Apr 6, 2016

Book(s) of the Week- "Life After Life" and "A God in Ruins"

I've got about ten minutes until Deeds wakes up from his nap, and then I whisk the kiddos off to Wednesday night supper.  So instead of getting started on the (8 dozen!!) cookies I am supposed to have baked by tomorrow, or folding and putting away laundry (the absolute horror!), I'm curled up with a Miss Marple and a chai tea latte.  Bliss.

My Agatha Christie put me in mind of two absolutely amazing books I recently read.  Solely because of the time frame and location- there is little else in common.

I read Kate Atkinson's "Behind the Scenes at the Museum" a number of years ago, and adored it.  Then I forgot about how much I love her brilliant writing (and use of parenthetical, ha!).

When I picked up "Life After Life" from the library, my own life came to a bit of a standstill, as I could not stop reading it.

Reminiscent of a Pick your Own Adventure, except the author enthralls us with the different ways the heroine's life could have gone- primarily set in Britain between WWI and WWII.
You will vacillate between sadness and pleasure as the book twists and turns through different outcomes.  It's unlike anything I have had the pleasure of reading before.
 
"A God in Ruins" is "Life After Life"'s follow-up, tracing the life of the heroine's beloved younger brother.  Although it's not necessary to read Life first, I highly recommend doing so, as the stories flesh each other out so nicely.  A God follows a more linear story-telling methods, although does flash between several character's viewpoints.

Y'all know how awful I am at book reviews, but go to the library, bookstore, or kindle immediately and procure a copy of each.  Clear your calendars and get reading!

3 comments:

  1. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh my love for Kate Atkinson is ENDLESS. I actually started my love affair with LIFE AFTER LIFE (have been trying to convince J to add "Ursula" to our Girl Name list because I LOVE HER), then went right to A GOD IN RUINS, and about four days ago finished MUSEUM. My new computer password might be a Ruby Lennox derivative..... she writes SO beautifully and the words used are amazing, I'm constantly looking up definitions.

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  2. You should try her Jackson Brodie (detective) series as well!

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  3. I will definitely have to check out Life After Life. I have read some good books recently, but it's been a few months since I've read one that I literally couldn't put down!

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