My rating: 4 / 5
This unusual novel tells the story of Ursula Todd. Born in 1910, she dies and lives, over and over. Each time she dies, her life starts again, back in 1910. She avoids each previous death through coincidence, intuition, or sheer luck. Over time, the past starts to bleed through, and she is nearly conscious of the decisions and small changes she makes to influence her current timeline.
At times, it can be a very frustrating story, as parts are repeated to show what changes in the new timeline. Often, it can be confusing as to what part of Ursula’s life we are observing; Once she dies, it starts back at the beginning (1910), but other times during her childhood, teenage years, or when she’s older.
In the end, however, I did enjoy this novel. It was interesting to see how her memories of her “other” lives influenced her current life. She was driven at times to change herself, her life, the world. Other times, she fell into despair, after many failed attempts to change a certain event in the timeline of her life.
Coincidentally, this is partially set in Germany during the rise of the Nazi regime. Seems like I have read a lot of books set in this era lately.