60 million lives were lost in WWII. 60. Million. 60 million futures extinguished. Infinite possibilities for all of those lives gone.
Toward the beginning of “A God in Ruins,” the main character, Teddy, mourns a dead bird and thinks: “It was the generations of birds that would have come after it and now would never be born. All those beautiful songs that would never be sung. Later in his life he learned the word “exponential,” and later the word “fractal,” but for now it was a flock that grew larger and larger as it disappeared into a future that would never be.”
If you read Kate Atkinson’s Life after Life (which Atkinson describes as a companion piece to A God in Ruins), then you know that she can masterfully explore and play with the idea of infinite possibilities and the fragility of life. She revisits that idea, and the Todd family from “Life after Life,” in this novel in a unique and powerful way.
The lovable, charming brother of Ursula from “Life after Life,” Teddy Todd, is the focus of this novel. I love Teddy for many reasons, but number one is that he always has a dog by his side. Teddy is a member of the Royal Air Force during WWII – the novel flashes back and forth across the decades before, during, and after WWII. Each chapter is a different puzzle piece that demonstrates the unpredictability and speed of a human life. More than anything, the exciting thing about this book is not what happens, it is HOW the story is told.
There is so much in this book – look for things like…Powerful imagery throughout the novel (watch for all the birds!). Playful references to the structure of “Life after Life” over and over (“It felt as if he had lived many lifetimes”). Time and the inevitable march towards old age, death, decay. The idea of infinity and parallel universes (“And now. This moment. This moment was infinite. He was part of the infinite. The tree and the rock and the water. The rising of the sun and the running of the deer. Now“.)
WWII shapes Teddy’s life, as well as the lives of his future family members. It is the uncontrollable force that creates his future, as well as the futures of millions and millions of others. We are all at the mercy of circumstances beyond our control.
The end. Wow, the end of “A God in Ruins”… It will leave your head spinning.
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AFTER you read the book listen to both of these interviews with Kate Atkinson here
This American Life podcast should be required listening for everyone
Liz Gilbert is coming to San Diego for a talk! Can’t wait!
My yoga teacher reminded me of this awesome TED talk on vulnerability
My Big Red Glasses 