Doomsday Book

Locations
Call Number: Science Fiction / Willis, Connie, Adult Book / Fiction / Science Fiction / Classic / Willis, Connie
On Shelf At: Downtown Library, Westgate Branch

Location & Checkout Length	Call Number	Checkout Length	Item Status
Downtown 2nd Floor 4-week checkout	Science Fiction / Willis, Connie	4-week checkout	On Shelf
Westgate Adult Books 4-week checkout	Adult Book / Fiction / Science Fiction / Classic / Willis, Connie	4-week checkout	On Shelf

REVIEWS & SUMMARIES

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COMMUNITY REVIEWS

Solid writing, engaging submitted by clmcdl on July 10, 2010, 1:18pm A well-written tale of time travel. An aspiring historian travels back to 14th century England and learns all too well the ravages of disease. Entertaining and informative, with characters you'll care for and sufficiently engaging you'll want to finish it. Recommended for anyone recalcitrant on washing hands and personal hygiene.

A sad story submitted by Jen Chapin-Smith on August 21, 2012, 11:42am The story of a time-travelling historian who accidentally ends up in a medieval village overrun by the plague, this book is compelling but very sad. If you have a pet dog or love dogs, be forewarned that his book will upset you.

Excellent submitted by betsywil on August 11, 2013, 6:28pm The Doomsday Book is an excellent and haunting story, with strong characters and suspenseful story lines in both the 14th and 21st centuries. This is a good read.

Even got my (non-SF) book club to read it! submitted by Susan4Pax -prev. sueij- on August 14, 2013, 8:07pm Connie Willis is a great storyteller. She creates lifelike and interesting characters in a rich world that is different from ours, and yet familiar enough to feel like home. Especially on this second or third time through the novel, I can see that she dropped clues to various mysteries along the way. She weaves the two timelines together well, keeping both vibrant enough that I didn't mind being in either one. A fascinating look into the distant future and the distant past at the same time.

Slow build-up to a powerful punch submitted by hathaway1066 on July 20, 2015, 11:30am There is quite a bit of plot that revolves around people trying to be in touch with each other (or avoid each other) in ways that are obsolete now, given cell phones, the internet, and so on. Since the story is set in a not-to-distant future, that aspect undermines the story a bit--or at least gives it a somewhat quaint touch.

But in the (long-awaited) climax the punch of the story telling is powerful enough that an internet-free future fades as a consideration.

Worthwhile--definitely.

One of the Best submitted by Meginator on July 4, 2018, 3:24pm I’ve read this book several times and consider it among the best I’ve ever read, yet I can’t quite figure out what makes it work so effectively for me. Mixing historical medieval fiction, traditional time travel, and a modern global pandemic, the novel flawlessly hits its narrative and emotional beats, effortlessly weaving its stories of the past and present and suggesting, ever gently, that humanity has a shared emotional core across the centuries. Willis immediately and effortlessly invests readers in her characters and their stories, making this captivating doorstopper of a book read quickly despite its considerable depth. Doomsday Book absolutely deserves its exalted status; it is an exquisite work of fiction.

Couldn't put it down submitted by chowcy on July 1, 2023, 9:03am Many nights staying up past my bedtime because of this book! There is a feeling of suspense and tension, intrigue and mystery, chaos and confusion as you read. Sometimes the book seems repetitive or that the plot isn't really going anywhere, and yet it still kept me on my toes. The characters don't seem to make progress on their respective mysteries (spoiler: e.g. where is the drop? what happened to Kivrin?) throughout the book. It's like a story of cat and mouse, with both characters ALMOST finding out what they need and then the answer still slipping away. So riveting and such a fun read! Loved the setting and the time-travelling elements, will definitely be looking for other books in this series