“Life After Life” – Kate Atkinson
Finishing a fabulous read usually sees me wandering
aimlessly while I a) digest it and b) try to imagine if what I read next can
possibly engage me as deeply as its predecessor.
My mother gave me this book a while ago, but I had to
finish with Cal before switching gears to read it. I like the crunching noise
my mind makes when I exit one genre and plunge straight into another with nary
a few days to ease the process.
Life After Life was a relief
after Downfall, a softer, gentler read—yet no less horrifying in its
depiction of war, specifically WWII—written in a genteel manner that
paradoxically made the horrors more poignant and more palatable.
“Horrors” being life, death, and the repeat of same.
What if you could live the same life over and over
until you get it right? The protagonist in this one—Ursula Todd—hits the reset
button to experience the same life a dozen different ways, without a clear
memory of how she lived it before, but armed with an innate knowledge of what
to avoid or do differently in order to prolong it.
It’s a beautiful read. Whether or not you accept the theory of reincarnation (which
I do) in the manner Atkinson presents it (which I don’t), the sheer
craftsmanship of the work makes it worthwhile. I’m completely engaged each time
I open the book—I’m nearing the end and hope that Ursula finally gets a break
from this recurring life because, quite frankly, if I had to do the same one
over and over in hope of a different outcome, well … Einstein was right.
Life After Life is wonderfully
written. It’s almost poetic, it’s so smoothly done. There are no real villains,
or heroes, for that matter; it’s just a story about lives within a life and the
human heart in all its conflict.
I’ll take more than a few days to reflect on this one
when the reading is done.
I may have to check this book out. Even though I haven't been prolific with the writing lately, I have been reading quite a bit. The commute from work to the gym is dull so I started reading and I find I've been devouring books. I'm almost to the end of my little stack so an amazon order will soon be needed.
ReplyDeleteI think that as long as you're reading, you're still writing. Just because there's nothing to show for it doesn't mean you're not being inspired or learning from other writers/artists. It just means that you'll have more to offer when you do get back to pen and paper.
DeleteI finished this book last night, by the way. And, while I'm still digesting, I'm not immediately sure that I liked the way it ended. Needs more thought ...
I have been catching up on a few of the blog entries today, of course all are brilliant, but I thought I would take a moment to say that my heart is full just reading the comments you both have posted. It's like overhearing a wonderful conversation between two dear friends whilst sitting in a tea shop. Such joy...
ReplyDeleteI happily imagine the three of us sitting in a cozy little cafe, sipping tea and talking past closing time.
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