Kate Atkinson's Behind the Scenes at the Museum: A Reader's Guide

Continuum Contemporaries

by Emma Parker

This is an excellent guide to Kate Atkinson's debut novel. It features a biography of the author, a full-length analysis of the novel, and a great deal more. If you're studying this novel, reading it for your book club, or if you simply want to know more about it, you'll find this guide informative and helpful. Part of a new series of guides to contemporary novels. The aim of the series is to give readers accessible and informative introductions to some of the most popular, most acclaimed and most influential novels of recent years - from 'The Remains of the Day' to 'White Teeth'. A team of contemporary fiction scholars from both sides of the Atlantic has been assembled to provide a thorough and readable analysis of each of the novels in question.

104 pages, Paperback

First published July 4, 2002

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Dr Emma Parker, BA, PhD (Birmingham)
Senior Lecturer & Convenor of the MA in Modern Literature at University of Leicester

Reviews

[Mª Magdalena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very useful as a companion for Atkinson's Behind the Scenes at the Museum. The analysis is exhaustive and practical at the same time. It has helped me to clarify some blurred details from the novel, which is something that cannot always be said of some reader's guides that are too complex or theoretical.

[Zoe Jussel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating journey through time and space, both comical and poignant, with a scattering of utterly depressing incidents. From the time of conception as told through Ruby's voice, we travel along with her and her family both past and present, feeling at first this is such a simple tale, but with enormous complexities surrounding each individual. Another one of those books that takes some patience but well worth the effort. Although, I wasn't enthralled with another of her books I couldn't finish, this one makes me want to ferret out another.

[Masina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ashley , Ashley, Ashley ... we really have to have a talk about the books you choose for the bookclub read. I did not like the style of writing in this book. It was too easy to get distracted. There were also too many characters and substories to remember. It started to get interesting and tie in all together the final 4 chapters. It wasn't bad but definately not my favourite.

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

I both read and listened to this on CD's and both were enjoyable experiences, each with their own merit.

[Rebecca Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extraordinary! And her crime novels are exceptional, too. Think about this: Gillian Flynn aspires to write like Kate Atkinson.