frances_the_red's review against another edition
4.0
Ganz und gar nicht, was ich erwartet hatte. 'Die einzige Geschichte' entpuppte sich als soziologische Studie zwischenmenschlicher Beziehungen. Obwohl gelegentlich mit Längen ein tolles Lesevergnügen!
malivolens's review against another edition
3.0
took me by surprise, i didn't expect to like it as much as i did in the end. it was very boring at first, but i especially liked the second and last part. very reflective, i liked the observations Barnes makes. some passages really resonated with me.
emmapaige22's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
andreapetita's review against another edition
4.0
(Gairebé li poso cinc estrelles però ha estat escrit per un home i no m'hi vull arriscar.) Sincerament, m'ha agradat molt.Crec que parla més del desamor que no pas de l'amor, si això té alguna mena de sentit. És una història trista però està escrita sense melodrama, típic d'una persona que ha après a conviure amb la seva historia, suposo. El final és preciós perquè el moment en el que compara com hauria sigut en una pel·lícula i com ha estat en realitat, divagant sobre coses supèrflues però alhora quotidianament importants, fa pensar que la vida ja és això. I que està bé.
Voldria dir moltes altres coses però no em surten, així que ho deixaré en un llibre molt bonic per pensar.
Voldria dir moltes altres coses però no em surten, així que ho deixaré en un llibre molt bonic per pensar.
annymjj17's review against another edition
4.0
This book was such a slap in the face about what’s love and what’s loss. I really liked it even though, at times, it made me nervous and exasperated. Great writing. Great reflections. Great book.
nikolaw's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
aschmitty's review against another edition
5.0
Many thoughts rustling around, they'll settle on their own later
softstarrynights's review against another edition
3.0
***This review is SPOILER FREE***
I was kindly sent an eARC of this book but all opinions are my own.
Julian barnes is a very well thought of writer, and I have heard nothing but praise for some of his previous books, such as The Sense of an Ending, which was also made into a very well received film. I have been wanting to read something from him for a while now, so I was very excited to be reviewing his latest work.
The narrative follows Paul, an university student resigned to his sleepy surrey village during the summer holidays. During this time he joins the local tennis club, and meets Susan, a much older woman in an unhappy marriage, and they embark upon an affair. Barnes explores the question of love, and relationships, and how time effects both of these concepts, musings on which are interspered with the plot.
I was not the biggest fan of this book, and I hate having to admit that, but it's true. This, as I said, is my first experience of Barnes' writing, so I cannot say how it measures up to his previous works, but I really struggled to get through it.
Our protagonist, Paul, was extremely unlikable to me, which always makes it difficult when the book is so concise and character focused. Similarly Susan, also didn't appeal to me at at point, which, in a book that is so intensely focused on a relationship between theses two characters makes it really hard to be invested. It also meant that I could not find it in myself to feel invested in their relationship, which is the entire plot of the book.
Barnes also makes the decision to change the tense three times, if I remember correctly, throughout the book. These changes are meant to represent the changing experience of the relationship, for instance the beginning, arguably the point when you are most in love is told in the first person. I love this concept, and think that it's really clever and unique, although I did resent it being explained to be through Paul, and didn't think an explanation was needed.
My favourite parts of The Only Story were those which felt removed from the plot, wherein the book became much more of a philosophical musing on the concept of love. When reading these, of which there were plenty, I couldn't help but feel that they were so much stronger that the plot proper, and that the book may have been a lot stronger had it been an essay, or a collection of essays. Instead the plot seemed to draw your attention away from what Barnes was really trying to say.
Overall this book is lovely and perceptive in it's discussion of love, time, and relationships, and manages to say a lot despite being only a short book.
Have you read The Only Story, and what did you think about it? Are you going to read it? What other Julian Barnes books have you read?
For more bookish content come find me at www.cartonmanettedarnay.wordpress.com
I was kindly sent an eARC of this book but all opinions are my own.
Julian barnes is a very well thought of writer, and I have heard nothing but praise for some of his previous books, such as The Sense of an Ending, which was also made into a very well received film. I have been wanting to read something from him for a while now, so I was very excited to be reviewing his latest work.
The narrative follows Paul, an university student resigned to his sleepy surrey village during the summer holidays. During this time he joins the local tennis club, and meets Susan, a much older woman in an unhappy marriage, and they embark upon an affair. Barnes explores the question of love, and relationships, and how time effects both of these concepts, musings on which are interspered with the plot.
I was not the biggest fan of this book, and I hate having to admit that, but it's true. This, as I said, is my first experience of Barnes' writing, so I cannot say how it measures up to his previous works, but I really struggled to get through it.
Our protagonist, Paul, was extremely unlikable to me, which always makes it difficult when the book is so concise and character focused. Similarly Susan, also didn't appeal to me at at point, which, in a book that is so intensely focused on a relationship between theses two characters makes it really hard to be invested. It also meant that I could not find it in myself to feel invested in their relationship, which is the entire plot of the book.
Barnes also makes the decision to change the tense three times, if I remember correctly, throughout the book. These changes are meant to represent the changing experience of the relationship, for instance the beginning, arguably the point when you are most in love is told in the first person. I love this concept, and think that it's really clever and unique, although I did resent it being explained to be through Paul, and didn't think an explanation was needed.
My favourite parts of The Only Story were those which felt removed from the plot, wherein the book became much more of a philosophical musing on the concept of love. When reading these, of which there were plenty, I couldn't help but feel that they were so much stronger that the plot proper, and that the book may have been a lot stronger had it been an essay, or a collection of essays. Instead the plot seemed to draw your attention away from what Barnes was really trying to say.
Overall this book is lovely and perceptive in it's discussion of love, time, and relationships, and manages to say a lot despite being only a short book.
Have you read The Only Story, and what did you think about it? Are you going to read it? What other Julian Barnes books have you read?
For more bookish content come find me at www.cartonmanettedarnay.wordpress.com