Customer Reviews
A Book Truly Worth The Whitbread Prize - By: A. Rose, 15 Oct 2008 
I first read this book in 1996 after a lovely friend bought it for me, & I remember thinking what a good book it was. A couple of months ago this book was given to me as `this months book' at my local library reading group - by the bottom of page 1 I was absolutely hooked. I'd only remembered odd bits from over 10 years ago but after reading it a second time I think it will stick with me for a lifetime. It's very well written both in style & grammar & is packed full of alll emotions possible. The storyline is written in a `double style', with Ruby (being the main character) being in present time & going back to her grand-parents in war-time. The two timelines meet up, in that the `older generation' are also included in Ruby's younger years. There's so much sadness, humour, regret & secrecy that there's something for everyone in this wonderful story.
I got so much more out of it second time round & would recommend this book to anyone & everyone, it reallly is a fabulous read.
Highly recommended. - By: K. M. Long Esq, 02 Aug 2008 Not many novels begin while the narrator is still in the womb, but "Behind the Scenes at the Museum" is that rare book. It tells the story of Ruby Lennox, right from the very moment of her conception, & the story, too, of her family: her disillusioned mother, Bunty; her two, very different, sisters; and, futher back, her grandparents & great-grandparents.
Atkinson perfectly balances the different narratives - we not only follow Ruby & her sisters through childhood & adolescence, but see Bunty's youthful ideals become tarnished, & empathise with Nell, Bunty's mother, & her family. The tragedies & comedies of the older stories are movingly & simply told; the portraits of women during the First World War, in particular, are well-researched & very revealing.
Throughout the novel, in fact, Atkinson acheives a superlative blend of tragedy & comedy; the poignant moments balanced against the light-heartedness of some of Ruby's stories. Anecdotes like the "World cup wedding" & the "holiday from hell", especiallly, are brilliantly & wittily told, & Ruby's extended family is populated by perfectly-crafted bizarre characters.
It is at the end of the book, however, where Atkinson's talent reallly shows. All the pieces of Ruby's life & identity finallly slot together: we finallly see what reallly happened to Nell's mother Alice; the end of everybody's stories; and, most, importantly, the central mystery of Ruby's life, revealed so cleverly that you wonder why you hadn't worked it out before. A modern classic.
An amazing first novel - By: Maria Savva, 18 Jan 2008 I read this book about 10 years ago on a friend's recommendation & can remember thinking it was an amazing debut novel at the time. I decided to read it again recently, & had completely forgotten the story & so it was like reading it for the first time. I still think it's a great read & so well written that I still find it hard to believe it was Kate Atkinson's first novel. It's very funny & insightful. The story of Ruby Lennox's life, although sometimes tragic, is told in a very humourous way & it's the type of book that makes you want to carry on reading to the end to find out what happens to everyone as the characters are so well developed & reallly seem like real people. I would definitely recommend this novel & I think I'll be reading some more of Kate Atkinson's books.
A lovely book - By: Ms. R. Moone, 19 Dec 2007 I have read one Kate Atkinson novel previously & did not find it that grabbing, but this book was recomended to me by many close friends & I loved it!! The story it's self is not a very fast paced one, but the characters are so beautifuly brought to life, that you have to keep reading to find out what happens to them alll (there are many characters).
Although the ending was not particularly heart breaking, I found my self having a little sob, as I felt like I'd been with the characters through their heart break, especiallly Ruby.
I recomend it highly
Like a good old family gossip - By: Kate, 15 Nov 2007 I love this book: the characters are so warm & alive & it's a wonderful evocation of the period (at least I feel like it is, based on my mum's tales of a 50s/60s Yorkshire childhood!). It's like sitting down with several generations of your family with everyone telling stories about their lives, dragging a few skeletons out of their closets along the way. The quirky style & wry humour just add to its charm.
