Departure(s)

A moving, engaging book… his [Barnes’s] humorous narrative explores the effect of time on love… a rather lovely swansong * Independent *
[An] elegant, thoughtful final book, which considers old age, fate and happiness. It’s an arch blend of memoir and make-believe — and rather touching * The Times, *Books to Look Out For 2026* *
His [Barnes’s] “last book”… proves one of his best * Daily Telegraph, *Books to Look Out For 2026* *
Metafictional, moving, unmistakably Barnes * Observer, *Books to Look Out For 2026* *
A richly layered autofiction… Artfully constructed to seem casually conversational, it braids erudite essayism and fiction, and every line is turned inside out with qualifications * Observer *
At a little over 150 pages, Departure(s) is brief but it is not slight and, each time I read it, I thought about it for days afterwards… If this is his [Barnes’s] last book, he has given his career a triumphant ending * Financial Times *
Disparate elements are bound together by the skilful management of theme and tone… [Departure(s)] is at once confidently authoritative and tentatively questioning. Barnes assumes a personal relation with his readers, built on the kind of intimacy that cancer’s company doesn’t provide * Times Literary Supplement *
Booker Prize winner Julian Barnes approaches his 80th birthday this month secure in his position as one of our finest writers. And Departure(s) can only polish his reputation -- Matt Nixson * Daily Express and Mirror *
Departure(s), [is] a masterpiece of narrative trickery * Spectator *
Barnes at his most irresistible… [Departure(s) is] a perfect send-off * The Times *