Here at RPS, we’re sick and tired of so-called “reviews” that allow the personal taste of the reviewer to influence the content of the critique. Subjective influences have for too long created reviews useless to anyone but the self-entitled ego-maniac writing, and we’re not going to endorse this any more. We begin this by reviewing the new book by Kate Atkinson, A God In Ruins.

A God In Ruins is a novel by the author Kate Atkinson, following on from a previous novel by the same author entitled Life After Life.

The book is 24 cm high and 16.2 cm wide. Across the main surface appears a predominantly brown background, depicting wooden boards. Upon them lies or hangs a rabbit, that is possibly dead, but could also be alive. Above the rabbit appear the words:

“Author of Life After Life

KATE

ATKINSON

A GOD IN RUINS”

The first and last lines are in white, while the author’s name is in red.

The book is 3.5 cm thick, consisting of 400 pages of paper. While early examples of these pages contain introductory material such as copyright information and dedications, by page 9 the main book content begins in the form of the first chapter. The book continues on in a similar fashion, although at times does make changes in the font and the typesetting used. By the end of the novel, pages are dedicated to listing the sources used for the creation of the book, and a short biography of the author. On the back cover, also measuring 24 cm by 16.2 cm, is a short précis of the subject of the book, followed by excerpts from reviews of the author’s previous novel, Life After Life. (It is worth noting that these quotes are extremely subjective in nature, some even using personal pronouns. We have no determined feeling about this.)

The fonts used are mostly standard, while short spaces are used to suggest breaks in scenes rather than sub-chapter numerals or asterisks. We had no noticeable difficulties reading the words on the pages. The pages turned relatively easily, although pages 277 and 299 leafed simultaneously, leading to some confusion regarding the coherence of the plot.

The book’s ISBN number is 978-0385618700, and is published by Doubleday. It was released on the 7th May. It has an RRP of £20.

Disclosure: the author of this review has had a number of friendly conversations with the gentleman running the bookshop from which it was purchased.