Life After Life
A Novel
Large Print - 2013
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Quotes
Add a Quote"He's always been a politician. He was born a politician." No, Ursula thought, he was born a baby, like everyone else. And this is what he has chosen to become.
It's time she thought. A clock struck somewhere in sympathy. She thought of Teddy and Mrs. Woolf, of Roland and little Angela, of Nancy and Sylvie. She thought of Dr. Kellet and Pindar. Become such as you are, having learned what is. She knew what she was now. She was Ursula Beresford Todd and she was a witness.
JCLJanineM
Oct 28, 2013
"Home," it had struck her on the torturous drive back to London, wasn't Egerton Gardens, wasn't even Fox Corner. Home was an idea, and like Arcadia it was lost in the past."
Summary
Add a SummaryThis is the first book I have read by this author. I will definitely read another book by her as her style of writing is great. However, this book was a bit hard to follow. The basic premise is to show what would happen if you could relive events in your life until you got them right. The concept is great, but a bit cumbersome in the execution. You end up having chapter after chapter of the same events happening with different outcomes. The net result is you are left with a story that has no real linear story as you aren't sure what this person's life really ended up being. In the end it seems there would be some sort of tying together of all the elements. However there was not, and the reader is left hanging in the air, which is frustrating slogging through a fairly dense book. This would be a great book for a book club though as there is lots of food for thought.
Comment
Add a CommentStopped reading, too slow and jumped around too much!
A clever book! It was a very interesting read. Some of the elements are repetitive with variation, and each scenario of the main character's life is very surprising. The climax brought everything together and ultimately gave way for a new version of her life that was very interesting. I will definitely read the author's other books, especially the companion to this book!
What a clever concept - not exactly time travel, but it made the wheels of my mind start spinning in the same way. We all wonder "what if I had done this instead of that?" Kate Atkinson has a wild imagination. I enjoyed the ride. This is one of my most highly recommended books for Library patrons.
I read this book a few years ago and still think about it today. I loved this book! I had to start again when I got to the second beginning birth. I thought did I missed something? I was hooked! What a great writing style to the story. I do have a question for those that read this book and loved it.
IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THIS BOOK YET. DON'T READ BEYOND HERE. I DO NOT WANT TO SPOIL YOUR READ....
At the end: could this be all along about her brother?
Every choice has a consequence that is far reaching. Ursula is able to relive her life with the hint of knowledge from previous lives; like the feelings of unexplained dread or deja vu. An intelligent and thoroughly engaging read.
I found this a powerful and sad book. Sad because the pictures of two world wars seriously--if temporarily--undermined my illusion that everything's gonna be okay.
But there are worse things than feeling sad for humanity. And of course this book is chockablock full of love, beauty, sensitivity, and really good prose. Insights in almost every paragraph. I'm working on reading 2 more of Kate's.
Once I discover an author who is able to "hook me" from the 1st paragraph, I am driven to read every book written by that author. Atkinson has earned my approval and I've added her to my list of exceptional authors. Usually I don't make a habit of re-reading books (or watching movies a 2nd time) but in this case, I have already begun re-reading her books and I am still enjoying them as much as I did the 1st time around!
Favorite line from book about, Sugar cubes bouncing on floor like blind dice. ,
The writing was beautiful and intelligent, the story was creative and unique and the characters were well developed....each one playing an important part in the story.
I was not instantly pulled into the story, however, after much reflection, I do not believe that was how Atkinson wanted her reader to enter the story. Many years later, after I came to the end, I find myself thinking of this book and the characters within it. She weaves a poignant and clever tale of the many lives of one person growing up in England during World War II. To me, it was the way the characters and each life changes by just living that much longer with each life that was the most intriguing aspect of this book. Well worth reading!