I think Kate Atkinson is making me a bit schizophrenic. When I start one of her books, I want to do nothing else but read it. I relate wholly to the characters and get to know them like long time friends. But at the same time, I don't want to read too fast because then the book will be over and I'm not likely to find anything half as good to read next. Oh man, it is hard to deal with this paradox and dole out the chapters in a rational way. In this book Teddy Todd, (Ursula's brother - we met her in Life after life another FABULOUS book by Atkinson) lives his life. He is a bomber pilot in WWII and really the favorite in the family. Well loved by his parents, his aunt, his sisters, even the neighbors (he ends up marrying his childhood sweetheart). But the war and bombing makes it really hard to imagine what will happen after. Statistically, he has no future, he will not survive the war. And many don't. Atkinson somehow has a way of making you understand what it was like. The horror of it and the way you stop making plans because there is no point. But Teddy does survive. He ends up marrying his childhood sweet heart and having a daughter Viola...who has many "issues". Viola has two children and hers and their story is told here too. Fabulous work! I am still struck by how Atkinson can say SO MUCH with so few words. A true gift to the world of readers.
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