In detailed inner dialogues, Julius Herz examines memories of his 73 years and gains insights into how he ended up alone at the end of an unfulfilled life. He has spent his life observing the rules and attempting always to do what was expected of him from the people in his life. His loneliness is palpable as he now attempts to connect with people and somehow alleviate his anxieties about how to spend the rest of his life. The prose is exquisite in this typical Brookner novel.

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