Doomsday Book by Connie Willis is the story of two separate plagues. One in 2054 and a pretty well-known one in the 14th century, the Black Death. In this book, Oxford University has figured out time travel. Half of the book centers on a young woman, Kivrin, who is a historian at the college, sent back in time to study a small village during medieval times. The other half of the book is set in 2054 with a larger cast of characters including Oxford professors, doctors and a kid named Colin who is one of the few bits of comic relief in this book.

The two stories run parallel to each other, with pacing and high drama throughout. There are echoing themes between the two: bells, growing panic, realizing that sickness is spreading and the toll epidemics take on people. There are also sharp contrasts between the two stories: the modern era feels chaotic and loud compared to the historical one. The modern era also feels distinctly impersonal and technical compared to the historical one. Although medical care is drastically advanced, the human element of care seems to be missing in 2054, and that theme is driven home repeatedly in the historical story. In both eras there are those who are helpful and caring and those who hinder by relying on rules and judgments. Those who panic and those who bravely stay the course, even at a high cost. I cannot stress enough how masterfully Willis makes the Black Death pressing and emotional. She brings people from 700 years ago to life in rich detail and every time I get so emotionally invested in that story line.

I have read this book 3 times now, the last time was January 2019. The 2054 storyline hits *a lot* different in 2022. Willis was amazingly spot on with many details in the modern era pandemic: masks, shortages of supplies (toilet paper!!), protesters and American individualism being a *big problem* all come into play. It is more than a little eerie that she was so correct on some of these details.

👍🏻I really love this book, and it is heavy. It has a lot of very emotionally taxing themes. I recommend it but only if you have the capacity to take on a story about sickness in the middle (end?) of a global pandemic.