A Rare Glimpse (Behind the Scenes at the Museum - Kate Atkinson)

Member Name: heatherrr13

Product:	Behind the Scenes at the Museum - Kate Atkinson
Date:	09/02/07 (254 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: great characters, wonderful storytelling

Disadvantages: at times the flow gets a bit lost

This is a bit of a peculiar review for me to write. I have given this review 4 stars out of 5, which is, I feel, a pretty good rating. However, for a while I did really struggle with reading this novel, as you can probably tell when I tell you that I started reading it back in September or October, and only just finished it yesterday, at the beginning of February. 4 months is an extremely long time to read a book, especially for me as I’ve developed a knack of whizzing through novels after recently completing a degree in English. All this would suggest a much lower rating for the novel than I have given it. However, while it is true that it took me a long time (3 months, to be more exact) to actually get into the novel and even care about the characters at all, there was a point when I finally got it.

‘Behind The Scenes At The Museum’ revolves around the life of Ruby Lennox, beginning at the moment she was born, and ending when she is a much older and wiser woman. However, this novel isn’t ordinary in the sense that it only focuses on the main protagonist. This is a novel not only about one person, but about her family around her, the people from her past and future that have shaped her and made her the person she is. The novel switches from Ruby’s life, to that of her ancestors; people she has never met, or never will meet, but who unwittingly impact upon Ruby in the way that previous generations always do. The detailing of past lives starts at the turn of the century with a family portrait, up until the novel catches up with itself. There extracts are written in the form of footnotes at the end of each chapter, and admittedly, these are what I struggled to first get to grips with. It throws the thread of the story somewhat, and at times means it is hard to keep track. This meant that I found it hard to relate to anyone character, as there were so many thrown into the mix.

As I have previously stated, it took me a long while to really get into the spirit of this novel, and I did trudge through the first half. However, once I did, I absolutely loved it. There was a point in the novel during one of the footnotes that really tugged at my heartstrings and even made my eyes cloud up. There is one character that throughout the novel does not reveal who the father of her baby is. It is not until her imminent death that she tells someone, and when, after her death, this is revealed, it is a beautifully poignant moment; yet so subtle and underplayed that you wouldn’t even know that it is such a big deal. There is another moment a few chapters on that also had such an impact on me. Ruby is talking for a while about what she would put in her bottom drawer, i.e. what ‘lost’ things she put aside to find in heaven. The moment when she finally realises what it is she has lost was such a strong moment for me I instantly fell in love with the whole book.

The last half of this novel is, for me, where it really shines. There are many really touching moments as Ruby comes to terms with herself and the people around her. I think that one thing for me that really made me identify with Ruby was the fact that Ruby comes from a family of girls, having sisters. I have a sister myself, so the family bonds were something that I could identify with. For me, this was an important aspect that contributed to my enjoyment of the novel, so I’m not sure whether someone without any siblings would get the same level of delight out of it that I did.

‘Behind The Scenes At The Museum’ was Kate Atkinson’s first novel, and won her the Whitbread prize for 1995. This alone should be enough to intrigue you to read it, as it is a great feat to be able to write such a strong debut.

I would wholeheartedly recommend this novel, it was definitely worth the slowness I found at the beginning.

Summary: heartwarming