What is the author's style in Human Croquet by Kate Atkinson?

The plot progression of Human Croquet is non-linear. The narrative moves freely between the "current" setting, 1960, and both the past and the future. These shifts in time setting are easy to follow because the parts are usually titled "Present" or "Past". Exceptions to these titles include one section that has no title, one section titled "Future", and one section titled "Maybe".

The frequent departures from the principle setting of 1960 England are surprisingly non-disruptive. This might be attributed in part to the sections taking place outside of 1960 having different narrators than Isobel. Another reason could be the relevance those other sections have to the plot development of the 1960 narrative. For instance, the reader learns that Isobel and Charles desperately miss their mother, and then an entire section is dedicated to their early childhood while their mother was still present in their lives.

Even within the parts set in 1960 that Isobel narrates, departures from linear time are abundant. Isobel encounters what she calls "time warps," and she seems to relive the same day multiple times.