Welcome to our June Book Discussion of Doomsday Book by Connie Willis. It looks like lots of you have read this book and are ready to chat about it with your fellow readers. I’ve been looking forward to having this discussion since I finished the book. Let’s dig in!
But first, let’s start with a few ground rules:
- Since we’re anticipating lots of conversation, please try your best to reply directly to each other, that way they are alerted and can keep discussing!
- Discussing is the important word. The goal around here is to have a conversation, so do try to keep the thoughts flowing and give your fellow readers something to respond to.
- Please reference the topic number you are responding to (if you are) so other Book Clubbers can hunt up the topics they want to discuss with you.
- Not that I’m expecting to need to, but be warned that I retain the right to delete any comments which go beyond the normal civil banter we have here at Cannonball Read. Consider yourselves warned.
There are also some additional topics that I’ll be putting up over at our Facebook Group, Cannonball Read Book Chat, throughout the course of the afternoon if you feel like chatting there as well. The guidelines above are in effect there too.
Here are our topics to begin our conversation:
- What are your impressions of how historians are going about the study of history in 2054? How do you feel about the addition of the scientific method?
- Bells are a constant in the book, both in 2054 and the 1300s. What meaning do they add to the narrative?
- What is Willis trying to tell us about compassion and suffering through Kivrin, Dunworthy, and Father Roche?
- Willis spent five years in the writing of this book and it won the Hugo and Nebula Awards. What elements of craft stood out to you, for better or worse?
- Kivrin is an admirable heroine, which is a change from the contemporary popularity of unreliable narrators. What does that lend or take away from the story?
- Religion is everywhere in this novel. How do you interpret the perceived differences between the religion of the past and that practiced in the future?
Or you can just tell us how you feel about the book. Remember, this is the second of FOUR Book Club Reads this year, we will be voting in July for our Young Adult Read September 1, so head over to the Cannonball Read Book Chat to tell me your suggestions since I believe in the power of crowdsourcing.
Okay, Cannonballers – have at it!