Una y otra vez

I'm a big fan of Kate Atkinson novels. So I was keen to see the adaptation of Life After Life. In my opinion, cast and crew have done a great job. It's a very intricate novel and I was concerned it wouldn't work on screen.

I really enjoyed it and Thomasin McKenzie is a wonderful young actress.

What a pleasure it is to watch something that is intelligent and meaningful and beautifully written and brilliantly acted.

The story itself is a deep one. Philosophically and emotionally. It deals with life and death and loss and love and everything that makes up a single life. But for Ursula, a single life lived many many times

McKenzie Is an incredible actor. She brings so much depth to the character. She is an absolute joy to watch.

I have loved the book for some years - re-read it several times - so was a little nervous about the TV series. But it was perfect. Most of the scenes were almost exactly how I imagined them, and the characters too. Having the author, Kate Atkinson, involved obviously helped.

Yet my favourite scenes were ironically the ones where the series departed most from the book (which is not to say it was far), especially episode four, In many ways the TV series tied it all together better than the book did.

Even though I knew what was coming the series still packed emotional hit after hit, so I cannot imagine what someone who did not know it would make of it!

Life After Life: A cycle of life, death and rebirth from 1910 to the 1940s. Ursula sometimes dies at birth, at times a child, a teenager, an adult. Dies from accidents, suicide, murder, a bombing victim. In one instance she changes history by assassinating a tyrant. This is indeed a tale of the Multiverse traversed by one person, But a person who starts to remember past lives, how this affects their actions and their subsequent treatment is teased out in this adventurous and engaging series. Thomasinn MacKenzie is wonderful as the teen/adult Ursula. Directed by John Crowley, Screenplay by Bathsheba Doran, adapted from the novel by Kate Atkinson. Four episodes on BBC2 amd BBC iPlayer. 8/10.

Having just binge watched all four episodes, this was rather enjoyable. Sure its a little confusing, and it seems that some of the "lives" in the book have been omitted, but inclusion may have over complicated. I did think the narration was necessary and understated.

Overall, well acted (the Ursula character particularly) , well made, needs concentrations and occasional rewind to catch up on missed plot lines.

Certainly worth watching and better than a lot of the drama series currently being put out.