(Only for Dr. Who fans! Credits)
If I ever try my hand at writing, this is the kind of book I’d like to write: a rambling, fun story that would work as an homage to all my favorite things.
I’d set it in Victorian England, throw in some science fiction, and for good measure write a few scenes during the London Blitz. The whole thing would probably end up like a sci-fi story written as a Victorian comedy of manners, which, as strange as that may sound, is exactly the brilliant book that Willis wrote.
If I wasn’t already ready to love it because of the concept, there would be other treats to persuade me:
1.
Countless references to one of funniest books I’ve ever read – Three Men in a Boat – and to beloved writers like Christie, Wodehouse, Conan Doyle and Sayers.
Well, it wasn’t exactly the ending of an Agatha Christie mystery, with Hercule Poirot gathering everyone together in the drawing room to reveal the murderer and impress everyone with his astonishing deductive powers. And it definitely wasn’t a Dorothy Sayers, with the detective hero saying to his heroine sidekick, “I say, we make a jolly good detectin’ team. How about makin’ the partnership permanent, eh, what?” and then proposing in Latin.
At some point, Ned (the main character) actually crossed Jerome K. Jerome & Co. as they were traveling on the Thames in opposite directions. It was a priceless scene.
2.
I’ve always been fascinated by Oxford, mostly because of books like Brideshead Revisited, Jude the Obscure and the His Dark Materials series. To Say Nothing of the Dog will add to that list.
One of the characters is an Eccentric Professor (I love eccentric professors in literature – usually great fun), engaged in a life-long debate with another Professor about what shapes history: individuals or grand forces?
3.
There’s a dog! With a personality! And it doesn’t talk! I’m very particular about talking animals in books and movies. Overall I prefer the silent ones that still manage to be funny, like the chameleon in Tangled. Montmorency in Three Men in a Boat is another great example, and clearly the inspiration for the bulldog Cyril in To Say Nothing of the Dog.
Cyril shoved and shoved again, until he had the entire bed and all the covers, and Princess Arjumand [a cat] draped herself across my neck with her full weight on my Adam’s apple. Cyril shoved some more.
(Couldn’t resist: bulldog in a boat! Credits)
4.
The story was wacky and chaotic, but all the literary and historical references made it feel strangely cozy. I suspect Connie Willis and I would get along just fine.
She looked appalled. “You weren’t prepped? Victorian society’s highly mannered. Breaches of etiquette are taken very seriously.” She looked curiously at me. “How have you managed thus far?”
“For the past two days I’ve been on the river with an Oxford don who quotes Herodotus, a lovesick young man who quotes Tennyson, a bulldog, and a cat,” I said. “I played it by ear.”
5.
It’s such a quotable book:
One of the first symptoms of time-lag is a tendency to maudlin sentimentality, like an Irishman in his cups or a Victorian poet cold-sober.
*
One has not lived until one has carried a sixty-pound dog down a sweeping flight of stairs at half-past V in the morning.
*
The reason Victorian society was so restricted and repressed was that it was impossible to move without knocking something over.
On the interest of transparency, I’d like to confess that despite all the above I didn’t give To Say Nothing of the Dog a perfect 5/5. However, the little things that didn’t feel quite right, didn’t ruin the overall delight of the book.
Ned is a likable everyman-type hero, but we never get to know much about him or his personal history before the beginning of the book. Also, although the plot was easy to follow, some twists felt a bit predictable (I knew early on who Mr. C was), and the science part – when Willis describes the problems with continuum, slippage, incongruities, etc. – went over my head. Finally, although part of the story is set in 2057, it never felt like 2057.
As you see, small stuff compared with the Reasons to Love It: delightful characters, funny dialogues, a good amount of geeky literary references, to say nothing of Cyril…
PS: I am the only one to go all dyslexic with the author’s name and call her Wilkie Collins in my mind?
***
Other thoughts: things mean a lot, Shelf Love, Book Lust, The Written World, Farm Lane Books, Becky Book Reviews, Books and Movies, Booklover Book Reviews, Killin’ Time Reading, A Good Stopping Point, A Little Reader, Beth Fish Reads, Bookgirl’s nightstand, Gripping Books, Opinions of a Wolf, Stella Matutina, Rat’s Reading, Dogear Diary, Everyday Reading, Dusk Before Dawn, Library Queue, Semicolon, Nose in a Book, Mervi’s Book Reviews, (yours?)
23 comments
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February 23, 2012 at 5:02 pm
wolfshowl
Ah the science parts are one of my favorite elements! Then again, I’m a scifi and a history geek, so…..not many books hit upon both. 🙂
And *la la la* I can’t hear any complaints about Ned. *la la la*
😉
February 23, 2012 at 5:35 pm
Alex
I think that the reason why I didn’t get it was that I was listening to it in audio. At times I was just too lazy to stop and listen to it again 😛
February 23, 2012 at 5:21 pm
sakura
I’ve been dying to read something by Connie Willis and bought myself a copy of The Doomsday Book which remains untouched. I read a short story of hers which was brilliant and hopefully will get stuck in to her work this year! And I think I should also read Three Men in a Boat, right?
February 23, 2012 at 5:36 pm
Alex
Yes, I think you’ll take much more from it if you read TMiaB first!
February 23, 2012 at 5:22 pm
Care
OH goodness, you are actually making me rethink this. Should I read Sayers and Jerome first!? I actually have Brideshead Revisited in the house so I will read that one before this one. I hate when I miss literary references and it sounds like Willis might be over my head. 😦
February 23, 2012 at 5:38 pm
Alex
As I mentioned to sakura, if you get the references it makes everything much more interesting (although I’m sure you’d still enjoy it!).
February 23, 2012 at 5:32 pm
Falaise
Ooh. This sounds great. Must go and check it out.
February 23, 2012 at 5:39 pm
Alex
I think you’ll really like it!
February 23, 2012 at 5:34 pm
Amateur Reader (Tom)
Have you read <Max Beerbohm's Zuleika Dobson? If not, I would suggest adding it to your Oxford novel list.
February 23, 2012 at 5:44 pm
Alex
I’ve heard about it very recently by exploring Project Gutenberg. I’ve added it to the wish-list 🙂
February 23, 2012 at 6:12 pm
farmlanebooks
I enjoyed this book, but it was a bit too charming for me. I was born in Oxford and have lived on various parts of the Thames and I don’t think I’d have enjoyed it as much without those personal references. Glad you loved it!
February 23, 2012 at 6:43 pm
Nan
I tried this once, but didn’t stay with it. I really want to try again after reading your great review. It has all the elements I enjoy. Plus mentions of Wodehouse, and ol’ Montmorency. I really must name a dog after him someday. :<)
February 23, 2012 at 7:40 pm
Carrie K.
I adored this book – as well as Connie Willi’s other time travel books. I loved the humor in this one. 🙂
February 23, 2012 at 8:10 pm
sshaver
Very funny. I don’t think Peter ever said “Eh, what?” though.
February 24, 2012 at 12:42 am
Arti
What an interesting and contemporary styling of a book. Also, I look forward to reading yours. 😉
February 24, 2012 at 11:41 am
Mady
Now I am convinced! After having read (and loved) Three Men in a Boat, I’ve been wondering about this one as well…
And if I ever try my hand at directing a movie, it’d be my own version of “Midnight in Paris”, but would call it “Sunset in Venice” 🙂
February 24, 2012 at 6:26 pm
Steph
I have wanted to read Connie Willis for a while and always thought this would be a good place to start… so that meant I had to wait until read Three Men in a Boat first! I have since read that one but still not made time for Willis! What is wrong with me?
Also: yes, you can never go wrong with Oxford! Have you ever been? It’s wonderful!
February 25, 2012 at 2:33 pm
Joanna
This is on my list but I find it daunting, I’m afraid I wouldn’t get all those references…
February 26, 2012 at 6:53 am
Kristen M.
Here’s my review — http://webereading.com/2011/02/there-were-five-of-us-carruthers-and.html
I loved this one last year and already want to read it again! Instead, I’m rushing my way through Willis’ other time travel novels and finding that she’s just as brilliant without the humor. But, I have to say that the humor makes this one my favorite — and one of my favorites of all time now!
February 27, 2012 at 6:41 pm
Zeba Clarke
I’ve kindled it after reading your review and then reading the sample chapter. Need something cheering as have funeral to go to this weekend.
😦
April 9, 2012 at 8:29 pm
Kathy
One of my favorite Connie Willis’ books. If you want the blitz thrown in read Blackout and All Clear!
September 25, 2012 at 10:14 am
Pif
I understand and share your prejudice against talking dogs, but I really feel I have to vouch for Terry Pratchett’s Gaspode.
September 3, 2019 at 12:32 pm
The Captain’s Log – to say nothing of the dog (Connie Willis) – a 19 in 2019 book! – Captain's Quarters
[…] tons of historical events, and has Victorian style humor. A blogger, thesleeplessreader, has a fun breakdown of some of them. This link lists the tropes (spoilers!) it feels the book has and many of them I […]