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okevamae's review against another edition
3.0
Blackout and All Clear started out as one book - and really, it would have been better if they had stayed that way. With a little editing, this duology could have been a single (albeit very long) five-star book. Neither installment stands on their own as a complete story - something which I strongly feel a story divided into separate volumes needs to do. I'm giving Blackout a much lower rating than the second book, simply because it's 100% setup for the events of All Clear.
tosta's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
why_do_i_need_a_username69's review
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
echo86's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
hinesight's review against another edition
4.0
This is a hard read for me right now, and I'm very annoyed that it's part 1 of 2. I feel so sorry for those historians, stuck (for me, about 3/4 of the way through) in the Battle of Britain and no way home. It's just more than I can easily absorb at this season in my life. Other than that, though, really interesting although almost a surprise after To Say Nothing of the Dog. I trudge along for a while, then I get upset and put the book aside, so it's a slow go.
katieinca's review against another edition
4.0
Definitely the first half of one giant book, not to be read in isolation.
Takes a long time to rev up, and also a long time to figure out what's happening to whom, but some of that is intentionally mysterious. Then it hits its stride and you can't put it down for, oh, I don't know, six hundred pages or so. Great finagling of character and setting and OF COURSE timelines. I learned A TON about World War II, and I enjoyed it, which was... unlikely.
But the "oh no we've destroyed the universe" "oh wait everything is fine" and repeat ad infinitum gets a little wearing eventually. There's a lot of heart in this book, as much as it's a bit bogged down in its own time travel theory whatchamawhozits.
Takes a long time to rev up, and also a long time to figure out what's happening to whom, but some of that is intentionally mysterious. Then it hits its stride and you can't put it down for, oh, I don't know, six hundred pages or so. Great finagling of character and setting and OF COURSE timelines. I learned A TON about World War II, and I enjoyed it, which was... unlikely.
But the "oh no we've destroyed the universe" "oh wait everything is fine" and repeat ad infinitum gets a little wearing eventually. There's a lot of heart in this book, as much as it's a bit bogged down in its own time travel theory whatchamawhozits.
verno's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
leighkayne's review against another edition
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
sarahlreadseverything's review against another edition
4.0
Blackout has been on my pile for a couple of years now, after a recommendation from a bookish friend (sorry C for taking so long to get to it). It's set in Oxford in 2060. Time-travel having been perfected sometime between now and then, Oxford's history students are now engaged in research projects throughout time. Blackout follows three of these students, doing research in separate parts of WWII. Mike is studying everyday heroes at Dunkirk, Polly is working as a shopgirl on Oxford Street during the Blitz and Merope is undercover as a maid at a country house, witnessing the child evacuees. Soon though, all three realise that everyday life in WWII is far more dangerous than they realised and there are also deeper problems coming their way.
There were a few plotholes in Blackout. Having been a history student myself, I find it very hard to believe that advanced-level history students specialising in WWII would have such little knowledge of the war outside of the specific moment in time they are studying. Their ignorance simply makes the book a little less believable.
If you suspend your disbelief over that and the couple of other little holes though, Blackout is a very fun ride. Willis' research is incredible in scope, which makes the journey of each of the three main characters all the more terrifying. It feels incredibly real and you feel Polly's difficulty in moving around London and Merope's terror at the bombs.
The plot is thrilling and hurtles along at a terrific pace despite the size of the novel, with each character's situation rapidly descending into chaos. We start with alternate chapters set in WWII and 2060, but as it becomes apparent that something has gone seriously wrong with the time-travel the chapters in 2060 disappear until we only have the perspective of the historians trapped in time. As a motif it works well and adds to the 'thriller' appeal. Several chapters outside of the main narrative add to the mystery.
I was a little disappointed that the book ended without any resolution whatsoever. Obviously this is a case of one story split into two books, rather than a true duology (as reflected by the very close together original release dates). I'll be tracking down All Clear as soon as possible so I can find out what happens next.
Overall? 4/5 stars. Blackout is a thrilling ride and appealed to my historian side
There were a few plotholes in Blackout. Having been a history student myself, I find it very hard to believe that advanced-level history students specialising in WWII would have such little knowledge of the war outside of the specific moment in time they are studying. Their ignorance simply makes the book a little less believable.
If you suspend your disbelief over that and the couple of other little holes though, Blackout is a very fun ride. Willis' research is incredible in scope, which makes the journey of each of the three main characters all the more terrifying. It feels incredibly real and you feel Polly's difficulty in moving around London and Merope's terror at the bombs.
The plot is thrilling and hurtles along at a terrific pace despite the size of the novel, with each character's situation rapidly descending into chaos. We start with alternate chapters set in WWII and 2060, but as it becomes apparent that something has gone seriously wrong with the time-travel the chapters in 2060 disappear until we only have the perspective of the historians trapped in time. As a motif it works well and adds to the 'thriller' appeal. Several chapters outside of the main narrative add to the mystery.
I was a little disappointed that the book ended without any resolution whatsoever. Obviously this is a case of one story split into two books, rather than a true duology (as reflected by the very close together original release dates). I'll be tracking down All Clear as soon as possible so I can find out what happens next.
Overall? 4/5 stars. Blackout is a thrilling ride and appealed to my historian side
mrsbear's review against another edition
4.0
Great book until the end, then it just ended! A To Be Continued.