Doomsday Book

I'm a fool for good time travel novels, and just loved this book. A group of Oxford scholars are experimenting with time travel, and one lands by mistake in a small town in England during the Black Death. Watch for: 1. the parish priest 2. the reason the priest thinks the time traveler is St. Catherine, come to help them 3. how Willis writes 14th Century language There is a lot of...more

I'm a fool for good time travel novels, and just loved this book. A group of Oxford scholars are experimenting with time travel, and one lands by mistake in a small town in England during the Black Death. Watch for: 1. the parish priest 2. the reason the priest thinks the time traveler is St. Catherine, come to help them 3. how Willis writes 14th Century language There is a lot of tragedy, of course, but I found it very moving.   hide

Great book. Loved the time travel aspect as well as how the author brought to life The Black Plague in England. An excellent read.

If you like drama, this is your book. If you like history, especially that of the Middle Ages, the Black Plague, you have to read it.Few impacting both books like this. It offers two completely opposite views, from the Middle Ages fighting against the bubonic plague (with all the myths that this entails) and the "modern world" trying to travel to other venues.No matter is not a pure...more

If you like drama, this is your book. If you like history, especially that of the Middle Ages, the Black Plague, you have to read it.Few impacting both books like this. It offers two completely opposite views, from the Middle Ages fighting against the bubonic plague (with all the myths that this entails) and the "modern world" trying to travel to other venues.No matter is not a pure science fiction. It´s one of the best books I've read, and fed my passion about the plague for one year.Other recommendations on the author: The dreams of Lincoln, Not to mention the dog, Oveja Mansa, Tránsito ..   hide

Many of the reviews I read about this book called it a classic and I have to agree. This is one of those books you can't put down and when it does end your kind of sad because you have gotten so attached to the characters. While this book is classified as science fiction the "science" is only a prop to tell a very good adventure story. It has time travel, romance, mystery, adventure, and the...more

Many of the reviews I read about this book called it a classic and I have to agree. This is one of those books you can't put down and when it does end your kind of sad because you have gotten so attached to the characters. While this book is classified as science fiction the "science" is only a prop to tell a very good adventure story. It has time travel, romance, mystery, adventure, and the PLAGUE! What more could you ask for? I highly recommend this book and intend to read this author's other books.   hide

Good use of time travel to explore an unusual subject: epidemics! You don't have to be a public health specialist to appreciate the fast-moving plot put together by this excellent author. In the "present," Oxford battles a flu epidemic while in the past, an Oxford history student studies the Middle Ages, little suspecting that the mother of all epidemics is fast approaching...more

Good use of time travel to explore an unusual subject: epidemics! You don't have to be a public health specialist to appreciate the fast-moving plot put together by this excellent author. In the "present," Oxford battles a flu epidemic while in the past, an Oxford history student studies the Middle Ages, little suspecting that the mother of all epidemics is fast approaching her location. The reader must suspend disbelief on a few fronts (how DOES the translater gizmo in the student's brain make Middle English come out of her mouth when she is thinking in modern English? Does she look like a badly translated Japanese monster flick? If so, no one in the Middle Ages seems to notice . . .) But engaging characters and lots of humor make for a very quick and entertaining read, with a few history lessons thrown in for good measure.   hide

My favorite Connie Willis so far! Kivrin, a historian in the near future, wrangles her way into a time travel project to research the early 1300's in England. Things go awry when she is sent to the wrong decade -- the time of the Black Death. The mistake has implications on both sides of the time span. I loved the way Willis had her adjust to her new surroundings. The characters...more

My favorite Connie Willis so far! Kivrin, a historian in the near future, wrangles her way into a time travel project to research the early 1300's in England. Things go awry when she is sent to the wrong decade -- the time of the Black Death. The mistake has implications on both sides of the time span. I loved the way Willis had her adjust to her new surroundings. The characters were alive and the trans-temporal connections made this a great read.   hide

While Connie Willis is a Science Fiction author this book really isn't science fiction. It involves time travel but once the actual time travel has taken place it becomes a sort of historical fiction hybrid. I would give the book five stars based solely on the chapters written in the middle ages however the pieces involving characters in the near future aren't nearly as interesting. The ending is...more

While Connie Willis is a Science Fiction author this book really isn't science fiction. It involves time travel but once the actual time travel has taken place it becomes a sort of historical fiction hybrid. I would give the book five stars based solely on the chapters written in the middle ages however the pieces involving characters in the near future aren't nearly as interesting. The ending is brilliant, both sad and hopeful however I would have liked a little more resolution. All in all Doomsday Book is a really well written and interesting book with a powerful positive message. It does drag a little in the modern future chapters but the other chapters completely make up for it. A word of warning though, this book made me cry. Books never make me cry. It's sad.   hide

Choose your own superlative, but be ready not only to become totally engrossed and invested in the book and the characters, but also for a reading experience that runs the gamut from laughter to frustration to horror to grief. As Colin, one of my favourite characters, would say, "Apocalyptic!" Also highly hazardous to the intent to go to sleep early.

Doomsday Book is a superb blend of historical fiction, mystery, and reality, resulting in an extremely powerful and moving story. Connie Willis has the amazing knack of making the past feel so real and alive, while still keeping every uncomfortable or grotesque aspect of medieval life. She does not gloss-over or sugar-coat reality, nor does she keep the good people from harm. I love the sense...more

Doomsday Book is a superb blend of historical fiction, mystery, and reality, resulting in an extremely powerful and moving story. Connie Willis has the amazing knack of making the past feel so real and alive, while still keeping every uncomfortable or grotesque aspect of medieval life. She does not gloss-over or sugar-coat reality, nor does she keep the good people from harm. I love the sense of realness, which made me love the characters deeply, cry profusely, and stay up until 5:00 in the morning to finish the last 2/3 of the book. I can't explain how much emotion this book produces; it's absolutely amazing.   hide