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What Members Thought
I like historical fiction + scifi + epidemics, so this was a no-brainer. My only complaint is that Kirvin was a bit of a super hero in that she knew everything there was to know about everything, but the plot was very interesting, and it really drove home the horror of the Black Death.
I see what the complaints are about. It's true that I didn't particularly need hundreds of pages of people trying (and failing) to make phone calls, but I was also totally charmed by it (and by William and his mother, the American bell ringers, Colin, etc.) I don't know that I would read another book by her -- my understanding is they're all like this -- but I enjoyed this one well enough.
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What a great story, even in the slow or sad parts! There is plenty of action and dialogue but also some very detailed prose. I find it easier to listen to longer books and this was no exception. The metaphor near the end about the responsibility we feel when sending others to a place with unknown dangers gathers the whole narrative together.
I wish I could give this book six stars! A fantastic read, great pacing, interesting concept, and a fun historical romp.
Aug 17, 2012
Chriskolak
marked it as to-read
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fiction,
science-fiction
Jul 20, 2014
Lydia
marked it as to-read
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
science-fiction,
nebula-hugo-winners
Jan 04, 2017
Richard Eriksson
marked it as to-read
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
2017-reading-list
