"Proustian in both focus and scope, Barnes’ philosophical flights are . . . reminiscent of W. G. Sebald, but with a warmth, humanity and humor that are distinctly his own. . . . This is a rewarding and profound exploration of the human condition from a deeply captivating writer." —Booklist (starred review)

"Barnes explores memory, identity, and aging in this elegiacal and witty metafictional novella. . . . [and] remains in top form. Readers with a penchant for the precise prose of Ian McEwan or the collage metafiction of Sigrid Nunez will love his latest." —Library Journal (starred review)

"A revelatory meditation on love, death, and memory. . . . Barnes dives headlong into the slippery nature of memory and what one forgets through time or necessity. It’s an understated but graceful valediction by a writer whose work won’t soon be forgotten." —Publishers Weekly

"An autofictional remembrance. . . . Questioning the merits of novel-writing as an endeavor, the way it prompts the writer to exaggerate and betray. . . . It’s clear that Barnes is writing with a certain urgency." —Kirkus Reviews

"Barnes ranges widely, talking about mind and consciousness, memory and identity, how our past shapes our present. He discourses on many of his perpetual themes—love and grief, age and mortality—with a characteristic tone of elegant intellect and emotional ruefulness." —Winnipeg Free Press

"A welcome addition to [Barnes’s] bibliography, exhibiting [much] in common with his greatest hits—including his breakthrough third novel, Flaubert's Parrot and his 2011 Booker Prize-winner, The Sense of An Ending. . . . Departure(s) is slim but weighty, digressive yet incisive. . . . Although the book features a somewhat tricky, not entirely reliable narrator, it gives us unprecedented access to the thoughts and feelings of this extraordinarily interesting, erudite writer." —NPR

"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

"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

"A moving, engaging book. . . . [Barnes'] humorous narrative explores the effect of time on love . . . a rather lovely swansong." —Independent

"In the final chapter, [Barnes] returns to the theme of memory, now skillfully weaving in thoughts on love, on aging, on writing fiction, on preparing for death. It’s a virtuoso performance, a fitting flourish if this book does indeed turn out to be his last, and it makes for stimulating reading." —The Washington Post

“Barnes traces a lifelong love story while quietly circling mortality, memory and bodily decline. Gentle and reflective, this latest from the Booker winner is a short novel that gains its force from what it leaves unsaid.” —The i Paper