Transcription - Kate Atkinson

[southeastdweller]

Out next month:

www.waterstones.com/book/transcription/kate-atkinson/9780857525888

I'm a big fan of hers and I'm really looking forward to reading this.

What a disappointment. I got most of the men confused as they all seemed the same. It did pick up near the end after a dull middle but I was expecting more.

I listened to the audio book of it last week. Whilst I did enjoy the story very much, I did find some of the characters confusing. There seemed to be so many men, some from the BBC and some from her war time MI5 work and, without seeing them all written down, I kind of hoped for the best that it wouldn't matter that I couldn't remember who some of them were and where they fitted into the story. It all seemed to make enough sense in the end :)

It was ok, but nothing special. Her books always seem to have grand structures and ideas and while this was a cut above the Girl On A Train To Appleyard THE MOST THRILLINGEST THRILLER YOU WILL READ ALL YEAR!!! drivel it was just.....average. I liked the BBC history elements but some of the plot and character devices had great flashing signposts above them.
I had a strong reaction to the twist in Life After Life. This one barely caused a ripple. It was very pedestrian. Maybe if it had been fleshed out a bit more it would have been better.
The beginning and end were neither use nor ornament. I reread them to see if any clues had been left that I had missed to explain how that came about, but nope, again all rather rushed and unsatisfactory.

I loved it! Listened to the audio book, thought the narrator was excellent.
Loved Juliet and Perry ... who I imagined looking like Matthew Goode!

I have enjoyed KA in the past, this one I felt had a lot of positives - good writing for the most part, humour, subterfuge, obfuscation (what a great word) and more, but ultimately I fell it coasted to the end. And - I feel a little uncomfortable saying this - but I felt the book was a little pleased with itself. I gave it 4*

Loved Kate Atkinsons earlier writing but the last 2 book have missed the boat for me. She is formidably clever, extremely witty and writes like an angel but I've not clicked with these later books. Which is infuriating as I have travelled hopefully towards them.