Doomsday Book by Connie Willis Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Doomsday Book
Book Review: A Classic of Literature -- science fiction or mainstream
Summary: 5 Stars
FAIR WARNING: Connie Willis's writing -- and this book -- is for readers with more than five-minute/computer game/Zombie-novel-of-the-week attention span -- and readers who enjoy the sometimes humorous, sometimes frustrating but always moving situations that well-drawn characters get themselves into in the course of life. (By the way: the novel was written well _before_ the latest onslaught of technology brought us the annoying reality of a cellphone/ipod/computer game in nearly every sweaty hand on the planet; a lot of H.G. Well's novels, and Robert Heinlein's novels, were written before certain bits of technology was available. That doesn't make them any less readable -- one simply needs to be bright enough to understand that).
Gearing up for reading BLACKOUT (and then ALL CLEAR), and I just finished re-reading DOOMSDAY BOOK. As before, it held up to another go round. As with much of the best of Willis's writing, there are plenty of frustrating characters (like Gilchrist) whose stupidity sets up stumbling blocks along the way. In this case, it ensures that Kivrin (favorite student of Mr. Dunworthy) will be sent back in time when things are most definitely _not_ all clear. And although there is much sturm und drang (much worry) about whether Kivrin will be vulnerable to the plague and criminals and such, it is the usual failings of mankind (in the future) that put her and the project at risk (reviewers complaining of such a development show a clear lack of understanding when it comes to human nature -- just look around at the world today). And the nature of Kivrin's -- and future London's, as well as the rest of the world in 2054 -- delimma is _very_ timely!
What's more, Willis's depiction of medeival England not only makes the reader feel as if she or he has, indeed, been transported to that era...it reads like an encounter with an alien species (and if a modern-day human COULD travel back in time to that era, it would be just so: different languages, different manners of dress and behavior, etc., etc.).
Equal parts comedy (of the screwball type, replete with frustating situations caused by spot-on descriptions of human behavior) and drama, DOOMSDAY BOOK remains a classic.
Book Review: A Delightful Trip Back in Time
Summary: 5 Stars
The Doomsday Book is set in the future, when time travel is a frequent practice for scientific study. A daring young college student named Kivrin travels back in time to the period of the Black Plague. I was expecting this book to be about castles, kings, queens, maybe even a dragon or two, but not so. The activities of the Middle Age characters are very realistic, and extremely detailed. I felt as though I was really there, thanks to Connie Willis' excellent characterization, and easy-to-follow plot. I recommend this book to any sf fan, or anyone wanting to learn more about the Middle Ages.Book Review: A Dutch point of view
Summary: 5 Stars
I read this book for the first time on November 28 2000, the night my father died. I made my bed in his study, could not sleep, picked up Doomsday Book and kept on reading. Since then I read it once a year. It is one of the most beautiful and fulfilling books I know. From time to time I buy it as a present because I want to share this story with people I love.Book Review: A Fantastic Read
Summary: 5 Stars
Doomsday Book is my first Connie Willis book, but certainly not my last. I found it intelligent, meticulously researched and fun. It is rare to find good, well-written science fiction, despite this I keep trying. On this occasion I was very pleasantly surprised, although some might debate whether Connie Willis should be classified as strictly a " science fiction" writer. Certainly there are some science fiction elements, a semi-futuristic or alternate setting and time-travel, on the other hand this work is as much, or even more, a historical novel.
Dooms Day Book is more serious than "The Bellweather" or "To Say nothing of the Dog" (both very good by the way) , nevertheless, Ms Willis, always a keen observer of human (and animal) behavior, finds room for her sharp sense of humour, which by now is as much a trademark as her wonderful writing.
Book Review: A Favorite Book
Summary: 5 Stars
I was hesitant to read this book because something about a 14th century setting just did not appeal to me. I imagined medieval sword fights, castle sieges, lute-playing jesters (ha!), and such stuff I have little interest in. But it is not that at all. It is a beautiful and moving story of people loving and helping others despite their coming from cultures separated by hundreds of years. This is what I call "speculative fiction" as opposed to science fiction, where the science is minimized and used mainly to provide an unusual setting for a unique story about humanity. "Doomsday Book" made me laugh and made me cry, and it is one of my favorite works of fiction.