Life After Life by Kate Atkinson (2013): A Review
Author: Kate Atkinson
Publication Year: 2013
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Pages: 622
Source: Book
Genre: literary fiction, historical fiction, speculative fiction, Postmodern
Awards: Winner of the 2013 Costa Book Award; Shortlisted for the 2013 Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction, Walter Scott Prize (2014), Waterstones Book of the Year (2013); Longlisted for Andrew Carnegie Medal (2014)
Opening Sentence: November 1930. A FUG OF tobacco smoke and damp clammy air hit her as she entered the café. She had come in from the rain and drops of water still trembled like delicate dew on the fur coats of some of the women inside. A regiment of white-aproned waiters rushed around at tempo, serving the needs of the Münchner at leisure – coffee, cake and gossip.
How often do you come across a novel where both the writing style and the story are truly captivating? This is one of those rare books with an unusual premise that draws you in. While some might categorize it as a time-travel novel, that's not quite accurate—our FMC doesn't travel through time. Instead, she repeatedly dies and comes back to life, so frequently that even the narrator grows weary and rushes through certain parts of the story.
The story unfolds much like a video game, with the FMC serving as a novice player who faces constant 'game overs' and must restart from the beginning each time. As she learns from each attempt, she figures out how to progress further, avoiding the mistakes of the past. With every restart, she remembers what to evade, ensuring she doesn't meet the same fate twice. The author explores the many possible lives the FMC could lead as she strives to get things right—but the question remains: does she ever succeed? When events are within her control, she can sometimes avoid previous traumas, but when fate intervenes, it often takes many lives and repeated efforts to overcome obstacles. As her lives grow longer and the chapters extend, her burdens only become heavier.
Despite its intriguing premise, the novel is weighted with themes of loss, death, war, and trauma. Reliving multiple lives means experiencing the pain and suffering of countless lifetimes. The narrative spans both World Wars, with the FMC attempting to alter history for the better. Although the novel appears playful and inventive, it ultimately proves heartbreaking. By the end, you may find yourself staring into space, wondering if it's truly possible to live your life over and over in search of getting it right.
TV Adaptation: If I had only watched the TV show, I would not have had so many problems with the series. But after reading the book, it is better to avoid watching the series.
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