Life After Life question

I love Kate Atkinson's humour and the details that make this book so enjoyable. At first I didn't like the time warping but once I got used to it I found it really interesting.

I originally thought that this book was about reincarnation or maybe time travel. After I read it though, it seems that Ursula is not being born again, but born concurrently with different outcomes and possibilities.
My next thought was that there was a purpose or an outcome that should be fulfilled. At first, maybe killing Hitler as was stated in the first chapter.
Then when that wasn't another of the lives missions, I thought that maybe it was her brother's true love finally realized. But then I read the last chapter and I felt like I was hit over the head.
There was no purpose, just endless possibilities...

This was my favorite book of 2013. Great premise, and she pulled it off. I loved the ending--History itself did not change, but Ursula's history and her family's history changed. And I agree--Teddy said thank you at the end because he knew it was due to Ursula that his history changed (for the better). I looked at it, as Ursula lived all those lives so that things would work out-not perfectly, but not bad. She was a great character.

I loved this book (my book club did not). It was my 2013 favorite. I felt I experienced the bombing of London in WW II, Hitler's last months and the suffering of the German people as if I was there! Wonderful book, wonderful characters, and I loved Ursula!

I enjoyed it and recommended it to friends.

I read about half, but when she got married and said her new husband changed overnight and I thought I was going to have to wade through her putting up with spousal abuse, I gave up. I thought her silliness as a child was excusable, but when she was grown, she didn't demonstrate any intelligence or sense.

I just finished it and was very disappointed. I found the book kind of a slog. Very interesting premise, but really didn't work for me.

I really like Atkinson's mysteries, but this book left me cold. I thought it was too gimmicky and that the characters were not worth the effort. So, I stopped reading about half way through.

I absolutely loved the book, hands down one of the best I've ever read; I cried thick tears at least twice during the book, and contrary to other readers, I fell in love with most of the characters - finishing it up was quite hard! I guess that shows how different people, with different backgrounds and experiences, can react in such opposite ways to what - I think - is a wonderfully written & surprising book! for me, it was a page turner.

I liked this book but didn't love it. The premise was very interesting and I liked how things developed through the first few iterations. But things got long in the end.

total slog. skip it. there are 675 better books out there.

As much as I wanted to love this book, I just couldn't. The point could have been made in 10 pages. I was very disappointed. Thumbs down for me.

This book is definitely one of my favorites this year -- I was impressed with the way she handled the time travel. In Human Croquet she has time travel to a much less developed degree and this was more satisfying. I liked Ursula a great deal with all her faults and inconsistencies, she was a multi faceted protagonist that kept me reading. I thought the book was un-put-downable.

I found the book 'interesting'. I am not intrigued by time warping/time travel, so that aspect of the book did not 'grab' me at all. I did like the way Atkinson wrote this novel. Her characters were good, her humor shown through, and, although there were 'sloggy' parts, it was overall a good, fast read.

I wanted to love this book...I love reading time bending, time travel, alternate universe themes. The premise was great. However I think this author missed setting up the characters so that we cared about them. I could not connect to them and so it took me ages to finish the book...it was too easy to put down. Ursula was really unlikeable. Darn! I wanted to love this book.

I really loved this book. I love the concept of it, and the way the words just worked together. If only I could write like that.

I read this book about a month ago & I'm still unsure if I liked it or not! It took me ages to get into it & I didn't enjoy the ending but I did really liked parts of this book. It's a tricky one!

I did not like this at all. I've tried a few of her books and it's always the same - feels like everyone else loves them and I don't. Glad to see I'm not the only one this time. I gave up about a quarter of the way through, just not worth the effort for me. Reading all the rave reviews, I wish it had been, but guess she can't please us all www.bestsellerbooklist.co.uk

I tried reading this 3 times and 3 times I was bored and uninerested in it. Did not see the point of it . Gladly gave it up

I love the concept of the book. I fell in love with every character. It is a worthy read.

I really enjoyed Life after Life and what a clever concept!

Jessica wrote: "Life After Life: A Novel"

I liked this book, but Atkinson's ambition with the reincarnation ultimately left me wanting something much deeper. Good local color, nice sense of character. The Eva Brown business struck me as contrived, perhaps unnecessary. The descriptions of the blitz and their efforts to locate people were a highlight imho.

(Should I give a spoiler alert here?) Ultimately, though, the ending disappointed me. I felt there had to be more to all of these lives, to letting us see how the slightest change in one's actions can have profound consequences on the future, than just killing Hitler (and this is just my take on it) thereby making everything all better. What about the consequences of that act? Does it mean there are millions of history lines out there that we cannot see because we are stuck in this one?

I love the fact that Kate Atkinson made the effort to explore these ideas as much as she did, but wished she had gone deeper with it.

All in all, though, I liked the book and am glad I read it.

I read this book, after some struggle. I really liked many parts of it, especially in instances where the prose was so beautifully written. But the charm and novelty of the constant starting over wore off rather quickly. I thought the premise would make for a great story but it really got old. I think I gave it three stars (don't quote me on that! I'd have to check) but I really am ambivalent about it. For sheer curiosity, I'd like to read some of her other work because there were those brilliant moments but then there were those other times it fell flat. I'm curious if the rest of her books have the same issue. Overall, I'd recommend it to someone who's casting about for something to read but not expecting a classic or something terribly enthralling.

I loved the possibilities in this book - in fact, it's a study in possibilities. Just imagine how different your life would be if you turned left instead of right . . .

Very very clever premise, and Atkinson pulled it off beautifully. One of my current faves.

I loved it, and found the premise fascinating. What if we could all come back to "fix" previous mistakes? Plus I just love Atkinson's writing.

I absolutely loved this book. The writing is amusing and entertaining throughout despite the seriousness of the subject. I have always been fascinated with the idea of whether I made the right decisions in my life, and I love the idea of being able to to relive my life with do-overs in order to chose the road not taken this time. Retaining some knowledge even if not complete so that we have warnings is a decided plus. Actually, however, I do remember times in my life that I had a warning of something bad coming and ignored it as being fanciful. I guess I have several dozen more relivings to do. Also, I had a relationship with my father much like Ursula's and her father's and the prospect of growing up with him rather than with another unknown father is wonderful.

I also had questions about the "thank you." And certainly with every new life, everything has be redone. And certainly certain things would be beyond her control. How could she have contrived Teddy's survival of the plane crash, except stopping him from going in the first place. I believe that she shot Hitler in one lifetime and was in turn shot by his posse. But that ended that particular life for her and she did not get to experience a Hitler-less world. And, is everyone reliving their lives? That would get very confusing if people are working a cross-purposes to change something. Do the other people in our lives really exist, or only as characters in our story?


Has anyone read Replay by Ken Grimwood, which has the same premise of living one's life over and over, but without as good writing. Might be worth a look for those of you who are fascinated with the subject as I am.

I loved this book! Don't worry about the history bending aspect...it is very readable and all makes sense in the context. Kate Atkinson is a great writer!

I've just started it. I found her last book Started Early, Took My Dogreally hard to get into. Eventually I gave up. Hoping i can stick with this one.

I loved it! Can already see it being my book of the year.

I've read it and would love to discuss it. When her brother mouthed the words "Thank you" to Ursula, what was he referring to? Returning his girlfriend to him? Also, in that scene are they really living after the war or are they dead but living in a different dimension. I think I'm definitely going to have to re-read this book, but I very much enjoyed it. Kate Atkinson's books are such a pleasure to read.

Jennifer & Kathy, I agree with you. I loved this book as well. I have just begun with Atkinson's work, read Case Histories first (which is the book prior to Started Early, Tash, FYI) and I am amazed that this is the same author! So very different, nothing in the style or tone carries over from one book to the next. Mary Anne, I think you're right, Teddy was thanking Ursula for returning Nancy to him; and this is a re-do, because previously Nancy died, right? One of the book clubs is going to read & discuss this for June - I think it's the Goodreads Choice Awards Book Club. I bought this as an ebook, but I might start collecting her hardbacks to keep like I do Tess Gerritsen.

I liked it. I enjoyed the first half or so the best. It was really funny! But once it got to the war it did start to drag a bit.

I loved this book, completely enthralling. If I had a criticism it was the Hitler story which nearly put me off reading the novel but I'm glad I wasn't put off, as I thought the rest of the book a fascinating and original read. Never read this author before but may well do now, any recommendations?

Dawn, she has several books with the character Jackson Brody which are basically very clever, well-written mysteries which I highly recommend (Case Histories, One Good Turn). But if you want something more on the line of Life AfterLife ( which I loved!) you should pick up Behind the Scenes at the Museum. That is a masterpiece!

I loved the book but all the time shifting made me dizzy. All in all it was an amazing story.

I enjoyed this book, but found the chapters about the blitz a little repetitive. It made it to the shortlist for the Women's Prize for Fiction 2013 (formerly Orange Prize). I am interested in reading some of her other titles now.

There is a very interesting interview with Kate Atkinson on the podcast Rick Kleffel: Agony Column (#1475). She mentions that she intentionally leaves the ending open.

I adored this book; I think Kate Atkinson catapulted into another realm with it. The writing is marvelous, the premise is fascinating, the characters have depth. She is simply such a fine writer, and writing this must have taken courage; it's so different from her earlier work (which I love), and the time/reincarnation aspects are clearly not going to be every reader's cup of tea. I can't wait to see what she does next. I listened to the audiobook, by the way, and found it to be an excellent way to experience the book.

I agree with David, not my favourite one of hers. I don't think Behind the Scenes at the Museum can be bettered.

Ursula seemd to have a special connection with Teddy - Regarding his "Thank you", maybe he knew what happened, in fact maybe he had already lived another life as well...

I thought the book was interesting in concept, yet poorly executed. Some of the threads dragged on and on, while others were never fully developed. After the twentieth "Darkness fell," I started skipping sections to get to something new.

On some level, it was lazy writing, because Atkinson recycled so many scenes with subtle changes. I resented being forced to read the same thing over and over.

Having said that, the book made me think. What if I get to live my life over and over, rather than be reincarnated as someone new? Would I make different choices? Try to alter the course of history? That part of this story was gripping, and it stayed with me after I finished the book.

I tried. I really did. For 100 pages, I think.

I. Just. Couldn't.

Yuck.

I will read something else of hers, but I quit because I disliked this so much.

Lisa

I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it, but I have a couple questions, and wonder if I missed a few things while I was listening to the audio version. There is a scene fairly early where Ursula (who was in London with Izzie) sees her mother outside a hotel with a man she doesn't recognize. Did that ever come back around again? Did we ever find out who the man was and what they were doing?

Also, in a scene at the end, Sylvie needs a pair of surgical scissors and, fortunately, has them. Do we know when she got them?

I was also puzzled by Teddy's thank you as noted by some others.

I read the first 1/3 - and couldn't get into it. Skipped toward the middle - and couldn't get into it. Skimmed the rest - and couldn't get into it. I love the jacket and the plot summary - although honestly, I'm not sure if I didn't read the summary I would have had any clue what this book was about. And I consider myself to be fairly well-read and intelligent. Maybe I'll try this book again later b/c it seems like the type of book I'd like, and I like the creative premise.

Can anyone translate for me the German remarks that Ursula makes to Hitler on page 515?

Wacht auf

Es nahet gen den Tag

Fur Sie

I thank you.

Am I the only one who was not so impressed by this book! Maybe just not my style!

Not her best book. Dragged in the blitz and the Eva Brown bits.
The ending made me feel a little dumb and unsatisfied. Sudden complete understanding of her reincarnation process? Suddenly able to know the future? Devotes her entire life to culminate in shooting Hitler only to pause and deliver a line like a Bond villain. Did she shoot him or not? Did the war go any differently? Did I miss an incarnation or two?
Thanks to Claire for her take on the scene in the pub which flew right by me.
Did Ursula share her secret ability with her brother over one or more incarnations? If Nancy didn't die as a teenager why thank Ursula 20 years later?


i don't need every story to end like The Princess Bride, but this ending had too many vague or missing conclusions for my taste.