Kate Atkinson

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Xeney isn't the only Kate Atkinson reader here. I've read both Behind the Scenes at the Museum and Human Croquet. I thought that the first was good, and the second somewhat less so.

-- David Frazer (David.Frazer@dial.pipex.com), March 03, 2000

Answers

I agree! I really enjoyed Museum and recently purchased Croquet. I was disappointed and not just in comparison. I don't think she spent enough time on it--it's not as polished. I also didn't click with the characters.

-- Gabriel (gdrothrock@hotmail.com), March 09, 2000.

I recently re-read Behind the Scenes, and enjoyed it even knowing the "mystery". I found it on my friend's bookshelf, and realized that it had been her copy that I had read before, because stuck in the pages was the family tree I had drawn up the first time I'd read it. It was still hard to keep track of everybody through all the generations. The last few chapters bogged down for me, but I did like it. Obviously, enough to read it twice. I'll take your remarks into consideration, however, and skip Human Croquet.

-- Desiree (perfectc@teleport.com), March 10, 2000.

Kate Atkinson has a new novel out in Britain, called Emotionally Weird.

Amazon.com says lists it as `not yet published' in the US.

-- David Frazer (David.Frazer@dial.pipex.com), March 10, 2000.


That should read `Amazon.com lists it...'. Apologies.

-- David Frazer (David.Frazer@dial.pipex.com), March 10, 2000.

Oh, don't skip _Human Croquet_ because it isn't as polished as _Behind the Scenes at the Museum_!!! I agree with that statement, but not every book can be a masterpiece, yes? _Human Croquet_ has some similarities to _Museum_ with its fleshing out of family history and self-discovery for the main character, but I felt its storyline weaving was almost more compelling. I think the jacket description, "Part fairy tale, part mystery..." is a good one. Both books were hard to put down, and left me smiling and wanting more Kate Atkinson reading.

-- Kristine Kowalewski (misskristine@yahoo.com), March 13, 2000.


Hmmm - I did love both books, but in different ways. Behind the scenes was a gorgeous romp (that first line - "I exist!" - who could resist it?) but Human croquet I found quite compelling - especially the multiplicity towards the end.

I read an interview with Atkinson in last week's 'Scotsman' about her new book; she claims this is the last in her trilogy looking at family relationships, and is perhaps even bored of being a novelist. Make of that what you will - I'll still read it!

In the same mould, you might like to have a look at 'Crocodile Soup' by Julia Darling. Don't know if it's available in the US though...

-- bea (bea@diaryland.com), March 13, 2000.


I love this author, and have read her first two books several times. I found Human Croquet a little harder to get into, but I did enjoy it, and probably enjoyed it more the second time round. It was very sad.

I loved Behind the Scenes, and I cry every time I read the big revelation chapter.

Emotionally Weird is now out in hardback, and I'm saving buying it until I fly home for a week in June - 24 hours on a plane is a good excuse to not get it straight away!

-- Jackie (jackie_collins@flextech.co.uk), April 10, 2000.


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