Life After Life , KATE ATKINSON

[Neefoo]

What do you guys think about this book ?

[jovanovi]

I just finished this book. I had high expectations based on all the reviews and publicity around the book. It was good, but I did struggle. I realize it was a "replay" type story line but I struggled in the first several chapters reading through it without having to re-read some pages. Overall, I did enjoy it but there were too many "wait...what?" stops/starts for me.

[suzanneseidel]

Life After Life by Kate Atkinson was like nothing I’ve ever read before. It’s about a girl who never dies. She keeps living the same life, but with the free will to make different choices and with a faint premonition of tragedies from past lives (and consequently the desire to do certain things to avoid those tragedies but not understanding why). It’s literally just written life after life and I loved it all. It really got me thinking about how one or two choices or events can really change the trajectory of your life. It also got me thinking about how many ways one can die.

[Samyann]

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Life After Life is a story of reincarnation. The lead character relives her life over and over, many times - the same life with different paths taken. In one, she lives but seconds, in others much longer, with joys and grief - but primarily angst. Example: In an early life, she dies from strangulation from the umbilical cord - in another life - many chapters later, mom is prepared with scissors. In one life she's raped, in another life she suspects the event and avoids rape. In one life she marries an-asshole-wife-beating-jackass, in another life she meets the stranger in the same way but runs from him. That sort of stuff, pretty much, with one world history altering event. Hint: WWII-Germany. The author uses deja vù or sixth sense understanding rather than past life memories or discussion of reincarnation specifics.

Liked: Narration. Fenella Woolgar is very listenable, a pleasure. ll try to find other works she has read.

Disliked: Everything else. The story is extremely hard to follow. If you're like me, you'll re-listen to a passage or chapter to get it straight, to understand the story or where the author is headed. This book is rewind hell - and I still didn't get it, ergo stopped trying. Although I'm far from an expert in the theory of reincarnation, I don't believe the fundamentals include reliving the same life and making different choices. I may be all wet there, but I think you are reincarnated to an entirely different life. Plus, the lead doesn't always die - but you'll learn she actually did because the next chapter opens with the fact that it is snowing. Really. If you're looking for a book that delves into the conundrums of reincarnation and resulting ramifications from a scientific view, this is not the book - it doesn't go there.

Tried to listen, but gave up and will be requesting a refund from Audible. Eyes kept glazing over through 95% of the first 21 chapters, didn't listen to the remainder. The audiobook is just over 15 hours, but even listening to only 2/3rds of this I know I listened at least 20 hours (rewinds). I am truly baffled by all the stellar reviews - the main reason I purchased. Beats me.
Not recommended.

Written by Kate Atkinson, narrated by Fenella Woolgar, 15.5 of listening in unabridged audiobook format. Released in April of 2013 by Hachette Audio.

[AlicinWelsh]

I read this a couple years ago and was very intrigued by the premise. Toward the end I started to wonder if Ursula was insane and not really being reborn. Thoughts on that premise?

[Samyann]

Nothing in the book is indicative of insanity. Probably the wrong person to comment in that I couldn’t finish the book. She just kept reliving the same life, once for just a few minutes, making different choices based on deja vu memories. I gave up trying to make sense of it. All the hoopla and raving reviews are a mystery to me … I’m just too stupid, I guess… no surprise .

[Lincolnshirelass]

I thought it was absolutely fascinating, but I have to say that 'Behind the Scenes at the Museum' is still my favourite of hers. And not 'getting' a books NEVER means you are stupid! We all have different tastes and perceptions.