Normal Rules Don't Apply: Stories

Some mornings, she woke and felt that she might be on the cusp of something great. Other mornings, she was simply hungover and in a stranger's bed.

Kate Atkinson has written a collection of short stories and it is a delightful romp with a decidedly fairy tale feel. A few stories feature fairy tales explicitly but most use elements sparingly; an occasional talking animal or fortune teller used in unexpected ways. While each story stands on its own, the characters often appear in other stories, or see their earlier narratives turned upside down in another. Atkinson is a talented writer who knows how to spin an intricate plot and to create complex characters. Here, the format of the short story frees her to unleash her imagination in wild show more and wonderful ways. This collection will please anyone who loves Kelly Link's short stories. show less

Interesting collection of interlinked short stories, set in a version of Yorkshire that almost works correctly, with the odd little glitch in which any living creature that happens to be outdoors is wiped out, talking horses give racing tips, an au pair girl turns out to be a princess on a fairy-tale quest, or an American film star seems to be trapped in the plot of an English romantic comedy. Perfectly normal, in other words. Good fun, and there are some lovely Atkinson lines along the way.

Franklin supposed if there was a Chekhovian teapot at the beginning of the scene, then it was bound to be deployed before the end, so he was hardly surprised when Connie hoisted the heavy teapot with her netball-honed arms and said, 'More tea, Vicar?'

Not what you’d expect if you’re familiar with this talented writer, the first of eleven stories introduces The Void, a daily worldwide massacre that kills off any (formerly) living creature out in the open air. It occurs for five minutes per day, and at five minutes later every day, and seems to be the method used to remake the world, by a god named Kitty. Other strange and occasionally connected stories feature Franklin, who works on a popular British soap opera called Green Acres, encounters a talking horse, and becomes engaged to a woman with murderous sisters; a collection of stuffed animals whose child dies; a popular movie star who falls in love with a prince; and a fairy tale that springs into real life. Some of the stories show more are bound together, some not, and each is either enchanted/enchanting as a standalone or as part of the larger themes, which are the fragility of life and the sinister power of fantasy. Best read twice. show less

4.5⭐

Normal Rules Don't Apply by Kate Atkinson is a remarkable collection of loosely connected short stories featuring a cast of interesting characters (enchanted and otherwise) combining elements of speculative fiction, surrealism, mystery, fantasy and folklore, humor, drama and much more. These stories revolve around themes ranging from dystopian, evolution and conservation of our planet and its resources, the human condition and life choices , accountability and consequences, family and motherhood, among others.

The collection begins with a story of an apocalyptic event that selectively affects humans and other living species (Void). A vicar’s daughter’s questions about and fairy tale about lost fairy queens and princesses might show more lead to some surprising revelations (Spellbound). A deceased woman reflects over her life , marriage and her previous assumptions of the afterlife much more while trying to recall how she met her end in Blithe Spirit. A middle-aged divorcee lamenting over missed chances and the growing distance with her adult children as she struggles to find a sense of purpose finds herself in an unexpected situation in Shine, Pamela! Shine! . The fate of a young girl’s toys hangs in the balance as the owner’s family experiences much upheaval in their lives in Existential: Marginalization. In Puppies and Rainbows, we meet a Hollywood movie star whose new romance with a high-profile individual might not be the solution to all her problems. An advertising professional’s divine responsibilities prove to be much more stressful than her day job in Gene-sis. More than one story revolves around Frank (Dogs in Jeopardy, The Indiscreet Charm: of the Bourgeoisie, Classic Quest 17 - Crime and Punishment) , a television producer, as he navigates his early struggles, career highs, his love life and some encounters with some very interesting characters, to say the least. Several threads from other stories intersect in the final story , What-If.

Witty and humorous, fantastical and chilling yet wise and thought-provoking, author Kate Atkinson’s sharp writing and masterful storytelling render this an immensely enjoyable read.
Given the nature of the overlap in the stories and the recurring characters whose arcs are stretched over more than one story, I am not rating each of the stories separately as I usually do. However, I will mention that my favorites in the collection were The Void, Spellbound, Classic Quest 17 - Crime and Punishment and What-If.

Finally, I love that cover!

Many thanks to Doubleday Books and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. show less

This is the way the world ends. Not with a bang but a chuckle.

Kate Atkinson’s first short story collection, Not the End of the World (2002), was a collection of interconnected tales. The title was ironic since the end of the world, or at least human civilization, is what they are about.

Two decades later, she returned to that theme with this set of eleven interconnected stories, yet a more light-hearted exploration of doomsday would be hard to imagine. They depict a world (or worlds) similar to ours, except that normal rules don’t apply.

My favorite story was the next-to-last, “Gene-sis,” in which the protagonist, Kitty, exhausts herself trying to create alternate worlds. Much like the author, Kate, or indeed any author, when you show more think about it. show less

i had a lot of fun with this. so many of these stories had individual merit even if the throughline wasn't as strong as it could be, and it very much felt like rod sterling was waiting at the end of each one saying "damn did you see that shit? that was crazy. anyways, i'm rod sterling" but like in a good way. there are certainly some standout chapters that were VERY good and i wanted more of. i would def pick up another book from miss atkinson in the future

Normal Rules Don’t Apply - Atkinson
Audio performance by Paterson Joseph
4 stars

Weird, very weird. It’s such a strange collection of strange little stories. The stories are linked, sort of, strangely. There was at least one recurring character, but he appears to have different life trajectories depending upon the story. The ending of several stories left me a bit outraged. After a number of pages of interesting buildup they ended abruptly while I wanted to shout, “Wait a minute! Is that it? Not fair!” At least two of the stories had a ‘gotcha!’ ending that made me laugh. I’ve always liked Atkinson’s characters even though they are often ineffectual, unsuccessful, and depressed. There are more characters like that in show more these stories along with a large helping of sardonic humor.

I enjoyed listening to Paterson Joseph. I also had a kindle copy of the book which allowed me to check if I’d actually heard the weird little stories correctly. This was the book that I was reading on Halloween. It was appropriately bizarre in keeping with the spirit of the holiday. show less