Such a beautiful book, this one is! One of the best coming-of-age books I have read. It is a thoughtful and witty commentary on the story of memory and how it plays with one over a life time. Each and every character is carved to such a perfection that you feel you've known them personally. 
 And the ending was something I never saw coming and was as brilliant and as fitting as it could have been. It was my first Julian Barnes and now I must pick up another one of his. 
 Highly recommended.