Ruby Lennox begins her story at the moment of her conception in 1951 in York, and narrates her family's history through her own eyes. She lives above her father's pet shop, The Pets' Parlour, with her mother Bunty, a stifled, bitter woman, and her sisters Patricia and Gillian. Kate Atkinson mixes Ruby's childhood with footnotes that tell of earlier generations of the family, who left traces of secrets about war and betrayal. Comedy and tragedy sit together, particularly in a final shock.
Readers who like family sagas with a witty narrator and a layered structure will enjoy it. It is a book about the stories families tell and the ones they hide.
Inward-looking and thought-provoking; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Mindful Reader. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 1995
- Language
- EN
