Behind the Scenes at the Museum

Kate Atkinson's stunning "trauma novel" 'Behind the Scenes at the Museum' probes the disturbed psyche of contemporary heroine Ruby Lennox, and expands backwards in time to create a dark family saga--narrated through the eyes of Ruby's female ancestors. While many contemporary authors experiment with the idea of deferral--choosing only to reveal the central trauma of a narrative in the final...more

Kate Atkinson's stunning "trauma novel" 'Behind the Scenes at the Museum' probes the disturbed psyche of contemporary heroine Ruby Lennox, and expands backwards in time to create a dark family saga--narrated through the eyes of Ruby's female ancestors. While many contemporary authors experiment with the idea of deferral--choosing only to reveal the central trauma of a narrative in the final chapters--Atkinson's prose avoids cliche through the temporal leaks, and other disturbing incidents, which haunt this novel. The experience is rather like reading with a blind spot, which is eventually revealed to be the narrator's own amnaesic block. Beautifully written and engaging, this novel provides both a social commentary on the changing fortunes of one family throughout modern history, and maintains a real human touch. I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone.   hide

Excellent book; written with humor and elegance.

It grew on me, but overall I wouldn't really recommend it. I can't put my finger on why I have a somewhat negative reaction, however.

This is a fantastically rich and unusual book that grabs you from the first line. Even more amazing that it is Atkinson's debut (and I think her later work is all of the same quality). It is primarily the story of Ruby and her family, but switches between her immediate family, and her ancestors, and I got more and more drawn in as the connections between the tales became clear. A fantastic...more

This is a fantastically rich and unusual book that grabs you from the first line. Even more amazing that it is Atkinson's debut (and I think her later work is all of the same quality). It is primarily the story of Ruby and her family, but switches between her immediate family, and her ancestors, and I got more and more drawn in as the connections between the tales became clear. A fantastic read!   hide

Poignant and at times heart-rbeaking, this is a skillfully penned first novel. Like all Atkinson's work it displays quirk and charm, turning what could be very bleak fare indeed into something bittersweet. The characters are intriguing, with oddball personalities and teh family skeletons well worth unearthing. My one complaint is that a family tree would have been a nice addition, as...more

Poignant and at times heart-rbeaking, this is a skillfully penned first novel. Like all Atkinson's work it displays quirk and charm, turning what could be very bleak fare indeed into something bittersweet. The characters are intriguing, with oddball personalities and teh family skeletons well worth unearthing. My one complaint is that a family tree would have been a nice addition, as the flashbacks got me somewhat disorientated on who was related how.   hide

Brilliant author - great story

I just could not enjoy this book.

I really enjoyed this book describing a family by looking at framed pictures of the members, very intriguing and twisted. I have read all the books by Kate Atkinson but this one is my favourite.

I bought this book on a 2 for 3 offer at a time when I had almost gone off novels written for adults to read. 'Behind the scenes at the museum' restored my faith in reading completely and I enjoyed anticipating the plot immensely. I have since read everything else I could find by Kate Atkinson, and in turn, I have branched out to compare her work with the output of other authors - most obviously...more

I bought this book on a 2 for 3 offer at a time when I had almost gone off novels written for adults to read. 'Behind the scenes at the museum' restored my faith in reading completely and I enjoyed anticipating the plot immensely. I have since read everything else I could find by Kate Atkinson, and in turn, I have branched out to compare her work with the output of other authors - most obviously comparing Ian Rankin's Inspector Rebus character with Atkinson's Jackson Brodie.   hide