Kate Atkinson is my favorite living author and Normal Rules Don’t Apply supplies page after page of literary delights. I absolutely love the blending of fairy tale, fantasy, apocalypse, feminism, mythology, realism, magical realism and humor found in this collection. Who knew an exclamation mark could be so funny? Thank you so much for this advanced digital read. I have pre-ordered the book in hardcover so I can add it to my complete set of Atkinson’s works and so that I can give it to my 10 year old daughter to read in a few years. I am now off to reread my copy of Atkinson’s other brilliant short story collection, Not the End of the World.

This novel, Normal Rules Don’t Apply , was my third Kate Atkinson book. It was an unusual ‘like’ for me since I usually don’t enjoy short stories. It’s a novel told in eleven loosely connected short stories. Normal Rules began with a fantasy story and continued to surprise me with a variety of genres. Her 2013 novel, Life After Life was a 4 star read for me but I have thought of it often over the years. I was confused in the beginning of this collection because I started without knowing anything about the structure. The recurring characters were mostly likeable but Franklin was my favorite. I stuck with it because I was eager to understand the variety of connecting elements. Take a chance on this one. I hope you are as pleased with it as I was.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and Bond Street Books for the eARC and the opportunity to review Normal Rules Don’t Apply by Kate Atkinson.
4 Stars- Pub. Date: September 12, 2023

I found this unusual collection of interconnected stories to be a mixed bag. Intrigued by some of the shorts, others confusing and not as keen on but cleverly written. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Kate Atkinson has written a creative interconnected book of short stories From the opening stories I was drawn in the characters the Void as you read it becomes more unusual more involving an amazing collection of short stories.# netgalley #doubledaybooks.

My dirty little secret is that I don’t like short stories. If I like the story it just irritates me to have it end so soon. But if I don’t like the story, I’m irritated too. It’s a sign of how much I love Kate Atkinson’s writing that I wanted to read this book despite its being a short story collection. And sure enough, this collection is full of her humor, wonderful dialog, and wild inventiveness.

Although the style of the stories are all over the map, they are all what-ifs in a way. What if every day a “void” descends and snuffs out the lives of everyone who is outdoors? What if a talking horse gives a man a racing tip? What if toys are real and have to suffer the vicissitudes of life with an emotionally volatile little girl? What if a fairy tale turns out to be true? What if God gets tired of creation and turns it all over to his sister, who’s always thought she’d do a much better job?

There are clever threads making connective tissue running through the stories. One is Franklin, who meets the talking horse, becomes involved with a bizarre family of women with a hidden agenda, meets the fairy-tale princess and, with her, sees a different version of his life and a different angle on some of the other stories.

An entertaining treat from Atkinson until her next long-form fiction comes along.

Not totally my idea of an enjoyable book. I tried but I couldn't get into the stories. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. I do appreciate it!

Billed as 11 loosely interconnected stories, Normal Rules Don’t Apply, is just plain bonkers. As in, what the h*** did I just read? The book is aptly named.
Atkinson touches on multiple genres - we have a fairy tale, an origin story and science fiction, woven into more normal stories of love, royalty, murder and mayhem. There are talking animals and the walking dead. It was completely unreal. I found myself often shaking my head when I would get to the end of a story.
I'm not a fan of short stories, yet I enjoyed this book. As I was expecting from Atkinson, the writing was superb. There’s lots of humor. There’s a wide variety of characters. Despite the brevity of most of these stories, the characters felt real even if the storylines did not.
My thanks to Netgalley and Doubleday for an advance copy of this book.

Eleven interconnected stories from Kate Atkinson, author of Shrines of Gaiety and Life After Life!

I LOVE interconnected stories. I love the threads that connect that the thinking and detecting needed to keep track of characters and themes no matter what each story throws at you. These, are simply brilliant.

Atkinson has the unique ability to jam a whole world into a very short story. There are big characters and strange and whimsical events, there are whole conversations of seemingly everyday discussion which will set the scene for a future story.

Nothing is what it seems and there may be a unicorn, a talking horse, puppies and Queens and princes. There are whole families of witches and ghosts of secretaries - it's absolutely stunning how everything comes together.

If you like short stories, amazing plots or just excited to read the great Kate Atkinson again, Normal Rules Don't Apply is for you!
.#Doubleday #Kateatkinson #NormalRulesDontApply

"Normal Rules Don't Apply" by Kate Atkinson is a captivating collection of interconnected stories that showcase the author's exceptional storytelling prowess. With her signature inventiveness, sharp observations, and emotional depth, Atkinson weaves together a series of tales that are both thought-provoking and thoroughly engaging.

The collection's strength lies in its ability to transport readers into a range of unique scenarios and perspectives, each with its own distinct voice and atmosphere. Atkinson's writing shines as she delves into the intricacies of human nature, bringing her characters to life with a remarkable blend of wit, wisdom, and empathy.

One of the most remarkable aspects of the collection is the way the stories are interconnected, subtly weaving together threads that create a tapestry of narratives. This adds a layer of complexity to the reading experience, inviting readers to make connections and draw parallels between the characters and situations presented.

Atkinson's skill at crafting engaging characters is evident throughout. From a queen who faces a challenging bargain to a secretary observing her past life and a man who places an unusual bet, the characters come to life with authenticity and depth. The emotional resonance of their experiences resonates with readers, drawing them into the heart of each story.

The stories' unpredictability keeps readers engaged, as Atkinson masterfully leads them through twists and turns that challenge expectations and leave room for thought-provoking reflections. The blend of the ordinary and the extraordinary adds an air of magic to the narratives, inviting readers to consider the mysteries and complexities of life.

"Normal Rules Don't Apply" is a feast for the imagination, offering a range of fully-formed worlds within its pages. Atkinson's writing is elegant and evocative, creating an immersive reading experience that lingers long after the book is closed. With its combination of inventive storytelling, vivid characters, and emotional depth, this collection is a testament to Kate Atkinson's remarkable talent as a storyteller.

"A dazzling collection of eleven interconnected stories from the bestselling, award-winning author of Shrines of Gaiety and Life After Life, with everything that readers love about her novels - the inventiveness, the verbal felicity, the sharp observations on human nature, and the deeply satisfying emotional wallop.

In this brilliant volume, nothing is quite as it seems. We meet a queen who makes a bargain she cannot keep; a secretary who watches over the life she has just left; a lost man who bets on a horse that may - or may not - have spoken to him. Everything that readers love about the novels of Kate Atkinson is here - the inventiveness, the verbal felicity, the sharp observations of human nature, and the deeply satisfying emotional wallop.

Witty and wise, with subtle connections between the stories, Normal Rules Don't Apply is a startling and funny feast for the imagination, stories with the depth and bite to create their own fully-formed worlds."

I'm hoping that in the short story format Kate Atkinson doesn't get bored of her characters and randomly ends the narrative like she did with Shrines of Gaiety...

I adored this. Very original. The 'void' was a great device, as was the recurring character of Franklin. The stories literally got into my dreams.

Thank you for this ARC.
First time I ever read a book where the stories are inter-connected, this is what peaked my interest. Some pieces had recurring characters which was fun and intriguing when connecting pieces. I definitely got the feels of the Bible, definite old style mystery of Holmes. This is a definite read for deep, inquisitive readers.
I just reviewed Normal Rules Don't Apply by Kate Atkinson. #NormalRulesDontApply #NetGalley

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for this Advanced Readers Copy of Normal Rules Don't Apply by Kate Atkinson!

Normal Rules Don’t Apply
By Kate Atkinson
Pub date: Sept 12, 2023
Doubleday
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
* short stories. * British fiction
Frankly , I was disappointed by this collection. If it weren’t Atkinson I would have put it down after the first story,
Not a hit for me. Looking forward to Kates next novel.
3 stars

I’m usually a great fan of atkinson’s but this dystopian collection that were inspired I imagine by Greek myths I found lacking.

Kate Atkinson at her best. Clearly this was written during the pandemic and reflects a state of mind we can all relate to. The stories are whimsical, surprising, and unexpectedly interconnected. Characters and settings reappear - pop up really - as in "oh yeah, that's from that other story." The writing is brisk and refreshing. Altogether a delightful read.

Kate Atkinson's new short story collection, Normal Rules Don't Apply, is an enjoyable blend of connected stories. The author turns her trademark wit, spectacular turn of phrase and shades of mystery to this collection of shorts that take a cataclysmic, dystopian turn at times but above all show the absurdity of human nature and the challenging moral compasses of many characters. As one ill-advising mother is described: "This was a woman who had spent her entire adult life living off other people's secrets and her own tawdry reputation." Through lines among the stories include a cast of characters working on a long-running television soap, Green Acres, described as a mix of violent and cozy, "as if the Sopranos had relocated to Bronte Country." And the playing of a novel video game called Classic Quest, aimed at the middle-aged female market, that takes players through the classic novels of Jane Austen. Many of the stories read as particularly black-humored fairy tales, giving the Brother's Grimm a run for their money, as people seek "enchanted" and wealthy partners in the hopes of improving their station in life, only to be brought down to reality or worse, time and again. A wry and delightful read.