I adored Life After Life, so I was a bit nervous when I heard Atkinson was publishing a companion novel. Can't possibly be as great, no way. WRONG!

Reading Life After Life isn't necessary (although I heartily recommend it because it truly is amazing) to fully immerse yourself in Teddy Todd's story. The narrative jumps between Teddy's boyhood, his time as a RAF bomber pilot, and his life after WWII, as well as switching between POVs (mainly Teddy's but also his wife's, his daughters, and his grand-children's). The jumps are seamless and meaningful and help fully reflect the underlying thread of the story, what it means to live a life.

Unlike Ursula, Teddy only gets the one. Is it the one who hoped for?