Week 5, Assignment 3
Under the righthand "Coming Soon - Season Previews," I chose to look at Flavorpills 30 Most Anticipated Books of 2013. From this list, I picked Life After Life by Kate Atkinson, a book I was in fact already reading.
The extremely original plot of Life After Life, in which a woman repeatedly is born and dies, is what originally piqued my interest. In addition, the story is historical fiction, set in the same general period as the very popular Downton Abbey television series and also features the English upper class and their servants. Because I am a fan of that show, I found that aspect of the book appealing. I also loved the dark humor that was a prominent feature of the book.
The story begins in 1910 when Ursula Todd is born in a small English village. But the umbilical cord is wrapped around her neck and immediately, she dies, only to be reborn again and again. She dies  repeatedly in different ways, correcting her "mistakes" along the way as she gradually becomes aware of her situation. The picture of English life in the first half of the 19th century was beautifully rendered; the war scenes of London during the second World War were poignant and illuminating. I highly recommend this book.