Life After Life by Kate Atkinson

When I first started this book it reminded me of the movie Memento which I did not like.  Every time you think you have figured out the plot it changed and started all over again.  Once I got further into the book (because I truly believe I should read each book before commenting!) I realized that Ursula was leading each of these lives in different times that simply coincided with the same time period.  Ursula led many diverse lives, some more interesting than others.  I enjoyed the ones that dealt with the blitz, disliked the ones where she suffered unfairly.  I liked that people presumed dead were not.  I liked that in each of the lives she remained strong woman.  When nearly destroyed by men, she fought back, whether directly or indirectly.  She lost much and gained much. In fact, one could question whether or not she lost everything and gained nothing.  Did she live from infancy?  Which of the many lifes was really hers?

Teddy was one of those characters I enjoyed watching develop.  He was a darling as a baby and remained a favorite of Ursula throughout the book.  Maurice seems to have been a pain from birth and remained so.  Pamela is also a character that remained a true sister regardless of the time in which she is placed.  Izzie fares better in some than others but she is the creative individual that adds a spark to an otherwise dull life.

I am not sure what to make of the way the author deals with the men in Ursula’s life—particulary the ones with whom she is romantically involved.  Crighton I liked despite the fact that he was an adulterer.  The relationship was one of mutual admiration and respect.  Obviously the marriage to the teacher (Derek Oliphant) was horrible. He was such a horrible person but a presume he was included as penitence for her having had an abortion.  I was pleased to see that she was able to correct both the rape and the marriage in another life.

The life in Hitler’s Germany is one area I was not able to wrap my head around.  It is like she just dropped in there.  The premise of visiting the family of Eva Braun and actually getting to know her I suppose was to allow Ursula to see the other side of WWII.  However, this again ended with her having to make a terrible decision regarding a child.  One way or another, the child always seems to die.  This one was particularly poignant.

I think many of wonder about the opportunities to do things differently.  Would we make any of the same mistakes?  Do we learn from previous encounters, realities?  I look forward to our discussions!