Memorable. Surprises abound. Characters to really care about, to love, and to be appalled by! A true picture of growing up in the 50s, with an abundance of detailed domestic life. Certain passages stay with the reader, like: "I have been to the world's end and back and now I know what I would put in my bottom drawer. I would put my sisters." The bottom drawer, when you read the book, stands for a place for needful things.

A terrific book by hot British writer Kate Atkinson, author of "Case Histories." This one was a Whitbread Book of the Year, and on the NY Times "Notable Books of the Year" list.
Alternating between a first person account of the young life of Ruby Lennox, and a series of chapter-long 'footnotes' that give insight into the backstory of Ruby's extended family, the book is darkly comic, sometimes tragic, wise, and very original.

A great look at a complex family. This is not your typical dysfunctional family story. This is a perfect book group discussion type book.

Totally engrossing story of the life of a girl that starts from the moment she is conceived. I found that once I started reading it, I could not lay it down until it was finished.

Both comedy and tragedy. Good book

Started out with a bang (no pun intended) and pulled me in with Ruby's (the narrator) account of her time in utero. Atkinson writes in breezy fashion with loads of dark humor mostly aimed at her mother, Bunty, who thoroughly deserves Ruby's digs.

This story about four generations of women living in various states of familial dysfunction and misery is not written in linear fashion so one can feel disoriented at each new chapter or footnote. "Where are we now? Back in 1919? Oh, is it 1958 again? Oh, okay...Who is Alice? Who's Jack, again?"

While I liked the characters and felt each of the stories were worth following to their conclusion, it did drag on needlessly in several places and again, the jumping around in time served no purpose.

Also, Atkinson is not good at the fine art of foreshadowing. She sort of hits you with it and that takes the fun out of predicting. In the end though, you can figure out what's going to happen with one or two weird and random suprises tossed in for good measure.

My favorite character was Rags the dog.

What a great book to read as you laze about in bed, assuming you don't mind being depressed. Craptastic.

Wonderful! Delicious! Satisfying!

I loved the main character Ruby. She was both funny and heartbreaking.

This was one of the best books I read last year! Absolutely amazing writing.

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