Customer Reviews
way out of her depth - By: Michael Scuffil, 17 May 2008 
I think Connie Willis' Doomsday Book is one one of the best sci-fi novels ever; I think To Say Nothing of the Dog is splendidly entertaining, but this... I'm sorry, no. There are two problems, both fundamental. One is the subject matter & its treatment: Ms Willis hasn't thought it through & she is way out of her depth (and it is too important a subject to be dealt with lightly). The second is the technical execution. As a film screenplay, it would be brilliant, we even have the obligatory Hollywood schmaltz. But her deliberately repetitive technique, which worked well in moderation in Doomsday Book, is here taken to such extremes that it is in parts almost unreadable.
Absolutely unputdownable!! - By: Chris Puddephatt, 11 Aug 2006 
I've been a big fan of Connie Willis for some years, & although I still think Doomsday Book is her best so far, I think Passage comes a very close second.
The subject matter, near death experiences, is explored in a fascinating way. Unlike other reviewers, I thought the book raced along, & didn't find it overlong at alll. Whilst the relationship between Joanna & Dr Wright could have been developed more, they were primarily portrayed as driven work obsessed professionals, who never found time for much of a social life. Maisie was wonderfully drawn - an extremely ill little girl - who was full of life & energy despite her dire prognosis.
There is a massive shock three quarters through the book which left me stunned - I never saw it coming, & don't think most other readers will either.
I found this a thoroughly enjoyable & entertaining read despite the subject matter, & thought Connie Willis' humour counterbalanced the subject matter very well.
I would recommend this book to Sci Fi & non Sci Fi readers alike.
Not your predictable happy ending! - By: A. Bohan, 31 May 2006 
I don't usuallly read books in this category & this book was on my shelf for months before I picked it up. But despite some repetition & an overuse of chemical terms, I reallly enjoyed the story & the fact that the ending wasn't the typical one. I liked the idea of NDE's being a survival message.
Sometimes the book was tedious but I reallly enjoyed the characters, especiallly Maisie's love of morbid disasters.
This is an enjoyable read & I will definitely read more books by this author & not just limit myself to crime thrillers.
Slow paced thriller just about delivers - By: Cartimand, 24 Aug 2004 
Near-death experiences (NDEs) are undeniably a fascinating subject, which Willis explores in a competent, if rather long-winded manner. The plot unfolds in often painstaking detail, carried forward by protracted & repetitive conversations between the main characters. Perhaps it was Willis' intention that the reader experience a sense of deja vu? I don't know, but I certainly got the impression of reading the same thing every 30 pages or so.
Certainly the main protagonists' ongoing vexation with the huge labyrinthine hospital & their elaborate efforts to avoid the dreaded Mr Mandrake (whose spiritual bent incurs the wrath of the scientific researchers) are oft repeated motifs.
There are certainly a few clever twists & turns together with one major shock along the way, but I found it hard to engage with any of Willis' characters or to suspend my disbelief at some of the stilted & downright unconvincing dialogue (would a doctor rushing to an emergency reallly be told it's bad luck to walk under a ladder!!??). With the exception of Ed (who, for UK readers, embellishes his tales from the war rather like Uncle Albert in "Only Fools & Horses") & courageous, indefatigable Kit, none of the characters are that likable, the irritatingly saintly Vielle & the geekish Richard being particularly annoying. I also found the way that Maisie's mother is sneered at for her desperate positive thinking to be rather unfair.
Nitpicking aside though, I'm glad I stayed the course and, ultimately I feel that Passage is a worthwhile effort that just about delivers the goods. The somewhat enigmatic ending, however, may leave some readers dissatisfied.
Slow Paced thriller just about delivers. - By: Cartimand, 23 Aug 2004 Near-death experiences (NDEs) are undeniably a fascinating subject, which Willis explores in a competent, if somewhat long-winded manner. The plot unfolds in often painstaking detail, carried forward by protracted & repetitive conversations between the main characters. Perhaps it was Willis' intention that the reader experience a sense of deja vu? I don't know, but I certainly got the impression of reading the same thing every 50 pages or so.
There are a few clever twists & turns along with one major shock along the way, but I found it hard to engage with any of Willis' characters or to suspend my disbelief at some of the stilted & downright unconvincing dialogue (would a doctor rushing to an emergency reallly be told it's bad luck to walk under a ladder!!??) . With the exception of Ed (who, for UK readers, embellishes his tales from the war rather like Uncle Albert in "Only Fools & Horses"), none of the characters are that likable, the irritatingly saintly Vielle & the geekish Richard being particularly annoying. I also found the way that Maisie's mother is sneered at for her desperate positive thinking to be rather unfair.
Nitpicking aside though, I stayed the course & felt that Contest just about delivers the goods, although the somewhat enigmatic ending will probably leave many readers dissatisfied.
