kittyfan9hh's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Death, Animal death, Child death, Vomit, Blood, Grief, Medical content, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Sexual content, and Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Infidelity, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, and Suicide
clyssandre's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
A page turner.
Graphic: Child death, Terminal illness, and Death
jonesen2's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Medical content, and Terminal illness
Minor: Sexual assault and Sexual content
robberbaroness's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Terminal illness and Child death
rorikae's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
When Kivrin heads back to the Middle Ages using Oxford's time travel technology, she is in for a bit of a shock. Despite studying the time period and getting her necessary injections, the Middle Ages are far different than she expected. As she learns more about where she has landed and gets close to a family in the local town, her professors back in near future Oxford are dealing with their own issues that may effect their ability to retrieve Kivrin from the past.
Willis continues to impress with her stories. She injects just enough technology into the real world to heighten interest, builds a thought provoking and engaging plot out of these elements, and then sets a full cast of characters into this world. One of the strong points of this novel is the dual timelines. Hundreds of years apart but deeply connected, we follow both Kivrin and her professor Mr. Dunworthy as they deal with their own set of problems. Since these problems directly impact the ability for Kivrin to return home to nearfuture Oxford, the timelines are intimately connected and as tension ramps up in one, it impacts your view of the other timeline as well.
The other really standout point of this novel are the characters. Kivrin's blend of frustration and fascination as she visits the Middle Ages and connects with the children of the family who take her in, make her well-rounded and easily relatable. Mr. Dunworthy's deep care for Kivrin and focus on getting her home safe no matter what, makes him a great central character for the near future Oxford timeline. Paired with the supporting characters that fluctuate between frustrating, caring, and obtuse, Willis creates a world that feels fully inhabited.
I will continue to seek more of Willis' work. If you are looking for a great time travel story with engaging tension and empathetic characters, you need to read 'Doomsday Book.'
Graphic: Vomit, Child death, Blood, Medical trauma, Animal death, Grief, Terminal illness, and Death
cmbohn's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Grief, Medical content, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Child death
mirificmoxie's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Terminal illness, Medical trauma, and Death
Moderate: Blood, Child death, Vomit, and Grief
Minor: Animal death, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, and Blood
prettiestwhistles's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Terminal illness, Vomit, Animal death, Child death, and Death
Moderate: Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Death of parent, Injury/injury detail, and Medical content
Minor: Rape, Antisemitism, and Xenophobia
Spoiler
Mentions of a fictional pandemic in 2014, detailed depiction of a deadly flu outbreak and of the bubonic plagueacesnsk8s's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Terminal illness, Death, and Death of parent
Minor: Animal death
greenfrog's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Terminal illness