The End of the Affair - Graham Greene

     Graham Greene's The End of the Affair is a dark, compelling, and beautifully written novel.  The narrator begins his tale by stating that it is "a record of hate far more than of love."
     Set in London before, during and after World War II, the novel tells of a doomed passionate, romance between a novelist, Maurice Bendrix, and Sarah, the wife of a dull civil servant, Henry.  But it is far from a traditional love story.  Bendrix is consumed by jealousy and even as he is in Sarah's arms he is envisioning the end of their love. His jealously tortures Sarah so that the precious time they spend together is poisoned by it.  His insecurity undermines their love.
     The story begins eighteen months after the affair has ended and Greene moves between past and present to weave the tale of the love and its destruction.  As the story opens, Bendrix meets Sarah's husband by chance and learns that he suspects her of infidelity.  Henry has no idea that Bendrix had an affair with her.  When he mentions that he has considered hiring a private detective to discover if she is being unfaithful, Bendrix, offers to see an investigator for Henry.  The seething jealousy that Bendrix has continued to feel is fueled once again.  He proceeds to hire a detective but the eventual outcome is not what he expects.
     Greene's characters are deep, flawed, tortured, and believable.  Told from the view of Bendrix and also using excerpts from Sarah's journal, their doomed love story is haunting. William Faulkner said of Greene's book, "For me one of the most true and moving novels of my time, in anybody's language."  It is certainly one of the best written books I've read lately.

~ Frances