thebacklistborrower's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.75
My 9th book from the 30 Books to Celebrate 30 Years of Writers and Company, representing 2013 in the list.
The book opens with a woman assassinating a german man. She dies, and is born. She dies shortly after, and is born yet again, to live. And so we get the glimpse of the life of Ursula Beresford Todd, a woman who is reborn every time she dies. She doesn’t remember her past lives, not really-- but will, in a few lives, see a psychiatrist for her persistent deja vu. Sometimes she lives a long time, and sometimes not. The entertaining and engaging part of this novel felt similar to the fun of the old “choose your own adventure books” -- you never really knew which choice would take you to the “you died” page. Or how many different choices could end at the same page.
Despite many pages nearly repeating, Kate Atkinson gives us something different every time. I never felt bored, despite reading some scenes a dozen or more times! I kept waiting for the life that would take us to the scene at the start, or whether she’d manage to escape a fate previously fallen to.
I thought this book was super entertaining. I didn’t think it was all that deep and it certainly wasn’t challenging. Its just a great book to take you along for a really enjoyable ride. Definitely recommended!
optimisms's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I feel so very conflicted about this book. If not for one complaint, I could see this being a 4 or even 5 star book. I thoroughly enjoyed almost everything about it; it never felt repetitive, and seeing Ursula's many lives was extremely engaging to me. I particularly appreciated the dichotomy of consistency and variability; some small choices completely changed her life's trajectory, and yet most characters stayed very consistent across their numerous lives regardless of their changed circumstances. It was very interesting to read and is an impressive feat from the author.
My one complaint is about the I honestly wish that scene had been left out entirely, that it had just been a story about a woman living through the early to mid 1900s without trying to instill some greater political intrigue. That scene raised my expectations past what the book intended to deliver, and made me anticipate something that would never come; without it, I would have been much more satisfied with the overall journey and the conclusion.
My one complaint is about the
Spoiler
opening scene where she assassinates Hitler. For the entire rest of the book, it seems to be building back up to that point; in every new life you think, "This will be the one when she finally makes the plan and does the deed." And it keeps not happening. I was reading the audiobook, which is 16 hours long, and I had 20 minutes left when it finally returned to this scene; not nearly long enough to enjoy it. I don't think it impacted me any more than it did reading it at the beginning of the book, when I knew nothing, despite 15.5 hours of additional context,afox98's review
5.0
What an engrossing book. The book tells the story of Ursula and her many lives. It starts with the snowy day on which she is born in an English country house, and takes the protagonist down many different tracks - each until the life ends, then restarts on that same snowy day. Ursula dies as a child, a teen, an adult of varying ages. I am in awe at the writer's ability to create so many different paths for one person, and it's incredible to see how one small action completely changed the course of Ursula's life more than once. I liked Ursula's self-doubt turning into confidence and proactive decisions through the book, and found it fascinating how she took her sense of déjà vu and her memories forward to make a difference in the world in her later lives.
The vivid descriptions the author paints of how London and Berlin are affected by World War II are well-suited backdrops for Ursula's multiple lives. Rich detail made me gasp, laugh, and even cry in various spots. Great characters too.
The vivid descriptions the author paints of how London and Berlin are affected by World War II are well-suited backdrops for Ursula's multiple lives. Rich detail made me gasp, laugh, and even cry in various spots. Great characters too.
sarahgibbons17's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
vakardien's review against another edition
4.0
dzīve kā nebeidzams cikls, kurā ik uz soļa ir atgādinājums, cik būtiski ir pārdomāt savus lēmumus un rīcības. jo visam ir sekas. šī grāmata ļauj to saredzēt jo īpaši spēcīgi.
lieliska stāstniece tā Atkinsone.
lieliska stāstniece tā Atkinsone.
maurganne's review
3.0
Much less repetitive than I'd worried it would be, a lot to think about, and an odd ending. I am not sure if the comfort of knowing death isn't the end would outweigh the exhaustion of having to do it all over again, and again, and again, perhaps forever. In the universe of this book, I could see how chronic clinical depression might just be the result of being on life #346 and totally over the whole life thing.
One thing I appreciated was Atkinson's faithfulness to her characters - when you live the same life over and over again, giving characters vastly different situations to react to, it would be easy to let them become different people altogether. But for the most part, she knows who these people are and she gives you at least that continuity to cling to in the changing kaleidoscope of outcomes and events.
One thing I appreciated was Atkinson's faithfulness to her characters - when you live the same life over and over again, giving characters vastly different situations to react to, it would be easy to let them become different people altogether. But for the most part, she knows who these people are and she gives you at least that continuity to cling to in the changing kaleidoscope of outcomes and events.
geoffry's review against another edition
4.0
Dit is allesbehalve een 'beach read': deze roman heeft zoveel lagen dat ik soms zelf het noorden kwijt was, maar wat Kate Atkinson hier doet heb ik nog maar zelden gelezen. Een 600+ pagina's tellend werk waarin 'wat als...' de hoofdtoon voert: wat als je na je dood een tweede kans krijgt? Wat als je in '39 net wel of net niet Duitsland kunt ontsnappen? En wat als je die parallelle tijdslijnen vaag lijkt te herinneren?
Life After Life loopt het risico ten prooi te vallen aan zijn repetitieve structuur en soms wat te uitgesponnen hoofdstukken (bv. Ursula's verblijf in Duitsland), maar dat valt grotendeels in het niets bij Atkinsons enorm goede uitwerking van de vele personages, wisselende tijdsperiodes, oorlogsgruwel en het idyllische plattelandsleven.
Life After Life loopt het risico ten prooi te vallen aan zijn repetitieve structuur en soms wat te uitgesponnen hoofdstukken (bv. Ursula's verblijf in Duitsland), maar dat valt grotendeels in het niets bij Atkinsons enorm goede uitwerking van de vele personages, wisselende tijdsperiodes, oorlogsgruwel en het idyllische plattelandsleven.
wanderaven's review against another edition
5.0
Throughout this story, I couldn't help wondering how difficult - and how incredibly fun - it must have been for Atkinson to map it out. And to repeatedly kill off her protagonist. Even though I was engrossed and tracking the different characters and fragments quite closely, I still became a bit confused towards the end. But the plot, the conclusions (at least plotwise) weren't really the point here, I suppose - it was more about the conclusions drawn from the lessons and decisions Ursula makes throughout her lives. Halfway through, another life would begin again and I would think, "Oh, so I can see that if she makes herself more vulnerable, or if she's more empathic, it changes things subtly enough that she gets to live a bit longer..." But then I began to understand that getting to live a bit longer so isn't the point here.
I was fascinated, as well, that despite knowing from inception that Ursula will die only to live again, that about a third of the way through, I started becoming angry, annoyed, frustrated, sad, at certain deaths. Why? I knew she would just be born again... and this is a perfect illustration as to how very well Atkinson creates empathy and concern for her characters. As a writer I kinda sorta hate her for this. As a rabid fan, I LOVE her for this (and only hope that I can take away a tiny bit of insight).
Although I bought the physical book the very day it came out, life intervened a bit and I couldn't quite get engaged for some reason for far too long. When I saw the audiobook available at the library, I snatched it up and ended up happy for the delay, if it meant experiencing the novel in this way. The narrator for the audiobook is incredible and highly recommended. If I didn't have so many other must-reads clambering for my attention right now, I would almost certainly just start it all over again, which is very rare for me, as I never re-read/listen.
Happy, warm, and waking up at 6 am on a bitterly cold Saturday morning to write the review because Life After Life will certainly haunt me throughout the winter months ahead.
I was fascinated, as well, that despite knowing from inception that Ursula will die only to live again, that about a third of the way through, I started becoming angry, annoyed, frustrated, sad, at certain deaths. Why? I knew she would just be born again... and this is a perfect illustration as to how very well Atkinson creates empathy and concern for her characters. As a writer I kinda sorta hate her for this. As a rabid fan, I LOVE her for this (and only hope that I can take away a tiny bit of insight).
Although I bought the physical book the very day it came out, life intervened a bit and I couldn't quite get engaged for some reason for far too long. When I saw the audiobook available at the library, I snatched it up and ended up happy for the delay, if it meant experiencing the novel in this way. The narrator for the audiobook is incredible and highly recommended. If I didn't have so many other must-reads clambering for my attention right now, I would almost certainly just start it all over again, which is very rare for me, as I never re-read/listen.
Happy, warm, and waking up at 6 am on a bitterly cold Saturday morning to write the review because Life After Life will certainly haunt me throughout the winter months ahead.