From the Bookshelf of Topeka & Shawnee Co. Public Library…

Life After Life (Todd Family, #1)

Kate Atkinson

Start date: July 10, 2013

Finish date: July 10, 2013

Why we're reading this: This is one of those amazing books that you stay awake reading late into the night and you mourn a bit wh…more
[close] This is one of those amazing books that you stay awake reading late into the night and you mourn a bit when you finish the last page. Ursala Todd keeps living her life over and over. She is born in 1910 and most of the plot line takes place during WWII. I found it fascinating to see how a small change, years earlier might make a difference in her future. Kate Atkinson has outdone herself with this novel!

Find A Copy At

Libraries

Group Discussions About This Book

No group discussions for this book yet.

What Members Thought

Jan 12, 2018 Dawn rated it liked it

Atkinson is an excellent writer and her characters were each real in their own ways. This is a creatively written book in that Ursula has so many lives and so many possibilities for outcomes -
some random, some more driven by self-destruction and/or the innate parts of our unique personalities. Some outcomes are motivated by circumstances beyond her control and it leaves the reader feeling that life could change at any second. A chance encounter, a corner turned too soon or a split second and you ...more

Like · see review

Jul 04, 2013 Kammie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical

I don’t even know where to begin with this one. You know those books that you check out from the library, only to finish and automatically want to go buy your own copy? Yeah, this definitely fits in that category. I’m not sure I was even near the last page before I was telling friends to pick up a copy as soon as possible.

There are some novels I read where I am just utterly amazed at how such a story could be crafted by one person. Even though I was aware of all the hype surrounding this book, I don’t even know where to begin with this one. You know those books that you check out from the library, only to finish and automatically want to go buy your own copy? Yeah, this definitely fits in that category. I’m not sure I was even near the last page before I was telling friends to pick up a copy as soon as possible.

There are some novels I read where I am just utterly amazed at how such a story could be crafted by one person. Even though I was aware of all the hype surrounding this book, I was still a little surprised by how quickly I was pulled in. Every description I had read beforehand had been fairly brief: the main character, Ursula Todd, repeatedly dies, only to come back and live her life over and over again. My intention of reading a couple chapters somehow turned into consuming almost half of a 530 page book in one afternoon. I wasn’t expecting the layers upon layers of rich storytelling. The plot, much to my delight, continues to circle back in the cleverest of ways. The characters (especially the Todd family) are wonderful and fully realized. Atkinson delivers so many brilliant lines that are perfectly placed throughout the story.

My biggest worry was that the constant reboots would become repetitive. Atkinson instead finds a way to add detail to each life without feeling the need to repeatedly hammer in the plot. I often enjoy novels that don’t care about hand-holding and instead make the reader keep up with them, which is exactly what Atkinson seems to do. (I suppose Game of Thrones has served me well by training me to keep track of more characters and/or plot lines than I ever thought possible.)

I now feel bad about letting Atkinson’s Case Histories languish in my TBR list for the past few years. If it’s half as clever as Life After Life, I’m in for a great read.

I’m still mulling over details now that I’m done and coming up with more questions as I do. I can’t recommend this enough. I’d love to be able to discuss it and get other readers' interpretations.
...more

Like · see review

Jul 10, 2013 Aileen Finney rated it it was amazing

This is one of those amazing books that you stay awake reading late into the night and you mourn a bit when you finish the last page. Ursala Todd keeps living her life over and over. She is born in 1910 and most of the plot line takes place during WWII. I found it fascinating to see how a small change, years earlier might make a difference in her future. Kate Atkinson has outdone herself with this novel!

Like · see review

Oct 17, 2018 Melanie rated it liked it

I did like the book, but I was constantly trying to figure out what life Ursula was suppose to lead. I really like the premise to the book, but was disappointed in the execution. I did listen to this in audio book so I might have missed something without actually reading the words myself.

Like · see review

Mar 09, 2013 Kris Duggan rated it it was ok

I had looked forward to this book. The idea of being born again and again to have different life paths is interesting. However i dont think the author expanded the story as well as she could have. If i had the decision whether or not to read this book again i would of chosen not to read it. A dissappointing read.

Like · see review