Life After Life (novel)

Life After Life
Company type	Novel
Industry	Literature
Founded	2013
Founder	Kate Atkinson
Products	Fiction book

Life After Life is a 2013 novel authored by Kate Atkinson, marking the initial installment in a two-part series centered on the Todd family. Its follow-up, A God in Ruins, was released in 2015. The book garnered widespread critical praise.

Plot

This novel employs a distinctive narrative technique, repeatedly exploring various potential existences of Ursula Todd, who is born on 11 February 1910 into an affluent upper-middle-class household near Chalfont St Peter in Buckinghamshire. Across different scenarios, Ursula meets her end through diverse circumstances—such as being strangled by her umbilical cord, drowning, falling from a rooftop, or falling victim to the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic—until she ultimately survives.

One storyline reveals Ursula enduring trauma involving rape, pregnancy, an illegal abortion, and an abusive marriage culminating in her murder. In subsequent versions, she evades this destiny by standing up to her attacker. Drawing on memories from previous lives, Ursula also intervenes to stop the rape and killing of her neighbor Nancy, who later plays a significant role within Ursula’s family and features prominently in the sequel.

In later narratives, Ursula participates in World War II, working at the British War Office in London during the Blitz, where she experiences both peril and rescue. Another life depicts her marrying a German man in 1934 and surviving wartime Berlin amid Allied bombings.

Eventually, Ursula becomes conscious of her recurring lives through intense deja vu sensations and attempts to alter history by assassinating Adolf Hitler in 1930. Leveraging knowledge from her past lives, she befriends Eva Braun to gain proximity to Hitler armed with a loaded pistol but is immediately killed by Nazi guards.

The story leaves open whether these alternate existences are objective realities or subjective experiences. It remains unclear if Ursula’s attempt to kill Hitler changed historical events or merely resulted in a different outcome of the war. Her incarnation in 1967 reflects on these uncertainties without offering definitive answers.

Critical reaction

Alex Clark of The Guardian commended Life After Life for its vivid portrayal of domestic life and shifts within British society, highlighting the novel’s emotional resonance and inventive narrative style. Helen Brown from The Daily Telegraph regarded it as Atkinson’s finest work so far. The Independent emphasized the empathetic protagonist and underscored the book’s suggestion that World War II might have been avoidable.

Janet Maslin of The New York Times Book Review called it Atkinson’s "very best" novel, praising its deliberate complexity and compelling characters. Francine Prose lauded Atkinson’s ability to maintain clarity amidst narrative intricacy, emphasizing the book as an example of an author’s creative mastery.

Sam Sacks from The Wall Street Journal saw it as a strong candidate for the Man Booker Prize, appreciating its depiction of an English family spanning two world wars and its character development, although he felt the conclusion was somewhat hurried. He particularly admired the intense Blitz sequence.

Meg Wolitzer at NPR described it as a "major, serious yet playfully experimental novel," valuing its expansive storytelling that allows multiple possibilities for its protagonist.

Sam Jordison of The Guardian offered a mixed critique, praising Atkinson’s storytelling and attention to domestic detail but finding sections set outside Britain less convincing.

In 2019, Life After Life was ranked 20th on The Guardians list of the best books since 2000 for its emotional insight and authentic heroine. It also placed 20th on Pastes top 40 novels of the 2010s, noted for its thoughtful exploration of second chances amid turbulent times. Time included it among the decade’s top 10 fiction titles, highlighting its vivid wartime London backdrop and blend of poignancy with humor. Entertainment Weekly ranked it second for its distinctive premise and intimate wartime character studies. Additionally, it earned honorable mention on Literary Hub’s compilation of the decade’s best novels.

Awards and honours

The novel secured the 2013 Costa Book Award (Novel) and was shortlisted for several accolades including the 2013 Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction, Waterstones Book of the Year (2013), and the Walter Scott Prize (2014). It was recognized among The New York Times Book Reviews 10 Best Books of 2013, listed as a 2014 ALA Notable Book for Adults, featured in The Morning News Tournament of Books (Zombie Selection and Finalist 2014), nominated for the Goodreads Choice Awards (Historical Fiction 2013), longlisted for the Andrew Carnegie Medal (2014), and honored with The South Bank Show Annual Award for Literature (2014). In 2024, it was placed 51st on The New York Times list of the 100 greatest books of the 21st century.

Adaptation

In December 2020, the BBC commissioned a television adaptation of Atkinson's novel, planned as a four-part series. By April 2021, Thomasin McKenzie and Sian Clifford were confirmed to star in leading roles, supported by a cast including James McArdle, Jessica Brown Findlay, Jessica Hynes, Patsy Ferran, Harry Michell, Laurie Kynaston, Joshua Hill, and Maria Laird. The series made its debut on 19 April 2022.

Plot

Critical reaction

Awards and honours

Adaptation

See also