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Kate Atkinson's Life After Life [SPOILERS]

34 replies

JessicaJones · 26/12/2015 09:50

I got a Kindle for Christmas and went looking for recommendations, found Life After Life and read a sample which set up Ursula as an adult, seemingly killing Hitler and being killed herself. It all seemed interesting and good so I bought it to read. I thought it was going to be similar in plot (if not style) to Edge of Tomorrow where Emily Blunt and Tom Cruise get to live and die again and again til they get their mission right.

I've read the first few chapters and am having to read many different scenes of a young girl dying! Being the parent of 7 and 5-year-old girls I'm finding it quite hard! How many more times do I have to read about the death of a young girl before it settles into the main plot?

(It's possible I'm feeling over-sensitive in that post-Christmas kind of way Grin)

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DingbatsFur · 03/01/2016 16:32

It pairs really well with the Book Thief by the way.

guineapig1 · 29/12/2015 17:30

Love this book too. Took a while to get into but then I couldn't put it down. Agree about some of it difficult reading though, kathysclown I think I know which bit you are referring to.

Got the sequel got Christmas so will be reading that after my current book is finished.

Hygge · 29/12/2015 06:11

I really enjoyed this book, and I've just bought the second one (about Ursula's brother) with my Christmas vouchers.

There is a lot in Life After Life that can be upsetting one way or another, so I'm expecting the same from A God In Ruins.

I've also read A Post-Birthday World and enjoyed it very much (except for all the references to snooker loopy, which put a bad song in my head for ages) and in the same style for those who enjoyed it, I can recommend My Real Children by Jo Walton. I've also got (but haven't yet read) The Versions of Us, which is apparently a similar sort of book.

I'd say keep going OP, there's a lot that goes on through the book which hasn't been spoilt by the revelations here.

MuttonCadet · 28/12/2015 20:33

I loved this book, lease keep going.

wiltingfast · 28/12/2015 20:27

I loved Life After Life but I am afraid there is a LOT of dying in the book. WW2 is a major element after all. Some of it v painful to read.

I certainly think it is worth it but it is a bit of a marmite book and I think you have to be in the mood for a book that comes at its narrative obliquely. It's not a traditional structure at all, and if you find that irritating, it may not be for you.

IamactuallytherealJeff · 27/12/2015 20:53

Absolutely loved the book, could engage with the characters and it's the only book I want to read again! The death bits wear off after a bit!

YouStillLookLikeAMovie · 26/12/2015 21:24

I loved this book. Loved it.

Agree that the Fuhrer stuff is right at the beginning. And that it wouldn't be the central premise of the book for me.

Quogwinkle · 26/12/2015 13:36

I really enjoyed Life After Life, and I'm very easily upset by child deaths in novels, having had a very close call with DS when he was just two weeks old. I wouldn't feel happy reading anything gratuitous, and admit to feeling uncomfortable about a novel I read recently which had the murder of older children at the start.

I think that, on balance, I much preferred A God In Ruins, which follows Ursula's brother Teddy's life. And, no, I don't think what you said was a massive spoiler. It shouldn't spoil anyone's enjoyment of the novel. It is right at the beginning and there's so much more to the novel than that. Hope you really enjoy it as much as I did, OP Xmas Smile

Elledouble · 26/12/2015 12:40

I love Kate Atkinson. I read A God In Ruins (the sort-of sequel) recently and it was quite good. Not as good at Emotionally Weird or Behind The Scenes At The Museum, but pretty good.

Original poster
JessicaJones · 26/12/2015 12:31

Ha, I could probably cope with the odd one (!)

I've been enjoying the other characters, so I probably will go back to it, and steel myself when the focus swings to Ursula and her imminent death Grin

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SanityClause · 26/12/2015 12:08

Anyway, don't read Kate Atkinson if you don't like child deaths. There's usually at least one.

There's also lots of hope and happiness in them, though, I find.

I love the way she links characters from the different books, too. The main character of one, will barely be mentioned in another.

SanityClause · 26/12/2015 12:04

I disagree with Cotes précis of the novel, anyway, Jessica.

I would say the point of the novel is that life may take many paths. It may be over in an instant, or a chance meeting or event may make it extraordinary, or indeed, dull.

There are also beautifully written characters, and wonderful insights into human nature.

I'd stick with it, if I were you.

Original poster
JessicaJones · 26/12/2015 11:32

In fact, I'm a little bit miffed at being accused of spoiling a book and actually having had it spoiled for me in turn.

This post "The first time the word Hitler is used in the book is on page 277 and what OP refers to happens at the very end of the book. It is the culmination of the story, the very point to all this re-living of a very boring life", has made me significantly less interested in reading the book.

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Original poster
JessicaJones · 26/12/2015 11:24

Thanks Kuriusoranj, I'll stick with it.

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IamTheWhoreofBabylon · 26/12/2015 11:23

I loved Lionel Schriver the post birthday world so can't understand why I didn't like life after life
Perhaps I should give it another go

Kuriusoranj · 26/12/2015 11:23

I am super sensitive about child deaths - I've abandoned the strangest things over it - and I wasn't put off at all. As a PP says, the child stage doesn't last very long.

Original poster
JessicaJones · 26/12/2015 11:19

As in the plot of the rest of the book, rather than giving me an idea how long the child deaths continue, which is what I asked.

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Original poster
JessicaJones · 26/12/2015 11:18

How can it be a spoiler? I haven't read the book! Like a pp said, it's in the first few pages of the book, she says 'Fuhrer, for you' and shoots him.

I hope people don't start talking about the rest of the book, because then I'll have to abandon my own thread...

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Kuriusoranj · 26/12/2015 11:16

It's true that the person in the preface isn't referred to by name, bit it seems absolutely obvious who it is. I've read this book a couple of times, and actually I'm mid way though again right now. I think it's astonishing, wonderful, amazing - one of my very favourites. I also cry buckets at several points!

SanityClause · 26/12/2015 11:06

The second page of my book (Kindle) has her shooting someone in November 1930, whom she refers to as "Fuhrer".

So, I would say, not a spoiler.

Still, MNHQ have put it in the thread title, now.

sooperdooper · 26/12/2015 10:57

I didn't enjoy it as much as some of her other books but once you get your head around the reliving of her life over and over with different outcomes it's an interesting concept

I know the Hitler part is the conclusion but I found the section where she's basically friends with Ava all became a bit too far fetched and odd - it was my least favourite part

MsMermaid · 26/12/2015 10:50

I loved this book. Mil gave it to me after she hated it Hmm

I did find the first few chapters quite repetitive, but I really enjoyed it once she started living a bit longer. There was one life that made me cry loads, proper sobs because it was so sad, but most of the other lives were OK.

CoteDAzur · 26/12/2015 10:49

No it's not, Sanity. The first time the word Hitler is used in the book is on page 277 and what OP refers to happens at the very end of the book. It is the culmination of the story, the very point to all this re-living of a very boring life.

Kathysclown · 26/12/2015 10:45

LOVED this book, one part late on makes me cry just thinking about it......

SanityClause · 26/12/2015 10:44

I love this book, and also A God In Ruins which is about Teddie, and his family, during and after the war.

The bit about Hitler isn't a spoiler, Cote, it's either the preface or the first chapter of the book.

I suppose it's not everyone's cup of tea, though. But if you do like it, you might also try Lionel Shriver's The Post-Birthday World.