Ashley J. (francophilex) reviewed on
Helpful Score: 1
This was the second Julian Barnes book I read after "Metroland." "Love, etc." is driven by the love triangle that began in "Talking it Over." Stuffy, conservative Stuart and Gillian were married in that book, until Gillian left Stuart for his witty but lazy friend Oliver. Now that Gillian and Oliver are married with two daughters, Stuart has reentered the picture. The narration of the chapters alternates among the characters, with the different unreliable narrators giving the reader his or her version of the truth.
I tend to prefer books and movies that explore relationships and introduce us to interesting characters rather than those that revolve around some type of external action - The types of books that make it hard to answer the question "So what happens?" "Love, etc." is a brilliant picture of several complicated relationships that allows us to explore the nature of truth.
As a side note, I read "Love, etc." before I realized that there was a prequel. I think that reading the books out of order actually makes for a more interesting reading of Love, etc., and I preferred it to "Talking it Over."
I tend to prefer books and movies that explore relationships and introduce us to interesting characters rather than those that revolve around some type of external action - The types of books that make it hard to answer the question "So what happens?" "Love, etc." is a brilliant picture of several complicated relationships that allows us to explore the nature of truth.
As a side note, I read "Love, etc." before I realized that there was a prequel. I think that reading the books out of order actually makes for a more interesting reading of Love, etc., and I preferred it to "Talking it Over."
