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Original poster

Which Kate Atkinson book?

64 replies

Cricketbelle · 22/12/2023 09:54

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

OP posts:
FourSeasonsTotalLandscaping · 22/12/2023 15:10

I love Kate Atkinson broadly, but she’s a bit of a mixed bag. Behind the Scenes at the Museum is my favourite book of all time, and I like the Jackson Brodie books (Case Histories is the best) but some of the others are not so great.

I know most people raved about Life After Life and some sections of it are fantastic but I didn’t feel it worked well as whole. Much preferred A God in Ruins.

OwlWeiwei · 22/12/2023 15:18

I'd go for Life After Life and then a God in Ruins (based on same characters)

Then the Jackson Brodie novels. I think When WillThere Be Good News is her best.

I didn't like Behind the Scenes at all. Tried about 5 times over many years to finish it and always got irritated. I also don't rate her short stories at all. The ones I read were stifling dull stream of consciousness lists with no shape to them. But her best novels are fabulous.

margegunderson · 22/12/2023 15:25

There's a new and fab book of short stories by her which turn out to be interestingly linked

newnamethanks · 22/12/2023 15:28

O thank you @margegunderson, will be my Christmas present to myself. Didn't know about that.

15PiecesOfFlair · 22/12/2023 15:29

I'm reading the Jackson Brodie ones in order and her style - style, she thought, style and beauty? Maybe not so much, her beauty queen days were behind her, at least that's what Stacy always told her - gets a little much after a couple in a row!

rickyrickygrimes · 22/12/2023 18:11

When will there be good news is so bleak and so brilliant.

No one has mentioned Emotionally Weird, which is a bit niche but I loved it - I grew up near Dundee and also lived / worked out in the Scottish islands. It’s very funny.

rickyrickygrimes · 22/12/2023 18:19

@Decorhate oops missed your mention !

Piggywaspushed · 22/12/2023 18:38

My favourite Jackson Brodie is When Will There Be Good News?.

Another Behind the Scenes fan here.

CaptainMyCaptain · 22/12/2023 19:15

rickyrickygrimes · 22/12/2023 18:19

@Decorhate oops missed your mention !

And my mention. I didn't like it.

Bichette · 22/12/2023 19:30

Behind the scenes
One of my all time favourites

mrsdolittle · 22/12/2023 19:36

Another vote for Behind the Scenes. If pushed I would probably say it is one of my fav books ever. Love the Jackson Brodie series and like other posters preferred God in Ruins to Life after Life and couldn't get on with Shrines of Gaiety

cariadlet · 22/12/2023 19:41

Another vote for Behind the Scenes at the Museum and the Jackson Brodie books (I love all of them).

I wasn't so keen on Life After Life or A God in Ruins.

I've bought Shrines of Gaiety but haven't started reading it yet so it's disappointing to hear that so many people haven't enjoyed it. I'll lower my expectations and might end up enjoying it.

newnamethanks · 22/12/2023 19:57

Started Early - Took My Dog. I love her subversive humour. Just when things have become unbelievably bleak, she'll shock you out of it. And Kate understands dogs, they slink through her pages, almost unnoticed, but always with purpose.

Wbeezer · 22/12/2023 20:04

Life after Life is the only book I have finished and then straight away started again right at the beginning! I often re-read favourites but not immediately!

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.

CaptainMyCaptain · 22/12/2023 20:08

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

bellocchild · 22/12/2023 21:05

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

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?

Original poster
Cricketbelle · 23/12/2023 09:24

Thanks so much everyone!! 📚

OP posts:
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.