From the Bookshelf of Around the World in 80 Books…
Find A Copy At
Group Discussions About This Book
No group discussions for this book yet.
What Members Thought
This unexpected science fiction novel (set in the Victorian period!) promised a lot of cleverness and humour at the beginning, but I do find 493 pages of bishop-bird-stump-hunting and discussions of incongruities a little trying on the less-than-completely-irreverent soul.
This was a case of over-hype, I thought. If I hadn't read such effusive reviews and if this hadn't won so many awards, I probably would have liked this book better. Unfortunately, Willis' style was a bit grating, and I found the plot itself to be overly kaleidoscopic and the book overly long. I suppose some were dazzled by her working in so much literary and Victorian trivia, but some of it just seemed gratuitous. There seems to be too much repetition. Too bad it wasn't pared down into something
...more
I hate time travel books, but will make an exception for this one. It was excellent
At first I wasn't so sure about this one. I loved her other Oxford Time Travel books, but this one just didn't grab me at first...but I should have been more trusting -- it was HILARIOUS and fascinating, one of those books I was scheming ways to read more ("Hmmm, if I get in the long line at the grocery store I could read more while I wait"). One of the rare books that made me literally laugh out loud.
...more
This was a pretty good book. I knew absolutely nothing about it when I first started reading, so at first I thought it was a bit odd, and almost gave up on it. Then I realized there was time-travel going on. Then it got interesting. Overall a very well thought out, complicated story. I really enjoyed it and I will be checking out more books by Connie Willis.
Apr 30, 2015
Nadine in NY Jones
marked it as to-read
One of "The 23 Best Sci Fi novels by women" http://best-sci-fi-books.com/23-best-...
(but should I read the first book first? is it a series?) ...more
(but should I read the first book first? is it a series?) ...more
A wonderful nod to the classic that thoroughly embraces the absurd. What's not to love about a put-upon bulldog and a goldfish-loving cat?
...more
Jun 14, 2009
Isabel
marked it as to-read
Aug 20, 2009
Vesra (When She Reads)
added it
Shelves:
fiction,
e-book,
series,
c-white,
author-w,
t,
mystery-thrillers,
science-fiction-fantasy,
pub-bantam,
time-travel
Mar 26, 2011
Kat (A Journey In Reading)
marked it as to-read
Jun 22, 2012
Lindsay
marked it as to-read
Jun 27, 2013
Claire Fun
marked it as to-read
Mar 17, 2014
Harvey
marked it as to-read
Jul 04, 2015
Scott Flicker
marked it as on-deck
