Book Reviews

‘The best moments in reading are when you come across something - a thought, a feeling, a way of looking at things - which you had thought special and particular to you. And now, here it is, set down by someone else, a person you have never met, someone even who is long dead. And it is as if a hand has come out, and taken yours.’ Alan Bennett

“Many a book is like a key to unknown chambers within the castle of one’s own self.” ― Franz Kafka

Wednesday 13 March 2013

Life After Life - Kate Atkinson



‘Don’t you wonder sometimes,’ Ursula said. ‘If just one small thing had been changed, in the past, I mean….surely things would be different.’


I admit I am a big fan of Kate Atkinson’s writing, having read most of her previous novels, with a particular fondness for the Jackson Brodie stories, my favourite probably being ‘When Will There Be Good News?’. I was therefore so excited to hear about a new novel coming from her and filled with great anticipation upon starting to read.

Life After Life didn’t disappoint me; I think this is a very special book in many ways. It is imbued with the sparkling prose and the dark humour that is so often evident in Kate Atkinson’s works. But this book features something rather clever and wonderful in terms of the structure and storyline.

The main character, Ursula Todd is born in 1910, during a heavy snowstorm, but sadly dies immediately, there’s no time for the doctor to reach her. Then we read that Ursula Todd is born in 1910 during a heavy snowstorm, and lives. She has another chance, another start at life, and this pattern, this unique quality, stays with her as she lives, and lives again, and changes the direction of her life, having chance after chance to get it just right. What a premise!

We accompany Ursula as she lives through many of the major events of the twentieth century, with her personal highs and lows recounted, then changed, as she has another chance at her life, and then another. She takes a different route, and a different course is set. Kate Atkinson writes of the personal experiences of one woman in a way that makes for compelling reading. I loved Ursula’s family and thought they were also all vividly brought to life, in particular her mother Sylvie. However clever the structure, I never felt distanced from Ursula as a character, as a woman. She endures some of the hardest times, the saddest events, and the reader grows close to her and hopes for better next time.

I wasn’t sure quite what to expect in terms of how this novel would work, but I gave myself time to get into the novel, through the early, often very short episodes as Ursula begins to find her way. I was soon drawn into Ursula’s life, her family, the events, and I was keen to return to them every time I picked the book up, little knowing what would await me.

When Ursula lives again, sometimes very little has changed, sometimes a lot is different. There are some thrilling moments, dramatic and tragic; then the reader realises that there is another chance at the story and can breathe again – it’s quite an experience reading this book. Usually after another go, things are better, but Ursula’s life demonstrates that there are always hard choices, difficult relationships; there is always some sadness, even when she has had more than one chance to live through a particular time. It’s a powerful and emotional experience to read this story.

This is by turns a surprising, unnerving, moving and rewarding read and it sets itself apart with a clever structure to the narrative and a distinctive main character who we live through different experiences with, over and over again, as we read. It’s a fascinating and fantastic concept that really made me think as I read. What does this mean for fate? What if we could all change things, or go back and have a second chance? 

Published by Doubleday on 14th March 2013

Thanks very much to the publisher for kindly sending a copy of this novel to read and review.


19 comments:

  1. I recently read about this book and immediately wanted to read it. I'm also a Kate Atkinson fan and am pleased this doesn't disappoint. It's shot to the top of my must-read list! ;)

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    1. Great to hear you are a fan of KA too Laura. I hope you like this one too.

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  2. I've been hearing a lot of good things about this book. I must read it sometime.

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    1. Yes it seems to have been enjoyed by a lot of bloggers so far. I hope you like it.

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  3. Loving the cover. Thanks for a great review, this sounds like my kind of read.

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    1. It's beautiful isn't it, very evocative. Thank you for your kind comments.

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  4. Lovely review, Lindsay. Looking forward to reading this soon, I am intrigued by the structure and idea behind the novel.

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    1. Thanks Treez, I would be interested in what you think of this one too.

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  5. WQhat an inetersting premise...not just one 2nd chance but many to I assume change things up or maybe keep whats working the same! Great Review!

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    1. Yes it's a great idea and interesting to see how it works. Thanks for commenting Melissa.

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  6. This sounds like such an unusual premise. I have only read Kate Atkinson's Jackson Brodie books but I loved those so it is probably time to pick up something else by her.

    Marie
    http://www.girlvsbookshelf.blogspot.com

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    1. Thanks for commenting Marie. I don't think I've read anything quite like this before in terms of the structure of the story. I would definitely recommend trying it.

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  7. Much as I loved Jackson Brodie, I am pleased to see Kate Atkinson writing something different. It sounds wonderful.

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    1. I agree - I love that series and would love another book featuring him but it's nice to read something else fromher too. Thanks for commenting Jane.

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  8. Kate Atkinson has never let me down. I'm so excited to read this one!

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    1. It's causing a lot of excitement! Thanks for commenting.

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  9. Your review is so much more coherent than mine which was basically just wow blah blah blah hysterics!

    I'm looking foward to trying some more Kate Atkinson now

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  10. I LOVED this. I review books for the sunday times but didn't get given this - if I had, I'd have raved about it. It is so original and beautiful - and memorable. I haven't been so swept away by Atkinson before. But this is the one.

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    1. Thanks for commenting Lucy. Glad to hear you loved this one too. I do like this author and can't wait for the next!

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