56 pages • 1 hour read
Kate AtkinsonLife After Life
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2013A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
Life After Life by Kate Atkinson follows Ursula Todd, who is repeatedly reborn in the same place and time, allowing her to experience and alter events in the tumultuous mid-20th century, particularly the World Wars. Through her various lives, Ursula explores the themes of fate, choice, and the meaning of existence against the broader backdrop of historical events. The book discusses instances of sexual violence, domestic violence, death by suicide, termination of a pregnancy, and child loss.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Kate Atkinson's Life After Life has garnered praise for its inventive narrative structure, exploring themes of destiny and resilience through Ursula's multiple lives. Critics lauded Atkinson's prose and character development, though some found the repetitive timeline confusing. Overall, it's celebrated for its originality and emotional depth.
Who Should Read Life After Life?
Fans of historical fiction and intricate narratives will relish Kate Atkinson's Life After Life. If you enjoyed the complex temporal structures in Audrey Niffenegger's The Time Traveler's Wife or the profound historical reflections in The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, you'll find this novel compelling and thought-provoking.
RecommendedReading Age
18+yearsLexile Level
970L