THE ONLY STORY: A Book Review

At it's heart, the novel is an examination of love, and how many love stories one might have. Doesn't sound like much? Ah, but Julian Barnes has a way of sneaking up on you, drawing you in to a novel that soon has your full attention.

THE ONLY STORY is a coming of age, in a way, as protagonist Paul and all his late-teen lust falls in love with a neighbor much older than himself. He is the narrator, telling the story as he looks back at a romance that shaped his adult life, for better or worse.

It's difficult to write a review without spoilers because so much pops up, events sprinkled throughout the narrative that prompt page turning, but what becomes of Paul is told so well that I can only recommend the book.



The prose is the sort that feels effortless, as if the author just sat down and let the words flow. A few spots got somewhat draggy, as can happen in a book filled with internal dialogue and pondering, but it passes. And it's a fairly short novel, perfect for a quiet weekend's read when you want to delve into a study of a fascinating character.