Which Kate Atkinson book?

Cricketbelle · 2023-12-22T09:54:43+00:00

I’d like to read one (or more) of her books. Any favourites or recommendations please?

EarthyMangold · 25/12/2023 14:27

I loved Emotionally Weird but I grew up in Dundee and one of my parents worked at Dundee University during the 1970s and 80s so I recognised all the places and found it very funny... don't know if it would hold up so well otherwise.

GalileoHumpkins · 25/12/2023 13:39

Life after Life is terrible, I couldn't finish it.

wideawakeinthemiddleofthenightagain · 25/12/2023 00:25

I adored Shrines of Gaiety. One of my top five reads this year I'd say.
I tried to read Behind the Scenes at the Museum about 10 years ago, hated it and avoided her for years. Had little choice but to read it 18 months ago and really enjoyed it and have since devoured all of her other books

hashebeenyet · 25/12/2023 00:20

Love Kate Atkinson. I've just reread Behind the scenes for the umpteenth time. Agree it's a good one to start with, although Time After Time is amazing.

catsanddogsandrabbits · 25/12/2023 00:04

Agree with others - start at the beginning. Read the Jackson Brodie books in order, (i too fell in love with him), Loved BtSAtBM and LaL and GiR,
I actually liked S of G - a different approach - not as good as her other stuff but interesting and made its point. Worth reading in my view.

Yiayoula · 24/12/2023 23:55

@Emotionalsupportviper Love Human Croquet too, it’s so rarely mentioned but I think it’s amazing and very clever .
I’ve read and re-read all the novels apart from Shrines , but on my list for next year .
Impossible to pick a favourite , sorry .

LovelaceBiggWither · 24/12/2023 23:42

cheezncrackers · 24/12/2023 19:13

I know!! I just finished the dratted thing this afternoon and couldn't believe that she just turned up again at the end, but with the reader none the wiser as to where she'd been, with whom, or what had happened to her! I've rarely been so frustrated by the ending of a book as I was by that one.

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I googled it and nobody anywhere had any ideas as to what happened. So frustrating. I don't mind ambiguous but outright stupid annoys me.

newnamethanks · 24/12/2023 20:20

Shrines was disappointing, just didn't grab me at all. I thought characterisation was particularly poor. Even though KA has constructed some odd characters in her previous books, they've developed into recognisable human beings. I found it hard to care about any of them in Shrines. Based on real people? Maybe that constrained the story. I found it flat.

vincettenoir · 24/12/2023 19:17

Another vote for BTSATM

whenlifegivesyou · 24/12/2023 19:16

Behind the scenes at the museum life after life a god in ruins all 👌👌👌

cheezncrackers · 24/12/2023 19:13

LovelaceBiggWither · 23/12/2023 01:39

I didn't like Shrines because there were too many subplots that went nowhere.

Also WHAT THE FUCK WAS WITH THE FLORENCE subplot?

I know!! I just finished the dratted thing this afternoon and couldn't believe that she just turned up again at the end, but with the reader none the wiser as to where she'd been, with whom, or what had happened to her! I've rarely been so frustrated by the ending of a book as I was by that one.

CaptainMyCaptain · 23/12/2023 15:02

I love the Jackson Brodie books especially Started Early ...

Life after Life was brilliant followed by God in Ruins. I was so cross at the way Teddy was treated but the ending made me gasp out loud. It was shocking but made sense after LAL .

ZenNudist · 23/12/2023 13:11

MsInterpret · 22/12/2023 10:08

Life After Life is brilliant and especially if you like time travel-y, what-if stories...

This is my favourite.

I also enjoyed shrines of gaity although it was not my favourite.

I love a god in ruins to read after 'life after life'.

Behind the scenes at the museum is still a classic.

CaptainMyCaptain · 23/12/2023 13:09

It was only the end of Transcrption that I didn't like.

NancyJoan · 23/12/2023 09:26

Life After Life is probably my favourite book of the past 50 years. I also loved Transcription. Shrines of Gaity is just a bit…odd.

Original poster

Cricketbelle · 23/12/2023 09:24

Thanks so much everyone!! 📚

OP posts:

LovelaceBiggWither · 23/12/2023 01:39

I didn't like Shrines because there were too many subplots that went nowhere.

Also WHAT THE FUCK WAS WITH THE FLORENCE subplot?

bellocchild · 22/12/2023 21:05

'Started early, took my dog', a Brodie novel, was very enjoyable.

HardcoreLadyType · 22/12/2023 20:31

I love all her books, though have not read Emotionally Weird.

im currently reading a collection of short stories called Normal Rules Don’t Apply, and very much enjoying them.

MadeOfAllWork · 22/12/2023 20:29

Start with Behind the Scenes at the Museum. I lived in Scarborough when it was released and everyone was reading it.

Also, Started Early - Took My Dog.

Emotionalsupportviper · 22/12/2023 20:28

rickyrickygrimes · 22/12/2023 11:36

All of them!

The Jackson Brodie ones can be read as a series.

for the others. I’d agree to start with Behind the Scenes and work your way forward.

i haven’t read Shrines - what’s so bad about it?

Yep to all these -Behind the scenes at theMuseum is superb - lots of humour in there, too. Human Croquet is also excellent.

You will fall in love with Jackson Brodie.

Thank you for the warning about Shrines of Gaiety

Mazuslongtoenail · 22/12/2023 20:24

Orangesarenottheonlyfruit · 22/12/2023 13:14

I loved Shrines of Gaiety! I thought it was fantastic, so don't totally write it off.

Me too. I absolutely loved it. I wish I could rewind and read it all again.

Elfon · 22/12/2023 20:22

I love KA and have enjoyed all her books. Case Histories had me absolutely gripped the first time I read it. Life after Life is so, so clever. I think very few authors could pull that off.

CaptainMyCaptain · 22/12/2023 20:08

I liked Transcription until the end which just seemed tacked on.

Morewineplease10 · 22/12/2023 20:05

The detective series is great.

Life After Life is an incredible book. I've read it 3 times and will reread it until the end of my days I think!

There's a collection of 3 short stories which are quite good, possibly Christmas themed.

Her books are usually as emotional ride even though the tone can be very detached.

I didn't enjoy Transcription though.