Life After Life (Todd Family #1) by Kate Atkinson

 

Summary (from the publisher): What if you could live again and again, until you got it right?

On a cold and snowy night in 1910, Ursula Todd is born to an English banker and his wife. She dies before she can draw her first breath. On that same cold and snowy night, Ursula Todd is born, lets out a lusty wail, and embarks upon a life that will be, to say the least, unusual. For as she grows, she also dies, repeatedly, in a variety of ways, while the young century marches on towards its second cataclysmic world war.

Does Ursula's apparently infinite number of lives give her the power to save the world from its inevitable destiny? And if she can - will she?

Review: In 1910, on a cold and snowy night, a baby dies before it can draw its first breath. On the same night, young Ursula Todd is born, rescued from the fate of stillbirth. As young Ursula grows, she dies over and over in a variety of ways. Every time, she is reborn and is given the chance to try again. She has an uncanny memory of her previous lives and is able to avoid mistakes or accidents that befell her in previous lives. Along the way, she is swept up in the gruesome second world war and explores a variety of possible paths - different choices in different lives lead to different careers, loves, and outcomes for those that surround her. 

I loved this. The idea of a do-over, infinite chances to get it right, re-set the clock, to try again, was extremely appealing. It was intriguing to think about what is within Ursula's control and what is not. She seems very much herself in every lifetime, and some versions of her lives feel very familiar. Some deaths are harder to escape and require multiple attempts by Ursula before she finally evades that particular death. It was interesting to see how relatively minor adjustments in her behavior lead to different lovers and vastly different outcomes for her family and friends. 

But even beyond the unique premise, I liked Ursula, her family, and her story. Her siblings Teddy and Pamela are particularly endearing, as is her eccentric and aunt. Atkinson is a gifted writer and has created a beautiful cast of characters in this. The horribly gruesome scenes from the wartime bombing of London were particularly well done. 

The ending of this was a bit ambiguous, which suited the cyclical nature of the novel. In many ways this novel unfolds like an accordion or a choose your own adventure, with the clock resetting periodically for another chance to get it right. Many times, the ill fate that occurs to us feels so out of control, but in Ursula's case, she has the power to change her fate and she never fails in her dedication to making the next attempt a better round. 

Stars: 4.5