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Life After Life
Life After Life
Author: Kate Atkinson
What if you could live again and again, until you got it right? On a cold and snowy night in 1910, Ursula Todd is born to an English banker and his wife. She dies before she can draw her first breath. On that same cold and snowy night, Ursula Todd is born, lets out a lusty wail, and embarks upon a life that will be, to say the least, unusual. Fo...  more »
ISBN-13: 9780316176491
ISBN-10: 0316176494
Publication Date: 9/24/2013
Pages: 544
Rating:
  • Currently 3.7/5 Stars.
 68

3.7 stars, based on 68 ratings
Publisher: Reagan Arthur / Back Bay Books
Book Type: Paperback
Other Versions: Hardcover
Members Wishing: 4
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

loregess avatar reviewed Life After Life on + 175 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 8
Throughout the span of WWI to the 1960s, Ursula is unaware of dying multiple deaths and being reborn time and again. She does, however, have a sixth sense -- a sense of déjà vu appears whenever the most stressful or horrific episodes in her life are to occur. Because of this sixth sense, Ursula is able to change her own history and make her future futures (?) a little bit more content and livable. The writing is just beautiful and the authors attention to detail makes for very realistic and vivid characters.
reviewed Life After Life on + 12 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 6
This is a difficult book to review. It is extremely well written but can be quite confusing. The author undertook a very difficult task in keeping the story flowing. I enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it.
MKSbooklady avatar reviewed Life After Life on + 944 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 5
Really fascinating book-takes a few chapters to figure it out, but hang in there. Ursula Todd is an interesting girl/woman-I enjoyed it a lot. One of those books you make time to read. There were times I went back to previously read chapters to figure some things out, but I soon got 'it'. The only parts I had trouble accepting were the -SLIGHT SPOILER HERE- sections with Hitler. Otherwise an amazing book.
reviewed Life After Life on + 6 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 5
This book started slowly for me. In fact, I found the book's central theme (revealed in the first few pages) tedious at first. I always give a book at least 50 pages before I throw in the towel. With this book, it took me over 100 pages before I was hooked, then I couldn't put it down. It is as much an homage to the brave people who survived the London Blitz and the Second World War as it is a portrait of a young woman and an English family in the first half of the twentieth century.
thebigaym avatar reviewed Life After Life on + 63 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
While the book is engaging is some passages, and concept certainly has a lot of possibilities, the story's progress is too slow. So, despite the book being too long, it never goes anywhere.
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boomerbooklover avatar reviewed Life After Life on + 430 more book reviews
Intriguing story, but sometimes hard to follow as events are retold from different time periods.
blueridgebookhead avatar reviewed Life After Life on + 4 more book reviews
I enjoyed this sweet story. I did not find it drawn-out or slow, and caught on to Atkinson's writing fairly early on. It is an interesting take on cause and effect, life's choices and paths. I also enjoyed the peek into a British family in the 1910-1950s.
Maybe try the audiobook with the wonderful British narrator if reading becomes repetitive.
JoyReadsLots avatar reviewed Life After Life on + 51 more book reviews
In concept it could have been good, but it was way too long and way too repetitive. At times I found myself skimming because I was re-reading the same scene again and again. I seldom quit a book that I've started and I didn't quit this one either - but largely because it was a book club read and I wanted to be able to discuss it at our meeting. For the record - most of my book club group felt the same way about the book.


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