All Clear – Connie Willis
Allen & Unwin, 2010
656 pages
RRP: AU$32.99
ISBN: 9781741758429

Reviewed by Kate Smith

After having read Blackout, it was with some trepidation that I picked up All Clear. Blackout had not left me with a desperate desire to continue the story or find how it concluded, and as I trawled through the first half of the text I was not encouraged. As a reader who usually finds it difficult to put down a novel, in this case I found it difficult to pick it up between chapters. I was a little disappointed also with a few stereotypical plot devices and phrases at certain times but this was due to my feeling that Willis’ story was something different from the mainstream and I may have expected more from it because of this. These small negatives, however, do not mean that All Clear should be avoided. There is no doubt in my mind that Willis is a very good writer and the plot in overview was what piqued my interest in the first place.

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Blackout – Connie Willis
Allen & Unwin, 2010
504 pages
RRP: AU$32.99
ISBN: 9781741141979

Reviewed by Kate Smith

When I read the back of Blackout I immediately and excitedly wanted to begin the story.  However, while the premise was excellent, I found the execution was a little underwhelming.  The story progressed very, very slowly and eventually I was waiting (and hoping) for everything to begin to come together and surprise me with some fantastic realisation.  Sadly, it did not.  Disappointingly, after finishing the book I discovered that any conclusions would be made in the next book.  However, while I do not feel the need to chase down the following text in order to discover the fate of the central characters, Blackout was generally an enjoyable read.

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