To begin with this book had the strong feel of a cross between 'Spies' by Michael Frayn & 'On Chesil Beach' by Ian McEwan, (although of course it predates both), set in the 1940s initially and moving forward from there. I liked the feel of the book.

The last third went a bit weird though, forseeing a slightly dystopian near-future, where euthanasia is legal and even encouraged, with a sort of 1980s vision of the internet/wikipedia dispensing knowledge, but as authorised by the government.

Intersting ideas on death and religion are what kept me engaged to the end despite the slightly dated feel of the envisioned future. ( )

less rewarding than most of his novels ( )

A truly beautiful book, reread many times. (I'm tempted to say the best of Julian Barnes work.) It details many aspects of aging, of relationships between generations, and then. . . .in addition projects possible future. . . . To be read and appreciated by all of us at LibraryThing. ( )