Case Histories is the second Atkinson novel I have read. Having loved When Will There Be Good News, I had to see if they were all that good!
Admittedly, after reading through the first 3 “case histories”, I very nearly decided to take a pass on this novel. It was so depressing!
However, I decided to continue reading, and having done so, I now think I get the type of stories Atkinson writes. It seems many of her characters face all sorts of horrendous, heartbreaking situations, and through the course of the novel, they find a way to get past the tragedy and relearn how to embrace life. It’s also a mystery, much like WWTBGN, as each of the “case histories” are really unsolved mysteries.
Would I recommend this book? Yes, with the caveat that starts off pretty heavy handed with 3 sad “histories”. Would I read another Atkinson novel? Probably. But I think I may take a break for a bit…