Customer Reviews

Behind the Scenes at the Museum

5 star:		(52)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Ruby Lennox narrates her own life story from the moment of conception. She lives with her family above their pet store in York in the 50's. She reminisces about endless housework, weddings and funerals, and reveals long hidden family secrets. The narration is accompanied by many threads (footnotes) that run through four generations (great-grandmother, grandmother, uncles, aunts and cousins) and their struggles through the 19th century and the two World Wars that followed

This novel is extremely complex, very multi layered; you go back and forth through the years. You can see a character dying in one chapter only to reappear in the next one; it tends to be confusing at times. This book left me with a strange feeling and it really didn't suit my type of reading. On this I prefer leaving the readers to their individual preferences.

In this book, the fictional Ruby Lennox reflects on her childhood and her family - her bizarre parents and strange, self-absorbed sisters, and ofcourse the small (and large) events that punctuate their lives. I found this dysfunctional family, who didn't seem to want to be a family (but were forced to anyway), really fascinating.

Reading this book, it isn't until the end that you realise what Ruby finally realises: that the individuals in families don't have to get along, they don't have to like eachother, they don't even have to take the same paths in life. But they will always have shared experiences (even if they had no choice in the matter), and somehow this is an indelible bond.

The anecdotes in the book are relayed with genuine feeling - as another reader has said, "tragi-comical" in their subject matter. The characters are brilliantly portrayed - amusing, quirky, selfish people who somehow still manage to have a bond with eachother (though they scarcely realise it). And the reflection on the meaning of family is subtle, not sickening and obvious.

Put simply, this is a moving, and yet highly entertaining book. I would recommend it to anyone that wants more from fiction than a fast-paced, light read.

Kate Atkinson's first novel, Behind the Scenes at the Museum, is a book which every piece of "chick literature" should be written like. The novel is most likely intended for women, but dissimilar from other girlish tinsel, it is not inaccessible to men. Most female writers of the present seem to be under the impression that it is their duty, as women, to write about nothing more than shopping and romance--as if this were the sort of superficiality that were needed in literature and our culture--like it were scarce or something. Atkinson, however--and as the novel illustrates--is in touch with her femininity but doesn't often use it as a steel shield to hide behind or use it as an excuse to be silly. The book description [back cover, yes?] explains the overall idea of the novel better and more concisely than I can, so here it is: "Ruby Lennox begins narrating her own life at the moment of her conception, and from there takes the reader on a whirlwind tour of the twentieth century as seen through the eyes of a girl determined to learn more about her family and the secrets it keeps." Behind the Scenes at the Museum is quite enjoyable--it is well written, entertaining, emotional and "darkly comic," [to quote The Boston Globe's review], and based on a concept that is not extraordinarily original, but is executed in an interesting and creative enough way. The characters--stereotypical as they may be [the aloof father, the frazzled mother, the sexually-liberated teenage daughter, and a young girl who cannot be understood] are portrayed well and in far more gratifying ways than one would expect--that is, Atkinson is quite skilled at broaching everyday situations and familiar standards in fresh and heartening styles. The novel doesn't offer many insights into society or innovative character analyses, but that can be forgiven since it is composed well and is a pleasurable read. The writer, remarkably, never loses awareness of her story--that is, when the reader starts to become unresponsive or bored with a storyline, Atkinson introduces new aspects and surprises in the story promptly. Overall, Kate Atkinson's Behind the Scenes at the Museum is a comforting novel--a book to be read when lonely and in which one can easily immerse oneself.

When you see the title of this book, you immediately come to the conclusion that this book must be about a little girl who's family owns a museum.

This museum turns out to be just like the museum that YOUR OWN family owns.

Exhibits at the "Lennox family museum" include:
A. A pink, daisy-shaped, glass button
B. A lucky rabbit's foot
C. A George VI coronation teaspoon
D. A bright, artificial smile
E. Bunty's unbearably sad childhood
F. Rabbit-shaped clouds hanging in the sky like zepplins
G. "Mind your boots, Lily"
H. A plane in a death spin
I. Your sister says not to worry
J. The silver locket
K. Thinking about home

Strange exhibits for a museum, don't you think?

These "exhibits" are simply items and memories belonging to several generations of the Lennox family. Each "exhibit" carries with it a history and a memory that the casual onlooker cannot fathom. Some people, like Ruby Lennox, feel that "the past is what you leave behind in life". However, others, like Patricia Lennox, feel that "the past is what you take with you". You decide. Can you really understand the past by simply viewing an object or are most museums (the real type and the kind you might have in your home) full of objects that are unable to tell their stories without an all-knowing narrator?

This book follows the life of Ruby Lennox from conception onward: "I exist! I am conceived to the chimes of midnight on the mantelpiece in the room across the hall." From this intriguing beginning, the book draws you in. You immediately fall in love with Ruby, her flustered mother Bunty, and her quirky English family. Each chapter that takes place in the present generation of the Lennox family mentions an "exhibit" item from the "Lennox family museum." These are listed as footnotes. However, the footnote takes you to the next chapter where you learn a bit of Lennox family history surrounding the exhibit item. For example, the pink daisy-shaped button (the above Exhibit A) popped off of Alice Barker's dress only a few days before she "died giving birth" to Ruby's grandmother. It was later found and kept in a button box for years before Ruby's sister found it.

A lot of family secrets are bound up in the exhibits of the "Lennox family museum". One in particular deals with the death of Ruby's mysteriously unmentioned sister. Another deals with the father of an unmarried family member's child. Still another deals with the identity of the mysterious late-night phone caller that never says a word. Every family has its secrets and the author is careful not to give enough hints to give away the family secrets until the end of the book.

I simply loved this book. A fellow book-lover suggested that I read it. I was not disappointed. The characters were colorful and the author keeps up a certain level of suspense throughout the novel. I was surprised to learn that this is the author's first novel since it is written in such an original format. And it makes me wonder what "exhibits" belong to my own family's "museum".

Every now and then one comes across a book that is so brilliant that you want to recommend it to everyone you know. Behind the Scenes at the Museum is one of those books. I enjoyed every bit of it. It is witty, clever, and entertaining. It is one of those books that I couldn't put down, but wanted to make it last at the same time. The story starts at Ruby, the narrator's conception and takes us through her life into adult. It is very cleverly written to cover the life stories of four generations. It took some paging back to keep up with all the characters, but the journey was well worth the paging. It is a novel about ordinary people, about their ordinary life's and their ordinary flaws. Kate Atkinson earned a Whitbread Prize in 1995 for this fine first effort. I highly recommend this one.

I bought this book about 3  years ago, then let it sit on my bookshelf collecting dust. This year I have made an attempt to read as many "old" books as possible and decided finally to read Behind the Scenes at the Museum. I must say, I can't think of a better book to end 2002.

There are many things that make this book wonderful. The story, the style of the story, the exquisite writing...all of it is fantastic! It's not often you find an author's debut work worthy of awards, but Behind the Scenes at the Museum is definitely one of them. It is truly an astonishing piece of literature. Kate Atkinson's writing is finely honed, with clear, crisp words that flow like silk. This is the way I like my books!

The story is very addictive. If you are the type of reader that enjoys following a character from birth -- literally from the moment of conception -- until adulthood, then Behind the Scenes will please you immeasurably. But more than that, this novel also delves into the main character's history before she was born. We are privy to the lives of three generations of family and all their secrets and surprises.

I highly recommend this novel. Behind the Scenes at the Museum is just that -- a behind the scenes look into the life of Ruby Lennox and her family. A real slice-of-life novel complete with comedy, sadness, and some really awesome plot twists. A great engaging book and one that will stay with me for a long, long time.

Friends sharing books they love usually means you're in for a treat. Thanks, Anya! BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE MUSEUM is a total triumph of a book. Voted a Whitbread Book of the Year when published in 1995 this extraordinarily entertaining novel was the first novel by Kate Atkinson and she surely knows her stuff. Not only is the writing of the first caliber, but the technique of storytelling is invigorating and fun and warm and tragic and in short, about as fine a coming of age novel as anyone has written.

Ruby Lennox narrates this delectable tale of her life in a dysfunctional geneology from the point of her conception ( thoroughly entertaining view of life from within the uterus) through her childhood and young adulthood up to the age of 41. Atkinson divides her book into Chapters and Footnotes: the Chapters are the chronological tale of the wonderfully crazy Ruby and her sisters and bizarre mother and father and the Footnotes after each chapter explore the history of her English family for the past century. This affords the reader with a history and an interpretation of that history by wily little girl who is wise beyond her antics. Ruby knows there must be a Lost Property Cupboard (her theory of the afterlife) 'where (when we die) all things we have ever lost have been kept for us - every button, every tooth..library books, all the cats that never came back...tempers and patience...meaning and innocence..dreams we forgot on waking, nestling against the days lost to melancholy thoughts....' That is just a sample of the beauty of Atkinson's writing gifts.

The world finally focuses for Ruby but to tell how would alter the joy of discovery this wonderful little character. 'I'm in another country, the one called home. I am alive. I am a precious jewel. I am a drop of blood. I am Ruby Lennox.' This is some of the best writing you'll find. After you've spent a rewarding time reading it, share it with someone you love. Again, Thank you Anya!

Yes, our Book Discussion Group all loved and were amazed by this fascinating and clever novel.
However, there was debate about who was the Father of Lil's son, Edmond?
"For a while Nel feared the baby would be born with thick black hair". This would have indicated that Jack was the Father.
"but it seemed so much worse somehow when he turned out to have golden curls like an angel and eyes the colour of forget-me -nots" Did this mean that Albert, Lil's brother was the Father?
It was not until near the end that Lil suggested to her granddaughter-in-law that she name the child after Edmond's Father. The Baby was subsequently called Jack.
Some of our group are convinced that Jack was Edmond's Father.
Others are convinced that Albert was the Father because of Edmond's golden girls, not black hair.
We would all be grateful if someone could reply to this query with a definitive answer.
Looking forward to some more Kate Atkinson intrigue and literary pleasures

This is a book that I bought on the basis of the reviews I read. Actually, if it had not been for the great reviews,I probably would not have kept reading the book. I'm very glad I did.

It is the story of Ruby Lennox, from conception in 1952 through her 40th year. Through footnotes in the form of chapters she takes you back to the turn of the century and the lives of her maternal family. Her grat-grandmother, Alice, grandmother, Nell, mother, Bunty and herself. Then there are all the sisters, cousins, aunts uncles, father and so on. There is a lot of story here.

It is quite rewarding to read and funny, yet as the story moves on it is quite sad and disturbing. The author has a way of pulling you in to the life of Ruby Lennox. You won't be disappointed. Give this book a chance. It was great!!!!

The only complaint I have is that I wish there had been a family tree to refer to at the beginning of the book. It became confusing keeping track of everyone.

This first novel by British author Kate Atkinson received many favorable reviews with its debut in 1995 and won the Whitbread Book of the Year. It is a story of a young girl's conception, birth, life, decline and death written in an extraordinarily imaginative style. The central character, Ruby Lennox, is conceived in a careless drunken sweaty moment of need on her father's part and disgust on her mother's. Ruby floats around in the womb for nine months privy to her mother's innermost thoughts and observing her family-to-be. When she is eventually ejected into the world, in the rooms above the family-owned pet shop, her journey into an bizarre, often amusing, but ultimately tragic life begins. A difficult task, Atkinson maintains this balance between dark humor and tragedy well until the end when, unfortunately, the suffering takes over.