Rating: 
Summary: A wonderful, haunting book
Review: This is a wonderful book. The historical detail is fascinating and as for the genre debate, I can think of other SF-shelved books that, similarly, don't have a lot of technology in them. I read if for the first time several years ago, and remains in my "top 20" list. I also enjoy more high-tech SF such as Red Mars and Fire Upon the Deep that have been mentioned in conjunction with this book.
Rating:
Summary: The Plague Comes Alive!
Review: It seems to me, the vast majority of the complaints given by the 1-3 star raters have to deal with the fact that they were expecting robots, and unrealistic technology-magic. It almost makes me ashamed to read scifi. Anyway, "The Doomsday Book" is endowed with a gripping story, lovable characters, with a deeply moving culmunation of plot. Kirvin's narrative brings fully alive the horror and fear surrounding the black death as many historicals I've read have not. The storyline in the future is, I admit, not nearly so interesting. Read it if you like a good book. Skip it if you want the usual spotty sci-fi narrative.
Rating:
Summary: The most emotionally powerful sci-fi novel I have read!
Review: First, many of the reviews below contain spoilers. If you haven't read the book but might, be forewarned! Now for my FAQ, minus the spoilers.Q. Is it really sci-fi? A. Any work that is based on speculative science is science fiction. Technology that doesn't exist today (and likely never will) is integral to the plot. It's sci-fi! Q. Were the voters wrong who gave this book a Nebula and Hugo award? A. Of course not! For my money, this is the greatest work in the genre. I wasn't surprised by the Nebula. However, I was by the Hugo. I didn't expect a "low tech" book like this one to be so well received. Q. Will you need a box of tissues next to you when you read it? A. Well, I did. It is without any doubt the most emotionally powerful book in this genre and ranks 2nd on my all time list for most tears shed. Emotionally sensitive readers be forewarned! Q. Is this one of the more impressively well researched novels that I have ever read? A. For my money, yes. Ms. Willis's five years of work in the libraries have paid off completely! Q. Is this a book that would appeal to those who normally don't like sci-fi? A. Absolutely, yes! I would recommend this book to almost everyone. Q. What about all these people who hate this book? A. Well, they have a right to their opinion. However, I strongly disagree with them and am somewhat baffled why they dislike this book so much. I can possibly understand one person I know who "hated" it because it was so incredibly painful for him to read. I will warn you that portions of this book are very tragic. If you can't tolerate tragedy, don't read this book. Q. How many times did I have to put this book down because I was so emotionally moved I needed some time to recover before continuing? A. OK, I don't remember exactly, but I think it was four or five times. Q. Am I a sci-fi "nut" who gives five star reviews to nearly everything he reads? A. Absolutely, no! I am a very critical reader who hasn't fo! und much sci-fi that I have truly liked. Many of the "classics" in the genre that have brought rave reviews I don't particularly care for. Q. OK, do you like this book because it's "low tech"? A. No, it liked it because it's a great book. I have thoroughly enjoyed some well written "hi tech" books, like "Red Mars". Q. Should YOU read this book? A. Definitely, I give it my highest recommendation!
Rating: 
Summary: Very good novel, but not SF!
Review: Enjoyed this work for the subtle, mostly unnoticeable way in which Willis conveyed her strong themes while apparently just telling a simple story. Almost all her artifice is hidden. In those respects, and in the universality of its messages, "Doomsday" reminds me of Tolkien's work--in particular, of The Lord of the Rings. Like the "Rings", "Doomsday" moves slowly but inevitably to build emotional impact. It is not as powerful as the "Rings", but that is perhaps due to its much shorter length. Willis makes us think and feel deeply about the human experience: impetuous youth vs. cautious old age, selfishness vs. altruism in all their many aspects, science/knowledge vs. ignorance. I've read most of the (73!) customer reviews on this site, and they seem to either miss what Willis is going for, or at least not spell it out for the rest of us. I suggest prospective readers pay more attention to the professional instead of the amateur reviews (for this book, at least!) It remains a mystery to me, however, why this book is deemed SF. I suppose that if a predominantly genre writer publishes any work, the industry automatically assigns it to her genre. For me, at least, this novel does not meet the SF test--i.e., that it must be primarily speculative fiction. If I had to place it in any genre, I would call it historical fiction. The simple plot device that allows Willis to work in two time periods more closely resembles "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court" or "The French Lieutenant's Woman" than any work in the SF field. Readers who are expecting or who exclusively enjoy SF are likely to be disappointed. Readers who enjoy a good novel of any kind should find their reading time rewarded.
Rating: 
Summary: Astonishingly miserable SF
Review: I suppose you might enjoy this book if you like the array of literature you can find in any airport. Poor characterization, lack of any surprises, cliched use of time-travel tech. Read it if you must, but then use this novel as a stepping stone to move into real works of Science Fiction.
Rating:
Summary: Some people actually wrote NEGATIVE reviews of this book?
Review: I had recently read Connie Willis' "To Say Nothing of the Dog," which I quite enjoyed ... so I decided to read some of her other books. I am glad I did, as "Doomsday Book" is one of the best books I have read in a long time. I grew so attached to all the fascinating characters in this tragic story that the tears were pouring out of my eyes by the end. It was completely unlike the lighthearted mystery of "To Say Nothing ..." but it was just as compelling. Definitely the sort of book I would want to read over and over and over. Now, if you'll excuse me, I am going to go order it (the copy I have sitting on the desk in front of me was checked out from the library and, tragically, must be returned in a few weeks).
Rating:
Summary: This is the best book I have ever read.....
Review: This is the best book I've ever read, but then I'm biased. I love Connie Willis' work. Still, it amazes me how Connie Willis has managed to write such a beautiful, haunting and touching novel. Beyond that, it is believable, enjoyable and heartbreaking. One that stays in the mind and heart forever. I loved this book so much I am constructing a web page devoted solely to worshipping it! If you're interested, the URL will be posted on AltaVista ASAP. Email me for more info.
Rating:
Summary: The awards were *well-deserved*
Review: I find myself quite flabbergasted at the negative reviews on this site. Doomsday Book is, quite possibly, the best book I have ever read -- and I am a *harsh, harsh* literary critic. Connie Willis makes these characters and the time periods -- past and future -- come alive. I was incredibly moved by this novel. It is a powerful story of survival, despair and hope that I don't think I'll ever forget. It felt *real* -- which is one of the highest compliments I can give to a sci-fi novel (though this one is so much more).
Rating:
Summary: A very powerful book mixing history, humor and sci-fi.
Review: I've been reading Connie Willis for a few years, mostly her wonderful, humorous short stories. When I finally read Doomsday Book, I was very impressed with her ability to develop her characters so that I cared. The book mixes some great middle-ages plague history, not normally a very interesting time, with some modern English time travel. The result is a most powerful novel. When I finished the book I was exhausted. I would definitely recommend it and list it on the top ten books I have read. It still haunts me.
Rating:
Summary: An exciting book about time travel, history and technology
Review: The Doomsday Book tells a gripping story about time travel, past history, and the problems of technology at the behest of person agrandizement. The beauty of the book is the story. I was reminded of the Oxford school of writing which tends to spare on detail for the sake of a long, flowing and ever absorbing tale. One is taken back into history during the time of the bubonic plague, where the main character is stranded due to selfish concerns from the century of the character's origin. The story switches back and forth between the events of the present, and the life threatening events of the 1340s and 1350s outside of London. The book is long (< 600 pages paperback), but one I could not put down.
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