Customer Reviews

Bellwether

5 star:		(66)
4 star:		(35)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

Probably the most enjoyable book I've read that asks the question: why do people jump on the latest bandwagon only to discover that it doesn't make them any happier than they were before? The protagonist-narrator of the story is a social scientist, working for a research corporation and trying to find how fads begin. The corporation wants to figure out how to use her research to make new fads, and of course gobs of money in the process. The weekly meetings presided over by "management" are hilarious.

This book reads so easily that you might be deceived into thinking that it's simply written. Hardly. Willis has worked very hard to tie together a number of disparate elements. Some of the most enjoyable parts of the book are the short descriptions of dozens of past fads -- everything from coonskin caps to bobbed hair to mah jong. In the process, Willis tells us a lot about what we're willing to do to "belong."

I noticed from previous reviews that some people were disappointed with this book because it really isn't science fiction. It's true, this is not traditional science fiction, with a futuristic setting, new technology, etc. But Willis's remarks that relate fads to chaos theory are very well thought-out. In giving the reader something new to think about, she meets the basic test of science fiction. And in creating an enjoyable, perceptive story, she meets the challenge of being an exceptionally good writer.

Don't be fooled by the collage cover of Mandelbrot patterns, moth and human hair - this book is all about the sheep. A semi-scientific, extremely funny, geeky love story emerges from chaos, which is embodied by a fad-obsessed, incompetent mail clerk named Flip.

If you've ever entered an IKEA through the front entrance (instead of sneaking through the marketplace), you'll understand the "sheep" reference. People walking along assigned pathways, eyes glancing downward nervously, following large black arrows on the floor, not daring to stray from the path, much less walk in the opposite direction.

Sandra Foster works in a "Dilbert" type corporation, trying to work out what causes fads, from hairstyles to crossword puzzles. Bennett O'Reilly works for the same corporation, studying chaos theories. When these two get together thanks to a misdelivered package, things really start to get chaotic, compounded by the hiring of an assistant for Flip, who is (gasp) a SMOKER, and Management's efficiency meetings.

Studying the behavioral patterns of a flock of sheep proves to be a lot harder than it looks (almost as hard as filling up a Corporation request for a paper clip) but through some coincidental occurrences they learn the secret of the wooly herd-followers the hard way.

An enjoyably easy read, I especially liked the information on various fads at the beginning of each chapter. Like most of the other people who've read this book, you'll probably like it.

Amanda Richards, September 24, 2005

You know, it really irks me when a wonderful book like Bellwether comes out and all these "well-read" types come out of the woodwork to tell you how awful it was because it wasn't like her other work, didn't turn out how they wanted, maybe wasn't as deep as something else she'd written....Please read it anyway! I loved this book! I have read it many times, loaned it to many friends, bought it for birthdays...you name it! I love the fact that it's not like her other books. I love that Connie Willis can allow herself to branch out. She is a fine author in any incarnation, and just because it doesn't focus on spaceships or aliens or time-travel, doesn't mean it can't be science fiction. You got your science. You got your fiction. Voila! And if nothing else, the ending will make reading the book all worthwhile.

This one is the modern, fully developed Connie Willis, firing her wit at your boots to keep you dancing. Chaos theory, the origins of fads, Dilbertesque management methods, sheep, and fashion impairment, Alexander Fleming, latte, Winston Churchill, pineapple upside-down cake, this book has it all . . . even though, in many ways, it's more of a very long short story than a novel. Sandra Foster is the fads researcher, Bennett O'Reilly is the chaos-driven sheepherder (sort of), and everything comes out all right in the end. A light, fluffy read -- but lots of fun, with the author's usual great grasp of characterization and some interesting points to make about the nature of scientific discovery.

This book will Flip you out. And you'll have to read it to truly appreciate this comment. :) If this book is indicative of Connie's writing I can see why she has won six Nebulas and five Hugos (including short stories, novellas etc).

The story revolves around Sandy, a research scientist working at HiTek. She is searching for the cause of fads. There would be a lot of money for the people who could predict the next fad. She is focusing on the fad of 'hair bobbing' that afflicted women in the 1920s. If she can find what caused it she can apply the model to fads in general.

When the story starts things aren't going to well for Sandy. She's found lots of leads, but nothing conclusive. Her investigations are hampered and conversely helped by the conditions and environment she is forced to work in.

'Bellwether' is written with a wickedly cynical sense of humour. I had to stop reading in a couple of places as I was laughing so hard. The characters have to be read to be believed. Even the incidental people in the book are beautifully described. They are the sort of people you never want to meet, but that you know are out there.

Some of the characters don't have names, but this is because they don't need them. The most notable example is Sandy's boss, he (the gender is specified) is simply the Management. He is the epitome of everything that you think off when you think about corporate management. I won't go into detail as it would take some of the fun out of the book, but Connie has captured the concept with breathtaking accuracy.

Connie manages to include huge amounts of information about both fads and chaos theory without being boring or impenetrable.

Each chapter has a paragraph at the start about one fad. I'm astounded at some of the things Connie has managed to dig up. Some of the fads we have indulged in in the past are utterly ridiculous. You wouldn't think anyone would ever do anything like some of the things Connie describes, but they are (sadly) all to true.

Chaos is a central theme to this book in both theory and practice. Chaos theory is central to Sandy's study of how fads get started and chaos is central to how her life operates. It's just one bewildering, inexplicable thing after the other. Don't despair about this book being incomprehensible, though, Connie's leads you though it all with skill and wit, I never felt lost, and ties everything together at the end.

Being a fad researcher one thing that Sandy notices, and frequently comments on, is that people don't think for themselves, they simply follow the fad. A fad that Sandy would like to see start amongst the insanity she is researching, is people thinking for themselves. I dare say this is something Connie would like to see as well and I wholeheartedly agree. It's a pity that the only people who are capable of understanding what Connie is saying probably don't follow fads anyhow. But if this book gets at least one person thinking for themselves rather then following the trend then I'm sure Connie would be delighted.

When I was half way through I was seriously thinking this would be a five star book. So what went wrong, why have I only given it four? Towards the end the humour starts to disappear. The book never becomes uninteresting or dull, it is a delight to read right through to the last page, but it doesn't quite have the bite at the end as it has in the initial two thirds. Still I highly recommend you read 'Bellwether'. It is a damn good book, quite definitely four stars and quite nearly five.

I opened this book expecting a serious Sci Fi look at the workings of Chaos, based on the Mandelbrot patterns on the cover and the blurbs tauting Willis as one of "science fiction's best writers". What I got was well-crafted, romantic and wickedly funny writing about scientists, not science fiction. But the quality of the writing was so good and the satire so pointed that I didn't mind in the slightest.

Sandra Foster studies pop culture fads and is currently pulling her hair out over the prime cause of the fad for bobbed hair in the 1920s. Though she can isolate several factors, none seems to fit as a prime mover. A misdirected package given to her by her office's angry slacker assistant brings her in contact with Bennet O'Reilly, a chaos researcher and perhaps the only man Sandra's ever met who seems genuinely immune to fads. Add on a coporate bureaucracy fond of anagrams like GRIM, a seriously out-of-control anti-smoking work environment and a biologist obsessed with handicapping a rare and lucretive "genius" grant and you have the makings of a funny satirical romp through corporate groupthink, fashion victimhood and the silliness of science-for-hire.

The novel is a very fast read. I was done in about an afternoon. But it is diverting, clever and lighthearted. The plot twists are somewhat predictable, though ultimately I think part of that predictable nature was calculated by the author. Willis has a acute ear for popular culture's language and clevery skews many fads from angels to anti-smoking campaigns to odd clothing trends. Overtop of the satire is a layer of science in the form of chaos theory. The entire story is structured as an exmple of increasingly chaotic systems breaking down and then suddenly creating new levels of organization. This scientific veneer isn't particularly important to understand in ordered to enjoy the book, but it does lift the book into the realm of speculative fiction.

So, it's not deep and it's not heavy. But it is fun and it is a smart read. You could do worse than spend an afternoon in Willis' wacky world.

Chris Forbes

The more Connie Willis I read, the more I like her work. The tone of this book is strongly reminiscent of "To say Nothing of the Dog", so chances are if you liked that one, you'll like this one. Instead of being a time-travel story, however, it is set in contemporary Boulder, Colorado (an ideal environment for any trends researcher such as our main character, I assure you). I really got the feeling while reading this that I was present at a scientific breakthrough. All the disparate events and characters force the story gradually to a satisfying conclusion, while giving the impression that they are stumbling blocks to any progress that might be possible. Just a lovely, lighthearted book -- which may lead you to deep thoughts if you wish, but which can certainly be enjoyed on a more "surface" level.

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.

There's just something about Connie Willis' books...Bellwether is a book about fads, what starts them, and how they impact society. Unlike Willis' two time travel books (Doomsday Book and To Say Nothing of the Dog), Bellwether is set in contemporary Denver, Colorado. Sandy Foster works for a corporation there, where she researches fads. She spends much of the book trying to figure out why women suddenly cut their hair into bobs in the 1920's. Ben O'Reilly also works for HiTech; he researches chaos theory. Naturally, Sandy and Ben start working together, trying to correlate their two fields.

Like her other books, every character is fleshed out, and used in the plot, even the ones that seem incidental. And naturally you don't find out how everything fits together until the end of the book. And like To Say Nothing of the Dog, this book made me laugh out loud in public places. It also pokes fun at the scientific community, trendy restaurants, and libraries which refuse to keep classic books. I was a little surprised by the anti-anti-smoking sub-plot, but that's not enough to make me give Bellwether anything less than five stars. Highly enjoyable and re-readable.

A breezy, light read that is quite clever and features some interesting commentary on trends, corporate cultures, and human behaivior.