Our book choice for May 2012 is The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes, the Man Booker Prize 2011 winner. Tony Webster and his clique befriend Adrian Finn at school. The group navigate “the girl drought of gawky adolescence together, trading in affectations, in-jokes, rumour and wit.”
Though Adrian is more serious and intelligent, they all swear to stay friends forever. Then Adrian commits suicide and the friends move on and try to forget. Forty years later, Tony, who has had a career, a failed marriage and a daughter, receives a lawyer’s letter, which throws up some surprises. An unexpected bequest within the letter leads Tony on a search through the past that has suddenly turned murky.
Discussion Questions
- Do you think Tony is a reliable narrator?
- Why does Sarah Ford leave Tony £500 and the diary in her will?
- Why does Veronica call it “Blood Money”?
- What is Tony’s opinion of himself and does it change over the course of the book? How?
- Can you identify with the character of Tony? Would you want him for a “friend”?
- What do you make of Veronica’s relationship with her mother?
- Would it ever have been possible for Tony to “get it”, as Veronica puts it?
- What does the book say about history? Which definition do you agree with?
- Are you shocked by the ending? Is it possible that Tony has jumped to the wrong conclusions?
- Were you frustrated by the ending? or the lack of clarity?
- Is it a worthy winner of the Booker Prize and would you recommend it?
Individual Ratings
DKB Rating 
Sue's Rating 
Catherine's Rating
John's Rating
Miranda's Rating