Bellwether

I think Connie Willis is the best writer of English prose alive today. Her other books, in particular "Lincoln's Dreams," are astoundingly beautiful and lyrical, serious books told in a vivid voice that draws pictures, scenarios and characters together with what seems like effortless grace. She is like a breath of cool clear air after the stuffiness of a closed room. "Bellwether," however, is about as subtle as a grocery cart at it careens around the heroine's self-conscious pre-occupation with fads and trends. I must admit, however, there were several things i liked: Flip the office assistant; the little girl's use of a map to tell a story about her Barbie doll; the scene in the cafeteria where everyone has to come up with Dilbertesque slogans. But overall, the book is a disappointment, albiet minor. It's also fast and easy so you might as well read it. My husband, btw, liked it more than I did, especially the bits about bread pudding, the longevity of the angel/devil's food cake fads, po-mo pink, Malibu Beach House Barbie, Alice Blue, diorama wigs and, of course, Billy Ray and the sheep.

Connie Willis' Bellwether is both amusing and thought provoking. During the course of this novel, Ms. Willis investigates the extremes to which people will go to 'fit in' to society, and how social climate can affect different aspects of existence. Even scientific research, that bastion of logic and unemotionalism, is swept up in the ebb and tide of the herd instinct. And yet, through it all, Ms. Willis' protagonist, battered on all sides by tidal waves of fadism, maintains a firm anchorhold on the really important issues: truth, love, self-respect and common sense. Her individuality highlights the almost comic efforts of the masses to follow the latest fashion. In the end, the Bellwether paints an optimistic picture of man the individual, if not of man the social animal. Love, self-respect, and self-determination wins out, leaving the reader heartened that somewhere, deep down inside, man is still a thinking animal, capable of great foolishness and great accomplishments. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone who doesn't mind laughing a lot at society and a little at oneself. Although this book takes place in the future, the roots of the society she protrays exist today, making the scenery seem strangely familiar. Don't be surprised to find yourself caught up in the protagonist's search for a little slice of truth, and moved when the truth finally catches her unaware.

After reading the Doomsday book, I was not prepared for such a light-hearted and witty book on fads, chaos theory with just a dollop of romance. After the large scale carnage of the Doomsday book, it was a relief to find everybody surviving at the end of this one ( more or less retaining their sanity)!
I give this book 5 stars because I think it is a lot harder to write a funny book than it is to write an apocalyptic one. I also have a deep respect for authors who explore different writing styles and subjects. Can't wait to get hold of another of her books..I'm sure it will be as refreshingly different.