I don't want to go overboard here, but I think this may be one of the best novels I have ever read. Seriously. I just finished it last night and I am ready to read it again.
Kate Atkinson is the author, and she offers up an interesting premise: suppose someone keeps being reborn as themselves, over and over again, learning something new from each life? Such is the case with Ursula Todd, born on a snowy night in England in 1910. Through each successive life she learns how to live a little longer, a little better, a little differently, but without really realizing exactly what she's doing (although she has maybe more of those deja vu moments than the rest of us have). Some of her lives are mundane, some are tragic, some are even heroic, but they all build upon each other, culminating in a satisfying ending.
Aside from the nifty premise, Atkinson writes some really great characters, full of what I consider typically dry British humor. Ursula is witty and self-deprecating, and her family - particularly Aunt Izzie - are a varied and amusing group. I'm definitely going to check out some of Atkinson's other works.
Life After Life
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