A God in Ruins
Ratings56
Average rating3.9
I can't. I wanted to power through this, because the parts about the war are so beautiful (which is why I'm giving 2 stars instead of 1). But even with skimming everything but the war stories (because I hate Viola and I'm bored by birding and Augustus), every single other thing in this book is a tedious slog.
I was a bit concerned going into this, since although the first Todd family book, Life After Life, is one of my favourites, I've seen a lot of people stating that there's a twist at the end of A God In Ruins that leaves them feeling annoyed or even angry. For me, though, the ending is what makes this book. Until I got there, it was a perfectly fine book that I might or might not read again — I'm not a huge fan of war stories, which this essentially is — but now I know I'll definitely come back to it.
I don't think the author does herself any favours by saying that this isn't a sequel to Life After Life. (The following is possibly a spoiler? I don't think it really is, but am marking it as one just in case.) If you haven't read Life After Life, then you won't be at all prepared for the way A God In Ruins ends, and I can absolutely see that it would discombobulate you. But having read the first one, it makes perfect sense, and indeed there were clues throughout the story that made me suspect something of the sort was going to happen. If you're planning to read this book, and haven't read Life After Life, stop now and read that first.
This is an impressive accomplishment. The ending is a bit of a puzzle, unless you know about the companion novel, Life After Life, which I do although I haven't yet read it. Still, wow. The intricate story-telling and the fragmentation create a singular experience. Atkinson is suddenly one of my favorite writers.
I read Life after Life for my book club, and then was surprised to discover there was a sequel / companion book, A God in Ruins. I enjoyed the structure of the book immensely, as I did the description of Teddy's life. The ending, though - the ending was such a surprise, and so obvious at the same time, and so right - I'm still trying to determine what I actually think about it, but my first reaction was to give it 5 stars on Goodreads and then write this. Can't wait to get to book club this week and force a God in Ruins upon everybody.
Terrible. How this book ended up on so many best-of-2015 lists I cannot fathom. Typically, a book set in England from just before WWII through the recent past would be right up my alley (an English Gran and Grampas who fought in WWII help). I've also enjoyed Atkinson's Jackson Brodie series, but should have known not to bother with “A God in Ruins” given that “Life After Life” just fell flat for me.
It is one thing to skip about in a character's or set of characters' chronologies. It is entirely another to do so because you don't have much of a story to tell and because you aren't able to fully flesh out your characters, even when you take over 400 pages not to do so. It is even another to mash together dialogue so that you don't know who is speaking (because it's all so boring that it doesn't matter). Yet, people just ate this book up. Bah! I'm glad I got it from the library.
Even at those moments when Life After Life got a little plodding, I gave Atkinson the benefit of the doubt because I liked Ursula and her family and I liked the conceit of the novel: keep trying until you get the purpose of your life right and accomplished. I ended up really liking the book.
This novel, however, is requiring more fortitude than I have to stick with it. Teddy is dishonest with himself and others; his late wife Nancy sounds insufferable and mean; Viola, their wildly self-centred and delusional daughter, is loathsome. . . and the whole tale is boring boring boring. Yes: the war changed things for Teddy's generation and those that came after just DIDN'T UNDERSTAND–but one could have tried, now couldn't one have, Teddy?
Atkinson writes well and she's obviously mining a vein that's important to her but, as a reader, I really want at least ONE character in your novel to be someone I give half a rat's behind about. MMMkay?
I stopped listening during chapter 9. Poor Sunny is odious, even though it might not be his fault. Why does everyone have to be totally miserable and Teddy's only bright thoughts those about his “idyllic” childhood with his self-centred mother and the servants? UGH I tell you, UGH.
HIGHLY recommend the audio book. The story is gorgeous and the audio narrator is so captivating. Loved Teddy's story even more than Ursula's. Atkinson can really spark magic in the mundane