Brian Plunkett reviewed A god in ruins by Kate Atkinson
Review of 'A god in ruins' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
As much as I admired this book, I had some trouble getting through it. In thinking about why that happened, I found myself comparing it to Life After Life. For me, Life After Life was exhilarating – the idea that each little decision you make has the potential to change the course of your life … and maybe the course of history! I think A God In Ruins is equally brilliant (e.g., the scope of the story, the theme of imagination, and how it jumps around in time, though in a different way than Life After Life), but it was much harder for me to enjoy. With the relentless focus on mortality, it was often filling me with sadness. Also, regarding the post-war part of the story, as it's shown to us, it’s a close examination of a marriage, with each partner being a bit of a mystery to the …
As much as I admired this book, I had some trouble getting through it. In thinking about why that happened, I found myself comparing it to Life After Life. For me, Life After Life was exhilarating – the idea that each little decision you make has the potential to change the course of your life … and maybe the course of history! I think A God In Ruins is equally brilliant (e.g., the scope of the story, the theme of imagination, and how it jumps around in time, though in a different way than Life After Life), but it was much harder for me to enjoy. With the relentless focus on mortality, it was often filling me with sadness. Also, regarding the post-war part of the story, as it's shown to us, it’s a close examination of a marriage, with each partner being a bit of a mystery to the other. I think it’s a very observant and realistic look at relationships, for example depicting the sense of resentment people can develop over small slights – or perceived slights – even from the ones they love and care about most. Thought-provoking, perceptive and perfectly-written, but sometimes emotionally difficult to read (or maybe that’s just me
