Chicks On Lit discussion

I am still waiting for my Kindle copy but thought I would start a thread to get us started. I am excited that this book will be as great as the review it is getting.

Rebecca, me too. Can't wait to read it. Looking forward to being able to discuss it with you.

I think I will get mine on my kindle tomorrow. I pre-ordered it.

Are you all referring to this book by that title? Life After Life by Atkinson? I heard it was supposed to be very good.

Yes, this is the book Laura.

I don't know if I'll be able to join you, but I'll be getting the book soon from library holdlist. I have a couple I need to finish first.

People are saying they can't put this thing down!! She is a terrific author. Has anyone read her others? I've only read one, Case Histories , which I loved.

Would love to have you Laura.

Aw, thanks Rebecca! :D

This will be my first by her, though I have Case Histories, on my shelf.

Vicki, you might really like Case Histories. I really need to continue with that series.

DId everyone get there copy? I dont have page numbers just percentages. I am not sure how to break it into threads. Any ideas? Are other people reading other books? slow pace vs. faster?

I haven't checked my kindle yet, but I should have it. It is 529 pages, so 10% is a little over 50 pages. I don't know if that is doable for everyone.

I am doing one other buddy read right now of about 30 pages a day and going try for a group read too. So I am okay with a little slower at least at the beginning. I have a big grading deadline Friday.

I don't have my copy yet but it's tax season and so I may not have much time to read. Don't wait up for me, I just poked my nose in. If I can, I'll join you all, but please don't wait up.

Trudy how about you?

I have my copy! You know you're a hopeless book addict when you wait to see a preordered copy of a book arrive on your kindle at midnight.(LOL).
Anyway, you guys choose the start and pace. I'm ready.

That is funny, Trudy. hehe

First section is 25 pages. November 1930 -June 1940. We can increase if we want to at some point.

So are we trying to read a section a day?

I have no clue how to set it up.

Are we all reading on the kindle? Maybe 5% a day, it would be about 25 pages.

I don't know that I can do 50 right now. This way we could mention our percentage and current section to avoid spoilers.

Or each Monday, we could have 25 percent read?

I am also fine with reading at our own pace and just mentioning where we are at.

I just know that personally, I am reading quite a bit right now and you know life, work, and stuff that I would probably be reading slowly.

Sounds good to me, Vicki. We could read 25% or to the end of the chapter which contains 25%. We could always adjust along the way, if necessary, right?

Thank you Vicki this is good. I am glad for the help.

Okay, so for Monday, we read about 25 % (completing the section we are in) and we can discuss then.

Sound good??

First 10%

I have read the first 10%. I am not sure what I think yet. I think Sylvie might be bored in her marriage. She is so worried about who might see her breasts while she is feeding her baby. I am thinking she might run into trouble ahead that maybe she is as polite or as decent as we see her as now.

I am not quite that far but working on it. I am confused so far. Though interested.

Not sure how I feel about the story so far, but I love the writing. Some very interesting words.

I think Vicki this one may take some time to get into the storyline with. Looking forward to Mondays discussion.

I'm reading this right after tax season, so hopefully I'll be able to discuss it with you all still.

I was thinking it might be confusing also. Good to hear that her writing is still good! I've only read her first.

Yay. I am glad Laura. You can join anytime you can and you are welcomed. :)

Thank you. I'm looking forward to it. It seems more than a few people are confused at the beginning from what I've heard.

I am glad we are reading this together and I am not all alone with it.

There are a lot of characters and a lot of jumping time periods. I think it might be a little easier with the actual book, I am less inclined to go back with the kindle.

The writing is wonderful though, and I definitely want to keep going. I am glad I am not the only confused one.

Books like this are the reason I prefer paper books. Although the smell is a biggie too! lol.

Is it pretty much in the same time period, or does it leap around a lot?

It seems like 8 years. I have seen 1910, 1915 and 1918. Pre-war, during war, and post war.

Thanks, Vicki.

Vicki, I agree. I've been using my kindle's highlight and note features just to try to keep things straight. Oh yes, and my dictionary is getting a workout, too. LOL. "Talk" to you guys tomorrow evening.

Well, I'm on 26%, but I haven't picked up the story since Sunday, so I'm probably really lost. (LOL). Anyway, I was just thinking of how much Dr. Fellowes and Mrs. Glover are getting on my nerves. Terrible people! Why does Sylvie put up with them? Also, the food in this story sounds so gross to me. For example: "beef tea", "kidneys soaked in milk", "blood pudding". Does this bother anyone else? I did, however, get big chuckles from Dr.Fellowes when he talked about a woman smelling like onions, but then stated it "wasn't necessarily a bad thing".

I am not there yet Trudy. I had a workshop tonight. I hope to get caught up tomorrow.

I am on 26 % too. I am still trying to figure out who is alive and who is not. I re-read the book summary and I get that Ursula's path is uncertain, but didn't Teddy and Bridgid die or is this part of it?

I feel like I need to start ober.

Vicki I feel the same. Sorry I haven't been able to post. I need to go back to. I will tonight and try to piece together a timeline and summary.

Man, when I read this, I can see I will need to take notes! Everyone is saying that about this book. I love her writing though. I hope it will be worth all of the work! I suspect it will be.

Take your time, Rebecca. No need to feel rushed. We all own the book and we can take time. I think we need to anyway.


Yes, Laura, I would take notes, and I think having the book may help.

I have the library book, and I will have the audio book too, but it definitely sounds like something that may be easier to read than listen to. I like to have both, so I can listen when doing errands, etc. But this one looks like it'll take work!

I plan to start this right after tax season, on 4/16! I hope you guys are still reading it then, so I can pop in lol.

If we keep starting over, we might be... lol.

I thought the initial plan would be about 25 percent a week, so we would be about halfway by next week.

OK, cool.

I am going to go back through and take some notes too... but maybe you ladies have an idea about this... so the book starts with Ursula dying at birth and then living.. hence the premise of the book.

Are each of the stories we read in the future about the world in which she lived and another in which she died?? And maybe that is why I am confused.

Spoilers for up to 25%

(view spoiler)[I finished up between last night and this morning. I was looking at the character list on my Kindle copy and it only has Ursula and Hugh listed.
Vicki I think you are right. It says The main character Lives life again and again. These are her lives and her stories.

Any thoughts on Sylvie, Hugh or the children thus far?
It appears each time Ursula dies its a different way.

Characters: Dr Fellowes, Hugh, Isobel (Izzie), Mrs. Glover, Sylvie, Bridget, Sylvies father and mother are briefly mentioned.
Children:Maurice, Pamla, Ursula,Edward, later another baby.

people dead that we know of are Teddy, Sylvie's mother and father, he dies after a run accident, a gambler, with a portrait unfinished.Lottie Sylvie's mother spent time a sanatorium.

I was trying to track Ursulas deaths. 1. cord wrap. 2. drowning. The sentence changed in the one breathe, birds, darkness fell after sometime so I didnt know if she lived or died after a while.

Maurice - man of the house
Pamela bossy bur in a nice way.
Ursula the she bear

Any ideas about the fox popping up and who is seeing it?

The majority of time shifting in this section seems to be 1918 and 1910. I was really confused at the end of the section where Ursula is 13 but keeps stating she is 10 to Izzie.

At this point I have great concern for Sylvie. She quite likes the idea of Harems, seems to have some intimate thoughts about George and Mr. Winton. Her mother spent time in a sanatorium. She dislikes Izzie very much. Is there more to it than her giving her child up?

Does anyone else feel the same? How do you feel about her as a wife? mother?

Trudy, it does me too. It seems to be meat and bloody. I wonder if it showing class being that they are eating mostly meat.I dont think poor class had means or access back then. Curious to know why you think Glover and Fellowes are terrible? (hide spoiler)]

Unfortunately I left the book for several days. (I recently discovered "Call The Midwife" on PBS. So, I've been spending a lot of time watching old episodes. Love it!) Anyway, I feel as if I need to start the book over from the beginning. So, I will stop back in on the discussion when I catch up.

I'll be starting tomorrow, Trudy, so I'm glad I won't be alone! :)

Great Laura looking forward to it.