Every once in a while I come across a book that takes me by surprise and leaves me feeling unsure of how I really feel about it. This was one of those. I’m not even sure how to categorize this book, to be quite honest. Last Tuesday I got an email from Meetup about a newly formed book club in a neighbouring town, which was to have its first meeting three days after the meeting of my current book club (I was still rushing to get […]
Do not be a curly-haired blonde in a Kate Atkinson novel
So I read Kate Atkinson’s Life After Life last year, and despite the amazing reviews it got, I just did not like it. It was depressing, the main character keep dying over and over (which I know was the whole point, but gawd), and I just could not enjoy it. But I liked Atkinson’s style of writing, and Stephen King, of all people, recommends her over and over, so I thought I’d give it another shot. “Patricia embraces me on the station platform. ‘The past […]
Reincarnation meets Groundhog Day….
Not my ideal choice for a first pick, but it was a book club selection that I was supposed to have read back in Nov/Dec, and I’m nothing if not an extraordinary procrastinator. I persevered through this with the gusto of someone who is determined to stick with a New Years Resolution. If I picked this up in October, I couldn’t guarantee the same enthusiasm. Life After Life was one of those books that I finished and said, “I think I liked it? Maybe? I […]
Engrossing But Not A Favorite
Quick Take-Away: On the cusp of four stars, but something didn’t click for me. The middle 350 pages or so really pulled me in, but I felt that the last 50 pages fell short. Longer Review (with the mildest of spoilers): The writing in this book is beautiful. I believe this is the first of Ms. Atkinson’s books I have read, but I gather she is someone known for her prose. The premise of the book, for those who are unfamiliar, is that Ursula is […]