A God in Ruins (Todd Family #2)

Full disclosure: I am not a diehard Kate Atkinson fan. I\’ve read some of her past works and they just doesn\’t engage me like they do other readers. That said, I did like the setting and main character of this latest story. Teddy is a wonderful man, a hero in my mind, and someone I would love to sit and a chat with. He is almost the same age as my father, who also flew bombing raids (to Japan, not Europe) and I saw similarities in their behavior when they returned home from the war. If only the entire novel were about Teddy but instead, we are treated to a storyline involving Viola, the obnoxious and awful daughter of Teddy and his wife Nancy. She is thoroughly unlikable and I hated spending so much time in her company when I could have been spending it with Teddy instead. The story winds through many decades and ends in a satisfactory manner for most of the characters. But, it was a long road. The narrator, Alex Jennings, did a wonderful job of capturing the energy and voices of so many of the characters.

A completely compelling follow up/companion piece to Atkinson\’s Life After Life. I don\’t want to risk spoiling the story so I won\’t ramble on here. My only suggestion is to read both books in order and don\’t leave too long between the listens. I disagree with the publisher in that A God in Ruins, to me, is not a free standing novel–it absolutely needs Life After Life. Atkinson does not disappoint. A beautiful book. I loved it.

I have never in my life finished a book and then immediately started reading/listening to it again. But that is exactly what happened last week when I finished listening to \”A God in Ruins.\” I did not want to let go of these characters, and I wanted to go back and find any small thing I might have missed along the journey of this story. And I have to say, the writing and the story were just as compelling the second time around. My enjoyment was also hugely enhanced by Alex Jennings\’ perfect and invisible narration. This guy can read a book! There is so much in this book– an engaging multi-generational family story, war history and its aftermath, beautiful language and imagery, humor, love, tragedy, and horror– Kate Jackson has given us a stunner of a novel, and Alex Jennings\’ performance brings it all to life.

In all my recent historical inquiries, trying to piece together in my head the Century that birthed me, the tender inquisition of this novel is such loving surprise. This is one of those books about time and family and age and war and reprieve and forgiveness and ascension and growing old in all inglorious and beautiful ways that people do, or don\’t when they\’re shot out of the air like a lark lost to and of its song. This book is suffused of that certain light whose voice seems to be speaking just precisely to you.

One of the previous reviewers says that it\’s a depressing story if you\’re over 60. I spent the last hour of the book weeping, which was rather unfortunate because I was driving back to Santa Cruz from L.A. and it was kind of hard to keep my mind on the road. I\’m not sure that I\’d call it depressing — it\’s just a book that causes the reader to reflect on all sorts of things, and if you\’re over 60, it leads you to some serious contemplation. It\’s a wonderful book, and I found all of the characters to eventually be sympathetic, but Teddy is a great character and I\’ll probably listen to the book again just to spend some more time with him. The narrator is excellent. Highly recommended.

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