“Would you rather love the more, and suffer the more; or love the less, and suffer the less?”

So starts Julian Barnes’ latest novel ‘The Only Story’. The story is one of a love affair between a nineteen year old boy and a forty eight year old woman which starts in the long university summer vacation, defying the social conventions of the Surrey village in which they both live.

Barnes writes in the first person giving a very vivid account of the relationship, which many believe to be autobiographical, but half way through the book the tempo changes and he becomes introspective.

The relationship continues over many years and the outcome is emotional and sad.

Paul never gives up on Susan but the demands on his side of the relationship take their toll and become overwhelming.

He has no regrets but felt “that he had been too young, too ignorant, too absolutist, too confident of what he imagined love’s nature and workings to be.”

There is humour and dry wit but Barnes – writing with such great intensity – produces a heart wrenching and thought provoking read.