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I went to the library to check out Willis' Doomsday, but this was the only Connie Willis book available...

There's a reason for that. It was awful.

The plot plods along and, as mentioned before, the running gags are not only referenced too frequently, but they don't lend anything worthwhile to the story. The cafeteria's always closed, hallways are constantly being painted, Joanna never remembers to eat lunch but Richard's lab coat is magically a vending machine, poorly written comedy ensues... yeah, we get it.

The characters are painfully one-dimensional, like caricatures. There is a character, Maisie, who is supposed to be a child, probably 6-10 years old, and the dialogue Willis gives her is painful. Nobody speaks like that, let alone a child in 2001 (when the book was written). Seriously, who uses the word "crummy" for anything?? (Or mentions deviled ham dip again and again, for that matter.)

Another problem is that Dr. Joanna Landers and her associate Dr. Wright both seem to be physically unable to end a conversation, even if they're in a hurry. Make that, "especially if they are in a hurry." There are pages and pages of this book devoted to Joanna or Richard thinking, "Ugh! I really must leave!" "I am running so late!" "Why won't he stop talking to me, I wish I could escape!"

It's maddening. I realize it probably bothers me especially, because it sums up my relationship with this book. The writing is sloppy. The plot is dull. It is poorly edited... and yet, like Joanna and Richard, I couldn't end the conversation. I wanted to give the book the benefit of the doubt; my hope was that Willis would get it together in the end and blow me away.

She didn't. Don't read this book--it's too long to be worth it. Save yourself!