Life After Life

Discuss the narrative device of the book—Ursula’s repeating lives—and the unconventional dramatic structure Atkinson employs. What does this structure allow in terms of foreshadowing and narrative suspense? What is the significance of the specific sequence of lives and events, and what does the novel accomplish by concluding where it does?

Discuss the book’s competing philosophies about fate, the course of history, and the meaning of life. Do you see different characters exhibiting different philosophies? Which philosophy does Ursula adhere to? Does she change her opinion during the novel as she comes to understand her unique circumstance?

Discuss whether and how Ursula grows as a character. What does she learn from her previous lives and her attempts to change events? You may discuss whether other characters grow or change during the novel as well.