Behind the Scenes at the MuseumBehind the Scenes at the Museum
Score Modern
What it's about
Ruby Lennox begins narrating at the moment she's conceived, in 1951, in the rooms above her parents' pet shop in York. She tells her own life, growing up with a bitter mother, a philandering father and two sisters, and, in 'footnotes', the stories of four generations of women in her family, as she slowly uncovers a secret at the heart of it.
Why it's worth reading
It won the Whitbread Book of the Year and was voted onto the BBC's Big Read. It was Kate Atkinson's first novel, funny and sad at once.
You'll love it if you liked
Life After Life
I Capture the Castle
The Stone DiariesGood to know
It jumps between eras, and there are several deaths, including children.
By the numbers
- Readers39 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller31 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #1233 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #2272 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
More by Kate Atkinson
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Quick answers
Is Behind the Scenes at the Museum worth reading?
Yes. It won the Whitbread Book of the Year and was voted onto the BBC's Big Read. It ranks #2,272 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 61.1 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Behind the Scenes at the Museum about?
Ruby Lennox begins narrating at the moment she's conceived, in 1951, in the rooms above her parents' pet shop in York. She tells her own life, growing up with a bitter mother, a philandering father and two sisters, and, in 'footnotes', the stories of four generations of women in her family, as she slowly uncovers a secret at the heart of it.
How long does it take to read Behind the Scenes at the Museum?
About 8 hours (338 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Behind the Scenes at the Museum?
If you liked it, try Life After Life by Kate Atkinson, I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith or The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields.