Blackout and All Clear by Connie Willis
by Jenners • 08/26/2011 • A Titles, B Titles, Fiction, Historical, Science Fiction, W Authors • 42 Comments
Publisher: Spectra, 2010Pages: 512 and 656
Genre: Fiction, Sci Fi, Historical Fiction
Where I Got It: My Kindle
My Rating: 4 stars
Important Note: I think all readers should know before they start reading that Blackout and All Clear are really one book. Blackout ends rather abruptly, and the story resumes again in All Clear. I wasn’t aware of this going in and was a bit perturbed to find myself at the end of Blackout (which is a 500+ page book) and not having an end to the story. In fact, I had to immediately download All Clear so I could find out what happened as I was heavily invested in the story by that point. I so wish I’d known this going in. Plus, if you picked up All Clear and started reading, you’d be totally confused. I really think the books should have been named “Blackout” and “Blackout 2.”
25 Words Or Less Description: Three time traveling historians get caught in the Blitz during World War II and cannot return to their own time (Oxford, 2060). (Note: I suspect that if this description appeals to you, you’ll enjoy the books immensely. It attracted me immediately.)
So What Genre Is It? The best description is probably “Sci-Fi/Historical Fiction.” Sounds kooky but it totally works!
What I Liked
- The time-travel premise. I definitely want to check out more of Willis’s books that deal with the time-traveling historians.
- Learning without pain. I’m not one to pick up a straightforward history book and read it. I tend to like my history presented with lots of snark (Sarah Vowell), humor (Bill Bryson) or as entertainment (this book). I felt like I learned quite a bit about World War II and the Blitz but without that pesky “learning” feeling.
- Willis leaves you little pieces of the puzzle to figure out along the way. If you’re a bit of dim bulb like myself, you might think “Who the heck is this? What is happening here?” Trust me … it all comes together in the end.
- Willis doesn’t spoonfeed you information. You’re plunged right into the story and time travel premise with barely any explanations. But soon terms like “drop” and “contemps” seem run-of-the-mill.
What I Didn’t Like
- Willis doesn’t spoonfeed you information. This led to frequently feeling disoriented or confused about what was happening. It took a bit of time for me to find my stride with these books.
- Willis has a rat-a-tat-tat writing style that sometimes feels repetitive. At times, I felt like I kept reading and rereading the same sections with just minor changes. Plus our three historians seem to face the same problems over and over and over and over. It got a bit wearying at times.
- That I didn’t know this was really one big book. Seriously, I cannot tell you how annoyed I was to get to the end of Blackout and have zero resolution to the story. Hence, the “Important Note” that starts this review.
So Should I Read It?
If the premise is appealing, I say go for it. Despite the weaknesses I mentioned, the books were fun to read, educational and inventive. Just realize that you are committing to reading what is essentially a 1200 page book!
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I just, and I mean just, finished All Clear. I love Connie Willis’ work; I’ve read nearly all her novels and short stories. Like you, I didn’t realize that this was a two book set; I got quite concerned when Blackout was near the end, and there was no clear resolution in sight. However, I’m good with hefty reads. Long books don’t scare me, and this was most definitely worth it.
I actually had a hard time getting into All Clear, not because it was difficult to read (it wasn’t); it was due to the fact that I was so heavily invested into the welfare of the characters that I found it quite nervewracking to think something horrible was going to happen to them.
The Doomsday Book is fabulous. Utterly fabulous.
I was getting worried near the end of Blackout too!! I was wondering how in the world she was going to wrap it up. I didn’t expect that it would just end like that! I didn’t mind that it was so long, but I sure wish I’d known before starting — it is quite the time commitment. I think I’m going to read The Doomsday Book next — I keep hearing it is her best!
Geez, that’s HUGE! Major commitment. I applaud you for taking it on, Jenners.
I have blundered into a several really long reads/series this year. But when a book is really good, the page count doesn’t matter.
I’m currently reading a 500 page book and I’d be crushed if the story were not over when I got to the end. I’ve already been at it about 3 weeks now. Yes I’m a slow reader LOL.
I don’t think anyone finishes a 500 page book in a day! (If they do, I wonder how much they understand.) It was so upsetting to go that far and then find you weren’t done!
These books do sound like my cup of tea… My Kindle is not nearby otherwise I would be downloading immediately…
I don’t keep my Kindle near my computer when I blog because I’d spend way too much money downloading books that bloggers make me add to my wish list.
I’m waiting for All Clear to be in paperback soon (October 25) and then I’ll pick these two up. Once I found out that Blackout ends abruptly, I decided to wait! I bought Doomsday Book yesterday though because I can’t wait any longer for more Connie Willis after the fun that was To Say Nothing of the Dog.
I’m planning on reading The Doomsday Book next. Everyone is raving about it. Then I guess I’ll have to check out the Dog one!
Well, the WWII angle certainly got my attention! I’ll make sure I have both books on hand before I start reading. I’ll link to your post on War Through the Generations.
It was a fascinating way to learn more about the Blitz!
The premise is very appealing to me and I have heard from other bloggers that I respect as much as I do you that they loved it. So, it is definitely on my list. I have to say that I don’t think I understood there were two books. I think I was only aware of Blackout.
I got sucked into this by other bloggers as well — but they didn’t tell me it was 2 giant books!
I have had really good luck with Willis, and thought that Doomsday Book was one of my best reads ever. I have a few of hers on my shelf, and they all sound pretty promising, but like you, I would have been totally annoyed that the first book ended mid-stride, and that I would have had to buy the next book immediately to get the resolution I craved. I do want to read this one, but I think I am gong to have to think carefully about when I have time to read a huge double chunkster like this!
Chunksters are bad … but a double chunkster — fugheadaboutit! And I want to read The Doomsday Book as my next Willis book. Both you and Sandy have RAVED about it.
Hmmm, it does seem a little bit confusing but I like the concept…maybe one for me to try.
It has moments where you think “What is going on????” and then you figure it out and you’re like “So cool. Very satisfying.”
Well I loved The Doomsday Book with all my heart. It was a chunkster too but I blew through it and wished there were more. So I think this is going to have to go on my list eventually. I did know it was a two book story. but 1,200 pages is a big deal for me.
I think 1200 pages is a big deal for anyone! And I totally need to check out The Doomsday Book.
I had so many plans when my kids went to school. Maybe Alyce can give us some time travel advice on that subject.
Sounds like fun, but I’m struggling to find enough reading time to finish 2 small book a week. I need to start a new book list…”When Gage Goes to School”
I totally know what you going through … and you’re managing to keep a blog going. I couldn’t even do that!
Obviously Alyce went back in time, saw me typing my comment, stole the content, then went back to the future and typed and submitted it before *I* could. Very rude!
I always knew there was something strange about Alyce!!! She hosted that Time Travel Reading Challenge and was one of the first to turn me onto these Willis books — obviously she has perfected the art of time travel and uses it for evil — to steal comments from other bloggers moments before they type them. Why she has such a limited and narrow focus, we’ll never know. She bears watching.
I love, love, love her books, but she can be repetitive. I have decided never to read any of her books back to back again (except for these two which are obviously one book and thus an exception), because her books have a certain style that can become annoying after a while. And yet, I still love her stories and her witty, funny characters and their crazy time travel adventures.
I agree — too much of Connie Willis at one time might be too much. And despite my quibbles, I fell for her too. It is just such a genius concept — and you can tell that she does her research.
Thanks very much for reviewing these books. I haven’t read anything by Willis, but I have been flirting with more science fiction (old classics and modern titles) during the last six months or so. And completely loving them to be honest. I agree it is wonderful to be educated about history while having a thoroughly good time with a book. These sound fab
I had never read (or even heard!) anything about Connie Willis until I kept seeing bloggers raving about her books. I had to try her and I’m glad I did. If you’re dipping a toe into sci-fi/fantasy type books, these would be perfect as they aren’t too “out there” in many ways.
Great book suggestion for me to pass along to hubby. And also good heads up about the two being like one book.
If hubby is a time travel freak and a history lover, these books are a no brainer! And realize going in that it is a two book investment of time.
But, but an “all-clear” is the signal that tells you an air-raid is over! I love that title.
I put off reading Blackout for a year because I luckily heard about the half-novel thing; it would have killed me otherwise. Willis does tend to get overlong and repetitive, but I love her to bits anyway.
I know … the title for the second book is fitting. But still … readers need to know this isn’t a standalone book!! Can you tell I was peeved?
Great review! These sound excellent!! I’m a little intimidated by the length, though. If i get these it will have to be in book form. I think several others in my family might enjoy them and I’ve learned that many kindle books aren’t “shareable”.
Alas … Kindle books aren’t shareable … unless you share your Kindle. However, you can use the Kindle app and read on an iPhone, iPad, etc so that might be an option for you. They are chunksters too so an e-reader is preferable I think.
I’d always hoped I raise a kid that would figure out how to time travel… but so far it’s a no go. So maybe I have to read about it.
You and me both! I’d totally attempt to be a time-traveling historian if such a position was available.
I want to read these, and can’t believe that I missed out on a readalong that someone was hosting! Argh. I like the idea of time-traveling historians, I’ll sign up for that one!
I participated (loosely) in the readalong. I just couldn’t keep at their pace and finished early so I was hampered in the discussions because I couldn’t remember what they knew and didn’t know. It is fun to read those kinds of posts after (or while) reading a book though.
Wow, 1200 pages is quite a commitment. I’ll have to think about this one.
Yeah … it is an investment — I wish I’d known it was 1200 pages going in! I thought I was only reading 500!