Rating: Summary: Merrily, Merrily, Merrily Review: Funny at times, but for the most part rather slow. Read ThreeMen in a Boat(Jerome K. Jerome)first, or instead of. END
Rating: Summary: Merrily, Merrily, Merrily Review: Funny at times, but for the most part rather slow. Read Three Men in a Boat(Jerome K. Jerome)first, or instead of.
Rating: Summary: Make sure you've got time Review: I love this book! I warn readers to make sure that they have the time to read this book, because it is extremely difficult to put down. Connie Willis is one of the best science fiction writers of our time. Her notion of how time travel works is fascinating and creative, and anyone who enjoys a good time travel paradox will enjoy some of the problems the characters pose. This is also an extremely entertaining book. Witty, well-written and engaging, it is definitely a must read.
Rating: Summary: Fun reading Review: This is an example of one of those books that is an absolutely delightful experience to read. Most of the time. For the vast majority of the book, the writing is clever and fun and it is a joy to just sit down and absorb, especially if you know something about Victorian times. The characters are fun, but retain reality, they are not all stereotypes (unless that, as is the case with many of them, is the point).Unfortunately, for most of the book the plot seems to drag along a little, while it seems pretty rushed at the end. Maybe that was the author's desired effect, I don't know. Also, several of the little mysteries I had figured out several hundred pages before Ned and Verity, while others I still didn't understand after the full explanations. Still, this book is a fantastically fun romp through Victorian england, chaos theory, time travel, a cadre of fascinating characters and situations (to say nothing of the dog, who debatably is the funniest character in the book.) Despite it's minor flaws, I really enjoyed this one and am looking forward to reading more of the author's work.
Rating: Summary: Amusing and Light Read Review: I read very few novels, but this was well worth the time away from heavier tomes. It is well written. The characters were believable and likeable. The storyline was mostly tightly woven. And it is not so much funny as lighthearted and amusing. If you are looking for a nice diversion for an evening or two, then this probably would fill the bill.
Rating: Summary: Amusing and Light Read Review: I read very few novels, but this was well worth the time away from heavier tombs. It is well written. The characters were believable and likeable. The storyline was mostly tightly woven. And it is not so much funny as lighthearted and amusing. If you are looking for a nice diversion for an evening or two, then this probably would fill the bill.
Rating: Summary: Wow! Review: Loved it! I just discovered Connie Willis and now I will have to read all her books. Every step of the way I enjoyed this book, and I was sad when it ended. That to me is a sign of a good book.
Rating: Summary: Mild wit and gentle story telling, tends to run long. Review: The classic, Three Men In A Boat (to say nothing of the dog) is the inspiration for this mildly funny book. The classic is better, being written in a past era, rather than about a past era. This book is a work of gentle wit and slow story telling, which seems to match the pace of a slow boat ride up a lazy river. At times the central love story seems contrived, and the time travel is not well plotted.... arbitrary jumping around instead of clever construction. I like the book, but it does not jump out and bite you. A good read for slow days.
Rating: Summary: Wonderful! Review: Connie Willis is an extraordinary storyteller. "To Say Nothing of the Dog" is certainly a work of science fiction, but the science fiction aspect is secondary; the characters, the events, and the situations move the tale along. This book is funny, delightful, interesting, and surprising all the way through. That it is science fiction should not stop you from discovering a lovely piece of storytelling.
Rating: Summary: There just isn't much to it. Review: It's strange that so many people praise this book for its wit and its humor: it has neither. Fans of this book would probably argue that the humor is very subtle, but it's better hidden than that. I couldn't find any of it. Mostly the book is just dull and might have been quite good as a short story but the middle chapters seem to just fill space. We get to meet a lot of interesting characters, at least characters which are interesting until the reader learns that Willis is going to force him to sit through pages of tedious dialogue with these characters about pretty much nothing.
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