Chapter One Hundred Fifteen: Blackout and All Clear

Okay, so it has only been a year since I read Blackout and All Clear for the first time, but they are so compelling that, when searching for books that would totally and completely absorb me in their universe, I could think of nothing better-suited to the task of complete distraction than this story--told over two books--by Connie Willis.  These books make the most sense if you've already read Willis's Doomsday Book and To Say Nothing of the Dog, which set some of the stage for time travel as Willis writes about it in those novels and in these, but I think you could enjoy Blackout and All Clear without having read the other time travel stories.  It's hard for me to put my finger on what exactly it is about these stories that makes them so irresistible to me.  The characters are likable, yes, and the plot is original; the settings are interesting and there is plenty of action... but I think this is one of those stories that is greater than the sum of its parts.  I fully admit that it may not be as magical a story for everyone as it is for me, but if you like time travel stories I'd say you should at least give it a try.

Chapter One Hundred Fourteen: Tell the Wolves I'm Home

Tell the Wolves I'm Home is Carol Rifka Brunt's first novel, and I hope it won't be her last.  I felt dubious about this book until I started reading it, because almost from the first page it drew me in and made me care about the characters--the protagonist, yes, but also her apparently obnoxious older sister and the mysterious man--her dead uncle's lover--who reaches out to protagonist June after her uncle's death.  I thought this book would be corny or predictable, I guess, but it is neither of those things.  Instead, it is well-written with original and complex main characters whose multi-faceted relationships drive the plot.  This story kept me guessing at how it would all, ultimately turn out--and while not all of the questions raised are answered, the most important ones are, making for a satisfying read.  I was very pleasantly surprised by this novel, and I'd highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good novel.