Shrines of Gaiety

A Novel

By: Kate Atkinson

Narrated by: Jason Watkins

Length: 15 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's summary

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The award-winning author of Life after Life transports us to a restless London in the wake of the Great War—a city bursting with money, glamour, and corruption—in this spellbinding tale of seduction and betrayal.

A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: WASHINGTON POST, TIME, THE GUARDIAN, BOOKLIST

"Set during Jazz Age London, in all its fizzy madness and desperation.... As dark as [Atkinson's] stories can get, within them always shines a beacon of humanity.”—Gillian Flynn, bestselling author of Dark Places

1926, and in a country still recovering from the Great War, London has become the focus for a delirious new nightlife. In the clubs of Soho, peers of the realm rub shoulders with starlets, foreign dignitaries with gangsters, and girls sell dances for a shilling a time.

The notorious queen of this glittering world is Nellie Coker, ruthless but also ambitious to advance her six children, including the enigmatic eldest, Niven, whose character has been forged in the crucible of the Somme. But success breeds enemies, and Nellie’s empire faces threats from without and within. For beneath the dazzle of Soho’s gaiety, there is a dark underbelly, a world in which it is all too easy to become lost.

With her unique Dickensian flair, Kate Atkinson gives us a window in a vanished world. Slyly funny, brilliantly observant, and ingeniously plotted, Shrines of Gaiety showcases the myriad talents that have made Atkinson one of the most lauded writers of our time.

©2022 Kate Atkinson (P)2022 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

A Best Book of the Year: The Guardian • BookBrowse • Slate

One of TIME Magazine’s Must-Read Books of the Year • A Top Ten Washington Post Best Books of the Year • A Kirkus Best Book of the Year

A Top Ten Washington Post’s Best Books of the year

"If Dickens had lived to write about The Jazz Age, he would have produced a novel much like Kate Atkinson’s Shrines of Gaiety. A sprawling and sparkling tale set in London in 1926...A smartly entertaining read that captures the excitement of Roaring 20s London."—Washington Post

"[Atkinson] takes on London in the 1920s, masterfully capturing both its shimmer and its seediness...It’s a deliciously fun, absorbing read."—Time

"Atkinson vividly conjures the post-Great War London of a century ago...Tangible warmth suffuses her storytelling...A cocktail of fizz and melancholy, generously poured."—The New York Times Book Review

A Different kind of Kate Atkinson Novel

Even with Jason Watkins’ entertaining narration, I struggled to take much interest in any of the many characters in this book. Ms. Atkinson never lets the reader get too close to the protagonists. Nelly, Frieda, Gwendolyn, Frobisher-they’re all frustratingly just out of emotional, psychological reach. I was left wanting more in depth character studies as in Ms. Atkinson’s many other novels. The settings were more forthcoming and outshone the plot and characters.

Magnificent

True Kate Atkinson beautifully drawn characters, compelling story. Riveting & charming along with murders & mystery. This writer’s style is compelling. Her stories leave the reader satisfied & surprised. The reader is perfectly matched to Atkinson’s characters.
I may wait a week or to & begin this book again.

Loved it all until the abrupt ending

Thoroughly enjoyed Atkinson’s new book, but wish we had more time with the characters, especially with Niven and Florence at the end!! I also wish Niven and Gwendolyn had a proper ending. The trademark Atkinson complex story telling, humor, wonderful characterizations are all there though.

5

5 * all around is pretty generous for me. Narrator was a good fit. Wonderfully nuanced characters. Good writing: “don’t do anything I wouldn’t do, leaving a narrow margin for …”.

Very enjoyable

I am always looking for Kate Atkinson's new books. This one was good, too. Maybe not as good as the Jackson Brody novels or Life After Life, but still very good. I love her style, her sentences are brilliant and her unique sense of humor is always a bonus.

Improves as you go

I truly loved this novel. The era is one I don’t read enough about. And I love it historical references. The characters, to me, were riveting. And the development of the story was well-paced.
Critics have complained about the ending. But for me, it matched much of that tone of the novel. I highly recommend.

Simply delightful

I thoroughly enjoyed this, the third of Kate Atkinson’s novels that I’ve read.
Dark, yet still lighter fare than Life after Life & A God in Ruins, both of which I’ve read twice.
Perhaps the lightness is because of the charm of the narrator. To know for sure, I’ll have to actually read it with my eyes someday in the future, which I look forward to.

Settle down for an enjoyable immersion

I chose this book after reading Atkinson’s Jackson Brodie series. Confession: first SAW it on PBS. Her quirky, dark-humored writing sets her apart and elevates the pleasure in the story. Jason Watkins matter-of-fact narration was the perfect accompaniment.

Disappointing ending

The story was a good one, but it seemed as if someone ran in and told Kate Atkinson she had 15 minutes to finish the story. Everything was abruptly wrapped up. Not at all satisfying.

A Wonderful Story Set in 1920s England

Thank you Kate Atkinson for a wonderful story set in 1920s England! I have read many of her previous books and this one ranks close to the top. I really liked the post war '20s setting and was not familiar with it before. The story centers around a family that runs nightclubs in London and their interaction with police and the local gangs and girls seeking fame. The characters are so well woven into the story and the narrator so perfect in his intonation and delivery that it was hard to 'put down' until I finished. Her descriptions are well written so you feel as if you know these people first hand. At the end there are some notes about the actual depictions from the era which are fascinating (like the baby party for the spoiled young adults). The best book I have read this year!