Abandonment [Paperback]

Kate Atkinson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2001

First play by the greatly admired novelist.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Atkinson is one of the UK's most popular, internationally acclaimed novelists. Behind the Scenes at the Museum was the 1995 Whitebread Book of the Year. Human Croquet, a number one bestseller, has been translated into 18 languages. Her latest novel is titled Emotionally Weird.

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Nick Hern Books; 1 edition (April 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1854596012
• ISBN-13: 978-1854596017
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #778,736 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Kate Atkinson lives in Edinburgh. Her first novel, Behind the Scenes at the Museum, was named Whitbread Book of the Year in the U.K. in 1995, and was followed by Human Croquet, Emotionally Weird, Not the End of the World, Case Histories and One Good Turn.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent play that tells two linked stories, September 22, 2002

By 

Michael J. Mazza - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Abandonment (Paperback)

"Abandonment," be Kate Atkinson, is a play that switches back and forth in time to tell two connected stories. The opening pages of the book note that the play was first performed at the Traverse Theater in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 2000; also noted is the fact that the author lives in Edinburgh.

The play opens with Elizabeth, a contemporary woman who works as a historian and lives in a converted Victorian mansion. The people in her life include her sister Kitty, a reporter; her widowed mother Ina; her best friend Susie, a lesbian who wants to have a baby with her partner; and Callum, a New Age-y fellow who's doing work on the house. These characters deal with both their current relationships as well as with issues from the past that continue to haunt them. Their story alternates with that of a troubled family that occupied the house in the 19th century.

I really didn't know what to expect when I started reading this play, but by the end I really loved it. It's a full-bodied blend of tragedy and comedy; the two stories are effectively linked. Although the story is at times a bit soap opera-ish, ultimately the play as a whole is quite moving and very satisfying.

Some of the play's themes include romantic love, sex, societal pressure, sisterhood, infidelity, and women's desire for motherhood. The dialogue is strong, and the characters really came to life for me as I read the play. I think this would be a good book both for classes in contemporary drama and women's studies; I also recommend it for independent reading.

4 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars exactly what I needed, January 30, 2010

By 

Margaret Arvidson "pegkd" (Alexandria, VA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Abandonment (Paperback)

Just a quick note -- not so much a review -- I purchased this because I'd been thinking of auditioning for a local production and wanted to have a copy of the script prior to the auditions. After reading the play, I found it to be a tad predictable, but definitely theater-worthy. I will be auditioning for the show next month. Thanks again for always over-delivering on time, breadth of content and value.