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tmccool86's reviews
282 reviews
Crosstalk by Connie Willis
4.0
In Crosstalk, Briddey Flannigan gets more than she signed up for when she and her (soon-to-be) Fiance decide to get an EED done. In the near future world of Crosstalk, an EED is a simple outpatient procedure that increases the emotional connection between a couple. Briddey knows it's a perfectly safe procedure that is the best thing a couple can do for their relationship. Her co-worker, CB disagrees, warning that there is too much connection in the world already. That's obviously ridiculous, so Briddey ignores him and goes through with it.
So, when she wakes up from the procedure and doesn't emotionally connect with her fiance, that is one thing. But it is a whole different thing when she connects with CB, not just emotionally. She has full on telepathy with him. And it is, in fact, more connection than she wanted.
In many ways, Crosstalk is Connie Willis at her best. The futuristic elements of the story take a backseat to the humor and the relationships. And Crosstalk is very funny and has some very good relationships. It's a comedy of errors where the characters can talk in so many different ways, and still manage to not say what the mean until the very end. Willis shows us that more communication doesn't always mean better communication, and she does it with a lighthearted romp in the near future. It's a delight to read.
The only critique I have is with the main character. While she is likeable and relatable, she spends most of the book needing to be rescued by CB. At first, it makes sense because she is dealing with new, overwhelming experiences. But, at the end, when she tries to save the day, she actually just makes things worse and the other characters have to fix it for her. She never gets a moment of strength or victory. Not all main characters have to be victorious of course, but Briddey is portrayed as a smart and capable woman, but we never actually see her succeed.
So, when she wakes up from the procedure and doesn't emotionally connect with her fiance, that is one thing. But it is a whole different thing when she connects with CB, not just emotionally. She has full on telepathy with him. And it is, in fact, more connection than she wanted.
In many ways, Crosstalk is Connie Willis at her best. The futuristic elements of the story take a backseat to the humor and the relationships. And Crosstalk is very funny and has some very good relationships. It's a comedy of errors where the characters can talk in so many different ways, and still manage to not say what the mean until the very end. Willis shows us that more communication doesn't always mean better communication, and she does it with a lighthearted romp in the near future. It's a delight to read.
The only critique I have is with the main character. While she is likeable and relatable, she spends most of the book needing to be rescued by CB. At first, it makes sense because she is dealing with new, overwhelming experiences. But, at the end, when she tries to save the day, she actually just makes things worse and the other characters have to fix it for her. She never gets a moment of strength or victory. Not all main characters have to be victorious of course, but Briddey is portrayed as a smart and capable woman, but we never actually see her succeed.