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| Source: flavorwire.com |
When you know the title and premise of a book well simply because the praise forthcoming from other readers is in overwhelming abundance, you know you have to take a chance. Yes, hype sometimes ruins a story, but there's a chance you'll find the next best thing. Life After Life, by Kate Atkinson, is that next best thing.
Within the first two pages, Ursula Todd is born, dies, and is born again and lives. Desperately hooked within those two pages and wanting to figure out how this story was going to work, I devoured the 522 page book in record time (especially for a school year read). I actually read half the book in one lazy afternoon and evening.
The story is well written - just the right amount of description and detail are given to help the reader picture settings and characters. Characters are well drawn, both like-able and not. I sincerely cared for every step of Ursula's journey, which by the way starts over at least 12 times with her birth on a snowy night in 1910. Each birth brings the same choices with the opportunity for different decisions, which lead to both the same and different paths taken in her life. The butterfly effect at its best and an opportunity some of us may cringe upon, a chance to relive life until "practice makes perfect."
If you haven't already read Life After Life, or if you've put it off, pick it up now and read it. You won't be disappointed. The twists and turns of Ursula's fates, as they run parallel, overlap, meld, and separate with each other will keep you in a trance. All leading up to one important event that can save a generation of nationalities from heartache and the scars of suffering.
After that review I will have to add this to my list of books to read!
ReplyDeleteGood! I hope you love it!
DeleteI loved this book! I flew through it at a record pace, too. I was worried that constantly re-starting Urusla's life would get tedious, but I was pleased with how Atkinson makes each new start seem fresh. Nice review!
ReplyDeleteThanks. I had the same worry and liked how sometimes she didn't always go back to 1910, but you knew she had "started over."
DeleteI keep hearing such good things about this book. I need to buckle down and read this book!
ReplyDeleteYes, do! And I hear Atkinson's other books are amazing too!
DeleteI loved this one. It kept me engaged so well, I didn't even notice its length! Great review.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I didn't notice its length either. I would actually look down at the page numbers and be amazed I had read so far!
DeleteI haven't heard about this book but with your review I feel like I need to read it!
ReplyDeleteI love those moments in which you wonder what would it be if... :)
Thanks for the review!
It is a very interesting concept and Atkinson handles it very well. It had to be difficult to write, but she makes it seem so easy.
DeleteI'm one of those people who has been putting this off in hopes of waiting for the hype to die down a bit - I missed reading it before it came and didn't want my opinion to be shaken by all the reviews I was reading. I have a copy ready to go, though...I'm pretty sure it will be one of my Christmas break books. Your review makes me excited to get to it!
ReplyDeleteI was doing the same thing...kept putting it off until I forgot some of what I'd read in reviews. It may have worked because reading hyped books has been disappointing more often than not. Then again, this one was just so good too!
DeleteOkay I am going to have to pick this up now. I've been putting it off because of the hype (like many others) but will push it up the list.
ReplyDeleteYay! Please do a review of it! I really want to see what you think.
DeleteI loved this one. It kept me engaged so well, It is good review of the Life after Life...
ReplyDeleteYou know more about the books then visit bookchums.com
Thanks! I will check it out!
DeleteI loooved this book :) I put it off for a little while because I thought it would be too "gimmicky" for me. Nope!
ReplyDeleteNo, not gimmicky at all. I was in another teacher's room last week with my book and she was reading two other Kate Atkinson books. I read the inside covers and it seems Atkinson is good at handling a load of characters and crossing their paths in just the right way. The other teacher says all three Atkinson books she's read are awesome...and she hasn't read this one yet!
DeleteYES! I'm so glad you read this! And loved it! The very best outcome.
ReplyDeleteI think your post was the last review on it I read before actually reading it. Actually, I bought the book on vacation in Florida the night I read your post! Lol...it was the one that pushed me over the "I've just got to read this already" edge.
DeleteI have only heard amazing things about Life After Life!
ReplyDeleteSo did I, which seemed like maybe it was hyped up, but I don't think so now. Very good.
DeleteThis is on my list of books I want to read, and I am not sure why I haven't yet. Thanks for the reminder!
ReplyDeleteOh yes! Read it!
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