- How do the different variables that occur on the day of Ursula's birth (the presence of the doctor, of her father, etc.) affect Ursula's entire life?
- What other variables affect Ursula's lives? Why does she sometimes try to change them during subsequent lives, and why does she sometimes leave them alone?
- Ursula is always trying to "fix" things by changing the course of her life based on her past lives' memories. Is it possible for her to ever have a perfect life?
- Consider this quote: "Most people muddled through events and only in retrospect realized their significance. The Fuhrer was different, he was consciously making history for the future. Only a true narcissist could do that" (24.114). Although that quote is about Hitler, could it also be applied to Ursula? She, too, is consciously making history, so is she a narcissist?
- Do the people in Ursula's life, especially her family, remain consistent, or do they change in the different versions of her life as well?
- Why does Ursula believe that there is nothing after death, even though she is reincarnated over and over again?
- What is the significance of Ursula's name? Ursula means "little bear" and her last name, Todd, means "fox." How is she a little bear and how is she a fox?
- Do you think the other people in her life are reincarnated as well, they just don't know about it?
- How do dogs factor prominently in Ursula's life? In one section ("The End of the Beginning"), the family decides to keep cats instead of dogs. Why do they make this decision and does that change things?
- Theoretically, this book could go on forever. Do you think Ursula will continue to be reincarnated even after the book ends? Why does Atkinson choose to end the book where she does?
- If you were reincarnated as yourself, at your birth, what would you do differently? What implications would your actions have on other people's lives?