BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE MUSEUM, by Kate Atkinson

You know how it is when you finish a book and you just want to exhale and let your heart slow down to its normal rhythm? This is that kind of book. It's a must-read for anyone who adores seethingly complex stories of multi-generational, totally dysfunctional families as told by a member, in this case young Ruby (very young, actually: she begins the narrative the instant she is conceived, which ought to give you an idea of how very off-beat and quirky this novel is). Set in York, England beginning in the early 1900s and careening through nearly the entire century, the story focuses (more or less) on the daughters of Bunty and George Lennox as well as the women who come before. Funny, tragic, candid, hilarious, heart-breaking...this is a marvelous emotional roller-coaster of a book. A 5. Perfect for a book group.

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