Haaa sorry, couldn't resist! ヾ(*Ő౪Ő*)
But yes, hello, and welcome to another installment of my Sunday Shorts series. Today, this short will be focusing on the book Life After Life by Kate Atkinson, which I read a few months ago, and is quite easily the most interesting and unique book I've read in a few years, actually. So let's dive in!
The most unique and interesting aspect of this book is actually also the main plot point, the premise or idea that the whole book revolves around, and I really don't want to spoil it. It's pretty much given away in the blurb, and I'll post that now, so if you're like me and don't like to know anything about books before you read them, don't read the below ahaha!
"What if you had the chance to live your life again and again, until you finally got it right?
During a snowstorm in England in 1910, a baby is born and dies before she can take her first breath.
During a snowstorm in England in 1910, the same baby is born and lives to tell the tale.
What if there were second chances? And third chances? In fact an infinite number of chances to live your life? Would you eventually be able to save the world from its own inevitable destiny? And would you even want to?"
So, in summary, a mish mash of Groundhog Day vs reincarnation, with the main character given the opportunity to avoid her own death. It's set in the early 1900s, over the course of both World Wars, and builds an incredible tapestry of the main character's life and of her family, to the point where I was moved to tears through some of their actions or when any misfortune befell them.
Kate Atkinson's Life After Life really sucks you in to its world. I cared so much about what was going on in the lives of all the family members and friends, and even ignoring the very unique premise of getting another shot at life, Life After Life is incredibly interesting. I'm not one for historically-themed books so I actually inwardly groaned when I realised what time period the story was set in, but I'm so, so, so glad I didn't stop reading. It was an immensely enjoyable story, one I still think about every few days just in passing, and quite easily my favourite book of the last few years.
I really want to summarise and just say that Atkinson's Life After Life is just an incredible read. Because of its premise it's actually about five-six main stories and then multiple tangents and choices that branch off crammed into one person's life, and each one is better than the next. It's fascinating. I was hooked after the first three chapters, it opens guns blazing but then quietens down for a little while, so just keep plodding through after the intense start as the next chapter or two seem very boring in contrast, but please persevere! Honestly the best book I've read in years and years!! She's written a sequel as well about one of the other family members, which I'll be purchasing as soon as I finish what I'm reading at the moment ヽ(*⌒∇⌒*)ﾉ
Have you read Life After Life, or any of Kate Atkinson's books? Are you reading anything at the moment? Let me know in the comments below!
Bye! x
Follow
No comments:
Post a Comment