Cindy M. (RenascenceC) reviewed on + 77 more book reviews
As a friend suggested, this book would be better if about 200 pages were edited out of it. There's just too much repetition of material that does not move the story forward, and this is a common thing in Willis's novels--that purposeless, frenetic activity going on all around.
But the story is compelling, and the ending hopeful, if ambiguous (as perhaps it ought to be). As a Christian, I was frustrated with many of the presuppositions--mocking those who believe in a spiritual existence beyond death, with all the best characters being "agnostic" if not overtly skeptical. The characters are also very limited, even the "stars," who have almost no existence outside the workplace or, in one case, a home. For example, the main character has many meals through the book, but almost all of them are from vending machines, and not one at home, that I can recall. I expect those who know WWII history, Titanic history, hospital routine, or neuroscience are at first attracted and then probably frustrated at errors I had an inkling of as I read.
But I hate to miss something good, and so I plodded along through too many pages to get to what was a pretty satisfying finish. I'm usually pretty picky about my reading in advance, and I expect that this is a much better novel than the usual out there. So enjoy! :-)
But the story is compelling, and the ending hopeful, if ambiguous (as perhaps it ought to be). As a Christian, I was frustrated with many of the presuppositions--mocking those who believe in a spiritual existence beyond death, with all the best characters being "agnostic" if not overtly skeptical. The characters are also very limited, even the "stars," who have almost no existence outside the workplace or, in one case, a home. For example, the main character has many meals through the book, but almost all of them are from vending machines, and not one at home, that I can recall. I expect those who know WWII history, Titanic history, hospital routine, or neuroscience are at first attracted and then probably frustrated at errors I had an inkling of as I read.
But I hate to miss something good, and so I plodded along through too many pages to get to what was a pretty satisfying finish. I'm usually pretty picky about my reading in advance, and I expect that this is a much better novel than the usual out there. So enjoy! :-)
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