Jay Cagle

Moving, funny, poignant, and very relatable.

The main character of Life After Life, Ursula Todd, was born in England on February 11, 1910, and when she dies she is reborn to live her life again. The book follows Ursula, and her family, friends, and relationships as she lives her many lives, making small changes in each that have larger consequences. I enjoyed Kate Atkinson's writing style a lot – rich in detail, immersing you in the settings and period. Spanning both World Wars, this is not a light-hearted read, although Atkinson supplies occasional moments of dark humor. I found the book a little slow to get moving but compelling once I got into it. I was worried after the first chapter that the book's ambitions were limited but happy to find the opposite. It's an exploration of fate, choice and consequence, and one that I have found more interesting the more I reflect on it.

Meh. Shallowly drawn characters, long boring passages with little payoff. I was hoping for something that gave more a feeling of what it was like to be gay during that time and place.

The Interestings follows a group of friends from a fateful summer camp meeting through the courses of their lives. Some become famous and wealthy, some struggle with relationships, making a living, and making something of their life. I enjoyed following these characters, although none are entirely likable. Meg Wolitzer has an easy and engaging style. However, by the end, the book didn't add up to much more than time spent with the characters. Though the book spans 30+ years it felt shallow in more than several places where I wish the author would have delved deeper.

Mitchell can write a snappy sentence, even a compelling paragraph and chapter, but there were long sections of the book that did nothing for me. And in the end the disparate parts didn't come together in a meaningful way.