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Fiso book club - March 2014 - Life after life - discuss

A forum for discussion on the 'finer' things in life.

Vote for your nook choice.

Poll ended at 24 Feb 2014, 19:30

The Last Kingdom - Bernard Cornwell
3
21%
The Ragged-Trousered Philanthropists - Robert Tressell
2
14%
'Serious' - John McEnroe
2
14%
Shades of Grey - Jasper Fforde
1
7%
Life After Life - Kate Atkinson
6
43%
 
Total votes: 14

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Vid
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Re: Fiso book club - March 2014 - Life after life - discuss

Post by Vid »

My very first issue with the story came very, very early. First life, the doctor didn't make it, she died, second life something unknown changed and the doctor did make it and she survived.

We can only assume in all further lives (where not specifically mentioned) that the doctor made it every time and she survived, except for the final restart when the doctor didn't make it but her mother was this time prepared.

If this was to be about one person "reliving her life until she got it right" then the whole concept is lost to me in both the first couple of pages and reinforced in the very last, other people made different decisions, the same events had different outcomes - going to the dog during the bombing, first time she died, 2nd time she lived.

Some areas of the book had some compelling story telling and to me the author wanted to get 2/3/4 main mini-stories told which were done well for the most part but lacked enough material/ substance to expand them to stand alone stories.

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Re: Fiso book club - March 2014 - Life after life - discuss

Post by bspittles »

Surprised wrote:
Vid wrote:
Surprised wrote:The more I think about it the more I believe she did not kill Hitler. She seemed able to alter her own destiny (ie avoiding the rape by her brothers friend) but not alter the destiny of others. She pushed the nanny down the stairs to prevent her going to London but it did not prevent the nannys death
It did when she split the romance by telling tales about the bloke and another woman, he still died, she lived.
And she also saved Nancy didn't she?
Not in her final life. Ursula and Ben were "in the field" together, and stayed a little longer than expected. When they reached the road, the tramp with the limp had already attacked Nancy.

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Re: Fiso book club - March 2014 - Life after life - discuss

Post by Surprised »

bspittles wrote:
Surprised wrote:
Vid wrote:
Surprised wrote:The more I think about it the more I believe she did not kill Hitler. She seemed able to alter her own destiny (ie avoiding the rape by her brothers friend) but not alter the destiny of others. She pushed the nanny down the stairs to prevent her going to London but it did not prevent the nannys death
It did when she split the romance by telling tales about the bloke and another woman, he still died, she lived.
And she also saved Nancy didn't she?
Not in her final life. Ursula and Ben were "in the field" together, and stayed a little longer than expected. When they reached the road, the tramp with the limp had already attacked Nancy.
I thought they met her in the field and walked her home?

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Re: Fiso book club - March 2014 - Life after life - discuss

Post by Rob »

I have similar thoughts to those above. A slow start but enjoyed it as it progressed. Having said that, I'd be reluctant to recommend it as I think you'd either like it or lose interest and not finish it.

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Re: Fiso book club - March 2014

Post by golden bear »

Surprised wrote:The Ragged-Trousered Philanthropists - Robert Tressell

A bit politically socialist but it's one I've been meaning to read for a while.
Read it. Could have been written yesterday, absolutely brilliant.

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Re: Fiso book club - March 2014 - Life after life - discuss

Post by unc.si. »

Finished life after life on a particularly boring flight last week.

It's a bit shit tbh

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Re: Fiso book club - March 2014 - Life after life - discuss

Post by murf »

unc.si. wrote:life after life

It's a bit shit tbh
Agreed.

Spookily thought of this book the other day when buying the new Ben Elton paperback which has a similar basic premise (I think - not started it yet).

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Re: Fiso book club - March 2014 - Life after life - discuss

Post by jpk »

right, that's that one done then

what shall we do for the next 18 months :?:

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Re: Fiso book club - March 2014 - Life after life - discuss

Post by Rob »

jpk wrote:right, that's that one done then

what shall we do for the next 18 months :?:
:lol:

I have just finished The Count of Monte Cristo - an epic read.

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Re: Fiso book club - March 2014 - Life after life - discuss

Post by Knulpuk »

Madam - I never eat moscatel grapes is all I remember of it.

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Re: Fiso book club - March 2014 - Life after life - discuss

Post by Rob »

Knulpuk wrote:Madam - I never eat moscatel grapes is all I remember of it.
Undoubtedly a pivotal moment :wink:

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Re: Fiso book club - March 2014 - Life after life - discuss

Post by Surprised »

Rob wrote:
jpk wrote:right, that's that one done then

what shall we do for the next 18 months :?:
:lol:

I have just finished The Count of Monte Cristo - an epic read.
Brilliant book.
Try War and Peace which is another superb book but a bit long.

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Re: Fiso book club - March 2014 - Life after life - discuss

Post by Rob »

I've read Crime & Punishment, which was heavy going, and, although by a different author, that has put me off War and Peace for now.

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Re: Fiso book club - March 2014 - Life after life - discuss

Post by Vid »

How about the new Bond book? Or is that going to be to expensive?

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Re: Fiso book club - March 2014 - Life after life - discuss

Post by Rob »

Vid wrote:How about the new Bond book? Or is that going to be to expensive?
It's £12 on Amazon (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Trigger-Mortis- ... 1409159132)

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Re: Fiso book club - March 2014 - Life after life - discuss

Post by murf »

9.49 at Book Depository. Free delivery. Still too much.

I've read a couple of the recent bonds and they have been ok but I'll wait for the 3.49 paperback if I bother at all.

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Re: Fiso book club - March 2014 - Life after life - discuss

Post by Surprised »

I've never read a Bond book.

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Re: Fiso book club - March 2014 - Life after life - discuss

Post by unc.si. »

Rob wrote:I've read Crime & Punishment, which was heavy going, and, although by a different author, that has put me off War and Peace for now.
The problem with books like War and Peace and the Brothers Karamazov is the sheer number of characters, many of which have similar names and some have more than one name. You can't dip in and out or you lose track of what's going on.
I loved crime and punishment though.

How about something by Cormac McCarthy. Something like child of God or blood meridian should provoke a bit of discussion

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Re: Fiso book club - March 2014 - Life after life - discuss

Post by Knulpuk »

New Jack reacher is out tomorrow :D

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Re: Fiso book club - March 2014 - Life after life - discuss

Post by bspittles »

I enjoyed Life After Life and will read it again (once/if Jodi Taylor stops writing!)

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Re: Fiso book club - March 2014 - Life after life - discuss

Post by Surprised »

Knulpuk wrote:New Jack reacher is out tomorrow :D
I'm getting a bit bored with these now as they all seem to be the same.

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Re: Fiso book club - March 2014 - Please vote NOW

Post by buu1333 »

unc.si. wrote:Only £2.50 on kindle. Bargain basement.

Read page 1 so far.

First impressions were that the juxtaposition of the allegorical Platonic elements of rhetoric were aligned contemporaneously with the almost Sophistic dialectical prose, and perfectly enunciated the essential mephistophical conflict between the protagonist and their bête noir.

Nice tits as well.


This is hilarious, i had to Google nearly all the words and have been trying to say it aloud too.

In fact this whole thread is hilarious. Are we going to do another book

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Re: RE: Re: Fiso book club - March 2014 - Life after life - discuss

Post by murf »

murf wrote:
unc.si. wrote:life after life

It's a bit shit tbh
Agreed.

Spookily thought of this book the other day when buying the new Ben Elton paperback which has a similar basic premise (I think - not started it yet).
As this has been bumped....

I finally read the Ben Elton one (Time and Time Again) a couple of months ago. Was far, far better than Life After Life. "A good page turning adventure with a few twists and turns as that butterfly flaps it wings intentionally and unintentionally'.


8/10. Recommended.

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Re: Fiso book club - March 2014 - Life after life - discuss

Post by bspittles »

A four part adaptation of Life After Life starts on BBC tonight.

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Re: Fiso book club - March 2014 - Life after life - discuss

Post by murf »

bspittles wrote: 19 Apr 2022, 15:35 A four part adaptation of Life After Life starts on BBC tonight.
Saw the adverts and thought I'd probably read it but wasn't sure. Had actually forgotten about this thread but it was 8 years ago! That was another life ago for me.

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