Reviews

La única historia by Julian Barnes, Jaime Zulaika

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pikusonali's review against another edition

4.0

Thank you, Thank you, God, for introducing to this wonderful author. Without doubt, Julian Barnes is a master storyteller who weaves stories with such beautiful intricacy and creates something so simple but so relatable and lovely.

The Only Story is a love story. And, I may be allergic to those but this resonates so well with me, I couldn't help but feel a bit emotional towards the end. By the time I put down the book, I was so involved with the characters, especially Paul, the protagonist and narrator, I could feel his helplessness and his anguish.

This book is one man's memories - some he may have already forgotten, some he is trying hard to remember, and some he could never part with. If you love 'love stories', this is for you. And even if you don't, trust me, if you haven't discovered Julian Barnes yet, you are missing out on something sublime and marvellous!

deadcalmchaos's review against another edition

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slow-paced

4.0

acmarinho3's review against another edition

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5.0

Não é "O Sentido do Fim", mas não deixa de ser um livro absolutamente fantástico. Julian Barnes tem um escrita tão característica e uma maneira tão própria de descrever memórias, sentimentos, fraquezas humanas... Sinto sempre que consegue dar graciosidade aos defeitos humanos e que consegue apresentar-nos as personagens com as maiores falhas e fazer-nos adorá-las. Este é um livro que fala de amor e de como, quando nos entregamos totalmente, ele nos pode corroer: "O amor era um dever em si próprio e por si próprio. Tínhamos um dever para com o amor, tanto mais que agora ele era a nossa crença principal. E o amor trazia consigo muitas obrigações. Por isso, mesmo quando parecia ligeiro, o amor podia pesar muito, e prender muito, e as suas obrigações podiam causar desastres tão grandes como nos tempos antigos."

jaclyncrupi's review against another edition

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4.0

I don’t want to think too hard about what my love of melancholic older male narrators reflecting on their lives and loves says about me but this is a fine example of the trope. I struggled with the age difference between the lovers just as I did with THE LESSER BOHEMIANS. But Barnes is a beautiful observer of life, memory and love and he’s yet to write a book that doesn’t move me.