The End of the Affair by Graham Greene

A vintage classic from Graham Greene, The End of the Affair is an intelligent novel which centres around three main characters, Maurice Bendrix, Sarah Miles and her husband Henry Miles.

The book toils with the different kinds of love and the consequences desire, jealousy and faithfulness has on people.

Set during World War Two, The End of the Affair really has just one female character, Sarah. It is her relationships with a variety of male characters from a private detective, priest, a boy and a non-faith preacher, as well as with her husband Henry and lover Bendrix, which provides the central plot. Each one shows love and affection towards Sarah but in very different ways.   

Even Sarah’s relationship with God is not straight forward and belief in religion is a constant theme throughout. The End of the Affair looks at the human instinct to turn to great powers when struggling with the inner self.

All three of the main characters begin by having no religious beliefs, but as the story unfolds this starts to change both subconsciously and reluctantly.

Bendrix struggles throughout the book with his great love for Sarah, but it is this love which leaves him twisted by jealousy and hate for all around him. He even starts to hate God but by hating God, Bendrix, an atheist, realises he must have to believe in him.  

It is thought that Greene wrote the book based on events in his own life and this is believable. Firstly, Bendrix is also a writer but the most convincing argument that it’s true is because it is so realistically complex and detailed. There will be characters which are unlikeable or do unlikeable things, but then that’s life

Greene writes The End of the Affair in a very poetic style. He sets the tone on page six by writing “If I could I would write with love, but if I could write with love, I would be another man. I would never have lost love.”

This is a deep and complex novel about adultery and faith, two strong subjects which would have caused controversy when it was published more than 60 years ago. It is clear why this book has been titled one of Greene’s best, but sometimes being true to life does not always make superb reading.  

The Book Review Score: 3/5