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So...Life After Life. Just finished it.

39 replies

sassytheFIRST · 18/02/2014 11:31

I thought it was an intriguing concept and quite well done. Bits tremendously well painted and moving - the suicide in Berlin, working as an ARP warden and finding the baby Emil...

My question is was it coincidence that Ursula kept being able to start again? Or was it her conscious choice to go back, live it again and make better choices this time?

OP posts:
tallulah · 15/04/2014 22:48

It took me a while to get into it. I got quite frustrated at the number of times we went back to 1910. After that it picked up its pace. The bit in Berlin with her daughter was horrible.

joanofarchitrave · 15/04/2014 22:46

Enjoyed it but felt that the original opening was probably the thing that led her into writing the book, but by the end it seemed a bit separate from the rest of the story.

Liked that Ursula wasn't particularly great as a character.

I think she should have credited Jessica Mitford as the whole assassinating-Hitler alternate history idea comes IMO straight from her autobiography and I don't believe KA hasn't read it.

saadia · 15/04/2014 22:45

I started it but then lost interest...not sure if I will go back to it.

Rangirl · 15/04/2014 22:42

I really loved it and feel it is a book that will stay with me

looselegs · 15/04/2014 21:07

Couldn't get into it at all-managed about 120 pages but couldn't go any further.

Sonnet · 14/04/2014 14:51

Odd because I kept seeing the title on here and I thought "Oh, i must read that as I love Kate Atkinson". I went to buy the kindle edition and found out that I already had a kindle edition purchased in July last year. I assumed that I had bought it after a recommendation and forgotton about. With great anticipation I read the first page only to realise I had already read it!! - So, whilst I remember now I loved the book it did not leave a lasting memory Smile

mumslife · 11/04/2014 09:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CorporateRockWhore · 10/04/2014 12:42

I didn't enjoy it at all.

The concept is interesting, sort of, but I just felt the book went on and on with no real ups and downs, highs or lows...

I got bored tbh and I don't even remember how it ended.

I also thought the shooting Hitler thing was a bit hokey and overdone.

mumslife · 10/04/2014 12:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Stokey · 17/03/2014 16:37

SPOILER

And her mother seems to gain some memory of it by the end when she has everything ready to deal with the difficult birth.

tumbletumble · 16/03/2014 18:54

Just finished this.

My feeling was that, to begin with, Ursula had no choice in the matter, but as time went on she began to gain an understanding of her "gift" and gained some measure of control. Surely the last one in Germany when she befriends Eva in order to get close to Hitler was deliberately done in the knowledge of what would happen??

I have to say that, like Tinselt0wn, I didn't love this book as much as I really wanted to.

Tinselt0wn · 18/02/2014 23:11

I didn't get any feeling that it was Ursula's choice to go back.

I seem to be outside the majority view on this book though as I was a bit disappointed by it and can't believe everyone seems to be saying its her best!

BaconAndAvocado · 18/02/2014 23:08

SPOILER ALERT

ADORED this book. It will stay with me for a long time.

KA's best yet, closely followed by Behind the Scenes of,course!

I also,think it wasn't her choice.

The concept of the book was a tricky one but it didn't matter as all the stories and scenes were so beautifully painted.

LOVED that Teddy survived.

Very difficult to follow!

HortenMarket · 18/02/2014 19:52

Oh yes I finished this a few weeks ago and I still think about it. It was beautifully written. I think it wasn't her choice at all. i think somehow she was making the wrong decisions and some greater force (perhaps?) made her start again. After all she only had vague memories or a feeling of impending doom. Loved it.

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