Reviews - Doomsday Book | The StoryGraph

You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.

2.16k reviews for:

Doomsday Book

Connie Willis

4.02 AVERAGE

jabitt1's review

4.25

adventurous slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

kelseyfleming's review against another edition

3.75

dark emotional sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

shogins's review against another edition

3.0

In an alternate future Oxford where history students do field work through time travel, Kivrin wants to go to the Middle Ages, which have always been off-limits due to danger. Finally, she gets her chance. Narrated alternately by her in the past and one of her professors in the future, dealing with a possible pandemic, this story accentuates the universality of the human experience, even through time.

cheryl6of8's review against another edition

4.0

This book languished on my shelf for quite some time because its size was intimidating and Willis' books, while quite good, are not quick reads. And the topic of disaster in the Middle Ages made me crawl through the book with apprehension. Of course, once I got more into it, I became attached to the characters and had to keep going. I found the parallels between Kivrin's plight and her faith in Mr. Dunworthy and Father Roche with his faith in God inspiring in some ways. And I have no doubt that Mrs. Gaddson is a direct descendant of Lady Imeyne. Or that Gilchrist is descended from Maisry as a result of her tryst with Gawyn. As always, the insights into human nature and how it persists, both for good and for ill, from generation to generation, are solid.

appalonia's review against another edition

3.0

The story was a little slow in the beginning, but gathered steam in the middle and ended well. At first I got a little tired of the older professor running around here and there trying to gather information and calling people on the phone who were unavailable. The parts set in the past were written better, and were more interesting. As many characters as there were in this book, they were all interesting and you cared what happened to them. I ended up enjoying this book a lot.

One specific thing bothered me. Badri kept insisting everything went well with the drop, and there was no significant slippage. I know he was ill, but he had a few lucid moments and still insisted these things. I was annoyed when he finally got better and was surprised the team had not pulled Kivrin out. He had many chances to tell them exactly what the problem was, but chose not to. This plot point was unnecessary, as Gilchrist could still have acted as an impediment to their retrieving Kivrin.

ssho's review against another edition

3.0

Slightly monotonous.

rachelp's review against another edition

5.0

Kivrin, a young historian, is sent back in time to the 1300's England during the Black Death.

I love books about time travel, so this was right up my alley. I loved the characters and had a hard time putting the book down, especially toward the end. I have to admit, some of the descriptions about the plague left me feeling a bit queasy, but I guess that's why my husband is the one in nursing school and not me!