"He knew from long experience that a letter sent in fury merely put a weapon into the hands of your enemy."
This story revolves around two old friends, Clive Linley and Vernon Halliday, attend the funeral of Molly Lane, a woman they both had relationships with in the past. Clive is a renowned modern composer, while Vernon is a newspaper editor. Molly had other lovers, including Julian Garmony, the Foreign Secretary and a prominent right-wing figure with ambitions of becoming the next prime minister. After Molly's funeral, Clive and Vernon make a pact that will have unexpected and far-reaching consequences, setting in motion a series of events neither of them could have predicted.
I thought the author did a great job with exploring the moral choices individuals make, especially when faced with personal dilemmas. I was a little disappointed with the way the ending was carried out, as it seemed that the characters' actions were not adequately foreshadowed or justified by their personalities. It appeared as though the author aimed to provide a surprising twist at the end without sufficiently building up the characters to make their behavior believable.
In general, I found this to be a quick and engaging book. I believe it has the potential to spark meaningful discussions on the theme of morality. After reading it, I was eager to engage in conversations about specific events from the story.
I read this as part of my project to Read All the Booker Prize Winners. This book won the Booker in 1998.
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