas and thoughts throughout his life.
.
.
I liked the book because it is a different take on the trope. I have not read a lot of books which covers romantic relationships between people with a large age gaps and this was new for me. The narration changes from first person to second to third as the story goes on, showing his detachment from his lover and the memories. It was pretty brilliant in expressing how his emotions changed with age. My favourite was part three.
.
.
I did not like it for a number of reasons. The narrator is not very captivating. I felt like Susan, even though she is a major character, was not given a voice and for this exact reason, I was not able to connect with her character. In my opinion, the author did not leave a lot for our interpretation and imagination. Towards the end he explained the narrator's thoughts and analyzed the dynamics between all the characters. I like it better when I am challenged to think and come to a conclusion when I read. This was different, but a little boring for me. I felt like I was being spoon-fed.
.
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Overall, it was not a bad read. From what I have heard about Sense of an Ending, this does not seem to be Barnes' best work.
It tells the story of Paul Roberts, who at nineteen, falls in love with Susan Macleod, a married woman of forty-eight. He starts spending a lot of time at her house being hated and liked by her toxic husband and daughters until he and Susan move to London together, leaving their families behind to live the life of “his” dreams. The rest of the book shows how their relationship and their personalities change overtime. The narrator is Paul and he discusses the impact this relationship, his first love, has on his ideas and thoughts throughout his life.
.
.
I liked the book because it is a different take on the trope. I have not read a lot of books which covers romantic relationships between people with a large age gaps and this was new for me. The narration changes from first person to second to third as the story goes on, showing his detachment from his lover and the memories. It was pretty brilliant in expressing how his emotions changed with age. My favourite was part three.
.
.
I did not like it for a number of reasons. The narrator is not very captivating. I felt like Susan, even though she is a major character, was not given a voice and for this exact reason, I was not able to connect with her character. In my opinion, the author did not leave a lot for our interpretation and imagination. Towards the end he explained the narrator's thoughts and analyzed the dynamics between all the characters. I like it better when I am challenged to think and come to a conclusion when I read. This was different, but a little boring for me. I felt like I was being spoon-fed.
.
.
Overall, it was not a bad read. From what I have heard about Sense of an Ending, this does not seem to be Barnes' best work.
zjofie's review against another edition
3.0
veel vier- en zelfs vijfsterrenpassages en een magistraal inzicht in mensen en emoties want het is Barnes natuurlijk, maar ook wel wat passages waar ik me door moest worstelen. daarom drie sterren. al kan ik me perfect inbeelden dat ik het op een ander moment wel vier sterren zou geven. en de laatste bladzijde: sowieso vijf sterren.
bkish's review against another edition
5.0
This is a very unusual very special book. It is unlike anything I have ever read and I am a major frequent reader.
This is my first book by Julian Barnes. It is fine literature
The premise or the crux of the book is a relationship between the speaker Paul and Susan which begins when he is 19 and she is I think 45. It continues to her death and him speaking as an elderly alone man. I do not understand their relationship at all. So what? He is writing about the nature of love. It is irrelevant that I as the reader cannot understand his love for her. Maybe the author did that intentionally.
This is a powerful telling of a relationship between them and between others like her and her husband and him and his few girlfriends and him and himSelf.
I will let this review rest
Judy
This is my first book by Julian Barnes. It is fine literature
The premise or the crux of the book is a relationship between the speaker Paul and Susan which begins when he is 19 and she is I think 45. It continues to her death and him speaking as an elderly alone man. I do not understand their relationship at all. So what? He is writing about the nature of love. It is irrelevant that I as the reader cannot understand his love for her. Maybe the author did that intentionally.
This is a powerful telling of a relationship between them and between others like her and her husband and him and his few girlfriends and him and himSelf.
I will let this review rest
Judy