All Clear

Yeah! I finally finished this book!

Okay...honestly...I can say after reading both Blackout and All Clear by Connie Willis, that I did enjoy this story. The were both behemoth books, but they do provide rich detail and dialog that one can't help but feel transported back to WWII London during the Blitz. But, I am awfully exhausted after reading these books and ready to step back into 2011!

If you love WWII historical fiction, suspense and a bit of fantasy (i.e. time travel) you will really enjoy this story. Most reviews I've read also echo what I'm about to say. Both books could have used a strong editing session to trim 100 to 200 pages out of each of them. Obviously some of the detail is needed to weave the story completely together, but there were some sections where you felt like you were reading about despairing characters for 60 to 80 pages.

I also felt that both books were lacking in the romantic storyline. Connections and relationships were formed, but Willis never really took time to explore these fully. I think they would have made the characters feel more "real" and human.

Willis is a meticulous researcher and both of these books are a masterpiece in and of themselves in how she pulled the story together. There was a point three nights ago when I held my head and said "it hurt" because I was thinking so hard about how some of the events/plots were piecing together at the end.

I am looking forward to reading some of her other books, but glad I can move on to some other books that have piled up on my night stand.

To recap:

Worth reading? Yes

Recommend to a Friend? Maybe

Worth Buying My Own Copy? Maybe...especially if you take awhile to read books. I kind of wish I had a copy of "Blackout" to reference as I was reading.

Stars: 4 out of 5