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Jack
During the height of the Blitz in London, the air raid rescue squad operating out of Mrs. Lucy’s house is close-knit and ever-watchful. When a new volunteer named Jack shows up, his odd behavior—not eating, disappearing during the day for a mysterious job—isn’t concerning at first. The sleepless stress of the job is hard on everyone. Soon, Jack is in high demand, due to an almost uncanny talent for finding buried people still alive under the rubble…
But how does he do it? As the narrator, another member of the squad also named Jack, begins to investigate, the truth turns out to have a dark, tragic twist.
New York Times bestselling, multiple-award-winning author Connie Willis’s surprising and deftly rendered classic 1991 novella “Jack,” a finalist for the Nebula and the Hugo awards, is a must-have for readers of her beloved works set in World War II, including “Fire Watch,” Blackout, and All Clear.
But how does he do it? As the narrator, another member of the squad also named Jack, begins to investigate, the truth turns out to have a dark, tragic twist.
New York Times bestselling, multiple-award-winning author Connie Willis’s surprising and deftly rendered classic 1991 novella “Jack,” a finalist for the Nebula and the Hugo awards, is a must-have for readers of her beloved works set in World War II, including “Fire Watch,” Blackout, and All Clear.
72 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 1991
2 people are currently reading
305 people want to read
About the author
Connie Willis
256 books4,690 followersConstance Elaine Trimmer Willis is an American science fiction writer. She is one of the most honored science fiction writers of the 1980s and 1990s.
She has won, among other awards, ten Hugo Awards and six Nebula Awards. Willis most recently won a Hugo Award for All Seated on the Ground (August 2008). She was the 2011 recipient of the Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award from the Science Fiction Writers of America (SFWA).
She lives in Greeley, Colorado with her husband Courtney Willis, a professor of physics at the University of Northern Colorado. She also has one daughter, Cordelia.
Willis is known for her accessible prose and likable characters. She has written several pieces involving time travel by history students and faculty of the future University of Oxford. These pieces include her Hugo Award-winning novels Doomsday Book and To Say Nothing of the Dog and the short story "Fire Watch," found in the short story collection of the same name.
Willis tends to the comedy of manners style of writing. Her protagonists are typically beset by single-minded people pursuing illogical agendas, such as attempting to organize a bell-ringing session in the middle of a deadly epidemic (Doomsday Book), or frustrating efforts to analyze near-death experiences by putting words in the mouths of interviewees (Passage).
She has won, among other awards, ten Hugo Awards and six Nebula Awards. Willis most recently won a Hugo Award for All Seated on the Ground (August 2008). She was the 2011 recipient of the Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award from the Science Fiction Writers of America (SFWA).
She lives in Greeley, Colorado with her husband Courtney Willis, a professor of physics at the University of Northern Colorado. She also has one daughter, Cordelia.
Willis is known for her accessible prose and likable characters. She has written several pieces involving time travel by history students and faculty of the future University of Oxford. These pieces include her Hugo Award-winning novels Doomsday Book and To Say Nothing of the Dog and the short story "Fire Watch," found in the short story collection of the same name.
Willis tends to the comedy of manners style of writing. Her protagonists are typically beset by single-minded people pursuing illogical agendas, such as attempting to organize a bell-ringing session in the middle of a deadly epidemic (Doomsday Book), or frustrating efforts to analyze near-death experiences by putting words in the mouths of interviewees (Passage).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
May 22, 2020
4.5 stars! Final review, first posted on Fantasy Literature:
Subterranean Press is reissuing Connie Willis’s moody and bleak 1991 novella Jack, which was a finalist for the Nebula and Hugo awards and has appeared in several anthologies over the years. It’s set during the London Blitz in WWII, one of Willis’ favorite settings for her works, including the time-travel novels Blackout and All Clear and the Nebula and Hugo award-winning novelette "Fire Watch". Once again, there’s something peculiar going on during the Blitz … but this time it’s not just time travelers visiting from the future.
Jack Harker is part of a squad of air raid wardens, charged with helping to put out the fires caused by German incendiary bombs and digging survivors out of the rubble left by explosive bombs. Their group is joined by a new part-timer, Jack Settle, who proves to be unusually good at finding live people who are trapped under the rubble. But Jack Harker can’t help but think there’s something suspicious about the new Jack. He never shares the group’s food, even when it’s a special treat; he works during the night and disappears at dawn.
Jack has a sense of mystery about it, although Willis doesn’t try especially hard to hide the answer. On rereading Jack for the first time in many years, I noticed all of the hints that Willis strews around like so many breadcrumbs. References to churches, the “walking dead” (exhaustion caused by lack of sleep, poor nutrition and anxiety), allusions to places and even characters’ names (seriously, take a hard look at the names!): all combine to create an increasing sense of anxiety and dread, compounded by the Nazis’ constant bombing.
But in the final analysis it’s not the particular mystery of “who or what is Jack Settle?” that Willis focuses on, but how the events in this novella affect Jack Harker and those around him. The name “Jack” isn’t all he shares with the man of whom he is so distrustful. And there are many ways for people to be monstrous, as well as human. The ending is gut-wrenching. It’s a finely crafted novella.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Thanks!
Subterranean Press is reissuing Connie Willis’s moody and bleak 1991 novella Jack, which was a finalist for the Nebula and Hugo awards and has appeared in several anthologies over the years. It’s set during the London Blitz in WWII, one of Willis’ favorite settings for her works, including the time-travel novels Blackout and All Clear and the Nebula and Hugo award-winning novelette "Fire Watch". Once again, there’s something peculiar going on during the Blitz … but this time it’s not just time travelers visiting from the future.
Jack Harker is part of a squad of air raid wardens, charged with helping to put out the fires caused by German incendiary bombs and digging survivors out of the rubble left by explosive bombs. Their group is joined by a new part-timer, Jack Settle, who proves to be unusually good at finding live people who are trapped under the rubble. But Jack Harker can’t help but think there’s something suspicious about the new Jack. He never shares the group’s food, even when it’s a special treat; he works during the night and disappears at dawn.
Jack has a sense of mystery about it, although Willis doesn’t try especially hard to hide the answer. On rereading Jack for the first time in many years, I noticed all of the hints that Willis strews around like so many breadcrumbs. References to churches, the “walking dead” (exhaustion caused by lack of sleep, poor nutrition and anxiety), allusions to places and even characters’ names (seriously, take a hard look at the names!): all combine to create an increasing sense of anxiety and dread, compounded by the Nazis’ constant bombing.
But in the final analysis it’s not the particular mystery of “who or what is Jack Settle?” that Willis focuses on, but how the events in this novella affect Jack Harker and those around him. The name “Jack” isn’t all he shares with the man of whom he is so distrustful. And there are many ways for people to be monstrous, as well as human. The ending is gut-wrenching. It’s a finely crafted novella.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Thanks!
May 20, 2020
“Sometimes it takes something dreadful like a war for one to find one’s proper job.”
This is a reissued novella originally published in 1991. During the London blitz, a group of wardens are joined by a new part timer, Jack Settle, who has an amazing knack for finding survivors in the rubble following a bombing.. He leaves promptly each morning to go to an undisclosed day job. The book was an interesting portrayal of the camaraderie and self-sacrifice of the people who watched out for incendiary devices, put out fires and rescued bomb victims. Jack Harker was another warden who, after perhaps too many sleepless nights, began to be suspicious of Settle’s true motives. This was an unexpected take on the awfulness of war. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
This is a reissued novella originally published in 1991. During the London blitz, a group of wardens are joined by a new part timer, Jack Settle, who has an amazing knack for finding survivors in the rubble following a bombing.. He leaves promptly each morning to go to an undisclosed day job. The book was an interesting portrayal of the camaraderie and self-sacrifice of the people who watched out for incendiary devices, put out fires and rescued bomb victims. Jack Harker was another warden who, after perhaps too many sleepless nights, began to be suspicious of Settle’s true motives. This was an unexpected take on the awfulness of war. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
November 3, 2021
Well this was weird. Most of the story is your fairly standard Connie Willis Writes about the Blitz Fare (CWWatBF™) but then you get to the end and it turns out this was really all about spoiler spoiler . Most discombobulating indeed. Add that to the fact that I was never a spoiler spoiler spoiler fan in the first place and you have me going all...
The end and stuff.
The end and stuff.
April 30, 2020
Ahoy there me mateys! I received this historical fantasy eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. So here are me honest musings . . .
The cover drew me in and three things convinced me to read this book:
1. Connie Willis wrote the doomsday book and it was seriously one of the best books I have ever read;
2. It is a Subterranean Press book and they do great work; and
3. This novella was a finalist for the 1991 Nebula and Hugo awards and is set during the Blitz in London.
I have yet to read a bad Connie Willis book. This novella is awesome! This story is told from the prospective of Jack who is a member of the air raid rescue squad. The main job of their squad is to rescue folks trapped in rubble from the bombs. A new member joins the squad who also happens to be called Jack. The two Jacks end up on patrol together. But the newest Jack (#2) doesn't seem to have a clear past and has an uncanny ability to find survivors. So Jack (#1) starts to investigate his partner. Jack's (#1) rationale for what he finds sounds insane. Or is it . . .
I am not going to give ye anymore plot then that. I loved the ending. Ye can take it two different ways. One just happens to be more fun than the other. As always the setting is excellent, the world-building superb, the writing sublime, and the characters lovely. I do think Willis is a genius. So much complexity and yet a short, clear, and engaging read. If ye have missed this one pick it up. If ye have never read anything by her then certainly get a hold of her work. This would be a great place to start.
So lastly . . .
Thank you Subterranean Press!
Side note: I do really need to finish the Oxford Time Travel series. I am only halfway through but the two books I have read were awesome!
The cover drew me in and three things convinced me to read this book:
1. Connie Willis wrote the doomsday book and it was seriously one of the best books I have ever read;
2. It is a Subterranean Press book and they do great work; and
3. This novella was a finalist for the 1991 Nebula and Hugo awards and is set during the Blitz in London.
I have yet to read a bad Connie Willis book. This novella is awesome! This story is told from the prospective of Jack who is a member of the air raid rescue squad. The main job of their squad is to rescue folks trapped in rubble from the bombs. A new member joins the squad who also happens to be called Jack. The two Jacks end up on patrol together. But the newest Jack (#2) doesn't seem to have a clear past and has an uncanny ability to find survivors. So Jack (#1) starts to investigate his partner. Jack's (#1) rationale for what he finds sounds insane. Or is it . . .
I am not going to give ye anymore plot then that. I loved the ending. Ye can take it two different ways. One just happens to be more fun than the other. As always the setting is excellent, the world-building superb, the writing sublime, and the characters lovely. I do think Willis is a genius. So much complexity and yet a short, clear, and engaging read. If ye have missed this one pick it up. If ye have never read anything by her then certainly get a hold of her work. This would be a great place to start.
So lastly . . .
Thank you Subterranean Press!
Side note: I do really need to finish the Oxford Time Travel series. I am only halfway through but the two books I have read were awesome!
March 14, 2020
Review tomorrow.
March 14, 2020
This is my second read by the author and I’m yet to find myself in love, so far it’s just middle level like all the way. The writing is perfectly nice, but the story itself just didn’t really grab me. The novella format was perfect for the level of interest and emotional engagement for me. Set during the same time as some of the author’s other longer works, this is a story about rescue workers during WWII in London, England. One of the new volunteers seems to be extraordinarily good at locating victims, almost as if by supernatural means. Or so his colleague suspects and tries to figure out. The readers will probably figure out Jack’s deal even sooner, the author makes it entirely too obvious, the clues are bullet train sized and just as subtle, where more subtlety might have actually made for a more exciting and surprising narrative. Other than that, the writing is perfectly decent, there’s a good amount of details to bring the era to life with all its danger and devastation, so on a historical fiction level it certainly works. It’s just the Jack in Jack that’s underwhelming somewhat (possibly due to my person indifference to his specific kind of being…to say more would be too much), possibly because he is by far the most interesting character in the story, but somehow not the main one, in fact all we know of him is what is being observed and speculated by his coworker. So yeah, a good enough quick read. Thanks Netgalley.
March 19, 2020
Loved it! Connie Willis returns to the well she has drawn from so successfully in the past .... the angst that the English incurred during the World War II Blitz of London .... including the gems: All Clear, Blackout, and Fire Watch. This time out she explores the plight of the rescue crews during and after each night of bombings. The all pervasive stress and strain of hoping to find survivors, rather than corpses. Along comes volunteer Jack Harker, who joins Mrs Lucy's rescue team during the evening, only to quickly depart before dawn, to return to his mysterious "regular" job. Jack has an uncanny and unbelievable knack of finding survivors buried beneath the rubble ... undetectable to any other. Is there perhaps a significance to his name ... which invokes remembrance to one of the main protagonist of Bram Stoker's 1897 masterpiece: "Dracula" ???
Connie Willis miraculously weaves a compelling tale shrouded in mystery in this slim 112 page gem. Thanks to NetGalley and Subterranean Press (@SubPress) for providing an Uncorrected electronic proof in exchange for an honest review. ( at readersremains.com)
Connie Willis miraculously weaves a compelling tale shrouded in mystery in this slim 112 page gem. Thanks to NetGalley and Subterranean Press (@SubPress) for providing an Uncorrected electronic proof in exchange for an honest review. ( at readersremains.com)
April 11, 2020
The Good: WWII, bombs, and an unlikely suspect digging up survivors
The Bad: None, I love it!
The Literary: A bold reference to a classic literary horror story
Jack Harker works long hours with an raid rescue squad during the height of the Blitz in London in World War II. But when new volunteer Jack Settle joins the close-knit squad, his odd behavior begins to concern Jack. He doesn't eat cake or drink alcohol; he disappears every morning before sunrise for an unknown day job; and he has an uncanny ability to find people buried alive in the rubble. Everyone else seems to love Jack for being such a good bodysniffer, but Jack begins to suspect he is hiding something.
This reissued 1991 Hugo and Nebula nominated novella is similar to Willis' follow up World War II novels, but it's a perfect little story unto itself. It has all the wonderful world-building and historically accurate details that make the setting come alive, which is something fans of Willis have come to expect. She deftly maneuvers the emotional strain on the stiff upper lip of the Brits searching for bodies every night after the bombings, hoping to find live ones instead of corpses.
But this stands apart in its dark, moody, paranoid tone, and I love it! As narrator Jack loses out on more and more sleep, his suspicions and biased perspective increase. How come Jack found those people when no one else heard them yelling? Why doesn't the office have an address or ration card on file for him? Something is amiss, and it's not like how Renfrew thinks the air raids are targeting him because of a letter he once wrote to the Times. It's fantastic!
Recommended for fans of genre-bending historical drama and fantasy horror!
The Bad: None, I love it!
The Literary: A bold reference to a classic literary horror story
Jack Harker works long hours with an raid rescue squad during the height of the Blitz in London in World War II. But when new volunteer Jack Settle joins the close-knit squad, his odd behavior begins to concern Jack. He doesn't eat cake or drink alcohol; he disappears every morning before sunrise for an unknown day job; and he has an uncanny ability to find people buried alive in the rubble. Everyone else seems to love Jack for being such a good bodysniffer, but Jack begins to suspect he is hiding something.
This reissued 1991 Hugo and Nebula nominated novella is similar to Willis' follow up World War II novels, but it's a perfect little story unto itself. It has all the wonderful world-building and historically accurate details that make the setting come alive, which is something fans of Willis have come to expect. She deftly maneuvers the emotional strain on the stiff upper lip of the Brits searching for bodies every night after the bombings, hoping to find live ones instead of corpses.
But this stands apart in its dark, moody, paranoid tone, and I love it! As narrator Jack loses out on more and more sleep, his suspicions and biased perspective increase. How come Jack found those people when no one else heard them yelling? Why doesn't the office have an address or ration card on file for him? Something is amiss, and it's not like how Renfrew thinks the air raids are targeting him because of a letter he once wrote to the Times. It's fantastic!
Recommended for fans of genre-bending historical drama and fantasy horror!
July 3, 2020
A slim book which packs a hell of a punch! The many allusions to Dracula make it clear early on what the mystery man's secret is, but Willis goes far beyond the standard vampire tale; her characters are vivid and the depictions of the Blitz are harrowing.
April 17, 2021
A short and fascinating read, as we wonder about the identity of one Jack and about the mental state of the other Jack. Extremely well-plotted, and perfect description of the setting.
March 10, 2020
Jack by Connie Willis-This is a novella, first published in 1991, in Willis's Blackout story line, following a group of volunteer wardens during the London Blitz of World War Two. In the story, a man named Jack Harker narrates, another Jack joins the close-knit group to help rescue people buried in the rubble of constant bombings. This new Jack has an uncanny ability of finding people still alive underneath the debris, but can only assist them during the night and quickly disappears at daylight, leading the narrator Jack to suspect the new Jack's true intentions. The characters are all well drawn and each is given his or her own place in the chaos that surrounds them. This definitely makes you want to search out the other stories in this setting. Subterranean Press is re-releasing this story in a special collector's edition, with the usual high-end quality and illustrations they are famous for. Thanks to Netgalley for giving me this ARC to review.
March 5, 2020
A short novella by the always inventive Connie Willis, who takes us once again to London during the Blitz. This time we're in amongst the ARP wardens, spotting bombs, putting out fires, and rescuing trapped victims from the rubble. When Jack Settle, a new volunteer, becomes part of the team, it becomes obvious that he has a knack for locating victims, raising the suspicions of another warden.
A nice companion to her other works set in the same period.
A nice companion to her other works set in the same period.
June 20, 2020
It's wonderful to see this delightful novella in Willis' Oxford Time Travel series in print again. It's a lovely and moving and slightly creepy story, and it's a must-have for any fan of the series as a whole.
August 2, 2020
I love Connie Willis' work. I can't really give this one an honest rating so this is a best guess. I do offer a word of advice for people wanting to read it: don't read reviews. I went into the book knowing far too much, which is why I have trouble rating it. I wish I could have discovered it on my own.
November 14, 2020
Connie Willis' 1991 classic is a must-read for anyone who considers themselves a fan of science fiction and historical fiction. As always, her ability to convey the time and place about which she writes is uncanny, leading the reader to forget that this is, after all, a masterful product of someone's imagination.
September 28, 2020
A minor work by Connie Willis. but even her minor works are excellent.
July 15, 2021
Jack is a delight, one that only Connie Willis could have created. During the Blitz, London was chaotic. It was the perfect place to commit a crime. Dead bodies are buried in the rubble, thrown clear of their houses, and in the hospital morgue. No one takes the time to check how each body for the cause of death. No one will notice a few extra bodies here or there. Jack is a wonderful little book. I am planning on buying a copy for myself.
May 8, 2021
Based on the author and the setting, I thought I knew what to expect for this one. I was wrong. This was an amusing story, but not what I had expected at all.
October 2, 2020
2.5 stars
On the one hand, this is nicely atmospheric but still and focused — a simple story about a group of ARP volunteers in London during the Blitz. But widening the lens just a touch, the main character and narrator, Jack Harker, leads us through a strange story that is strikingly similar in many ways to an earlier Willis short story, Fire Watch — one that started her Oxford Time Travel Series.
Though there is no time-traveling element in Jack, the general situation, theme, and some plot points are repeated here, and Jack overall makes a nice companion book alongside Fire Watch, Blackout, and All Clear for Willis fans.
However, what does happen is rather dry, and then a strange dash of something else is thrown in ... apparently for kicks. I kept wanting this to be something else — something more — but it wasn't and I just found myself a wee bit disappointed that the reveal ended up where it did. All in all, it seems rather bleak and pointless for what it amounts to be.
On the one hand, this is nicely atmospheric but still and focused — a simple story about a group of ARP volunteers in London during the Blitz. But widening the lens just a touch, the main character and narrator, Jack Harker, leads us through a strange story that is strikingly similar in many ways to an earlier Willis short story, Fire Watch — one that started her Oxford Time Travel Series.
Though there is no time-traveling element in Jack, the general situation, theme, and some plot points are repeated here, and Jack overall makes a nice companion book alongside Fire Watch, Blackout, and All Clear for Willis fans.
However, what does happen is rather dry, and then a strange dash of something else is thrown in ... apparently for kicks. I kept wanting this to be something else — something more — but it wasn't and I just found myself a wee bit disappointed that the reveal ended up where it did. All in all, it seems rather bleak and pointless for what it amounts to be.
June 18, 2020
I am a great fan of Connie Willis: loved Doomsday Book and Passage in particular. That said, this is Connie Willis-lite at best. It follows some other short works that seemed to me little better, e.g.: All About Emily (a robot wants to be a Rockette at Radio City Music Hall); and I Met a Traveller in an Antique Land (discovering a repository for otherwise lost books, millions of them, under New York City). I am kind of giving up on Connie Willis, alas. [Spoiler alert for what follows.] Set, like several of her books, during the Battle of Britain, the plot centers on a new volunteer with a unit of the air raid rescue squad. They watch where German bombs fall then try to find and rescue survivors in the bombing rubble (or remove corpses). You will see where this is heading long before the narrator does. New volunteer (Jack) has an uncanny ability to find survivors in the rubble. He is often seen bending over the rescued on their stretchers for no obvious reason (some of whom we learn die after rescue from blood loss). Jack disappears promptly at dawn. Jack won't enter a church to rescue a large crucifix above the alter though others saw incendiary bombs fall on the church (Jack denies that happened). And more similar details. See where this is heading? Of course you do. And you already now know everything you need to know without even having to read the book. I still like Connie Willis but I don't like this.
January 28, 2022
Like the book, I will keep this review short: Disappointing.
The plot is what attracted me to this book, but I was so upset with how it was executed. Characters lacked a proper introduction and because of that, I often had to go back to where they first came in to put the pieces together. The protagonist was flat and dull. I didn't feel what he felt and I didn't follow his thought process and actions. And as for the titular character Jack, I have no words. It was never really clarified about what he was.
I'm struggling to come up with much for this. Nothing happened and it was a waste of a hundred pages. This had so much potential to be a horrific masterpiece but it failed spectacularly in all aspects.
The plot is what attracted me to this book, but I was so upset with how it was executed. Characters lacked a proper introduction and because of that, I often had to go back to where they first came in to put the pieces together. The protagonist was flat and dull. I didn't feel what he felt and I didn't follow his thought process and actions. And as for the titular character Jack, I have no words. It was never really clarified about what he was.
I'm struggling to come up with much for this. Nothing happened and it was a waste of a hundred pages. This had so much potential to be a horrific masterpiece but it failed spectacularly in all aspects.
May 24, 2020
I received a free copy of this book. I am leaving my honest opinion.
I have read books by this author before and enjoyed them. I am sorry to say that I just couldn't enjoy this one.
To be fair, I only read halfway through. However, I was never drawn in. I didn't find the characters particularly relatable. Nor did I find the plot interesting.
Hopefully, other readers will have a better experience.
I have read books by this author before and enjoyed them. I am sorry to say that I just couldn't enjoy this one.
To be fair, I only read halfway through. However, I was never drawn in. I didn't find the characters particularly relatable. Nor did I find the plot interesting.
Hopefully, other readers will have a better experience.
January 25, 2022
A hard-to-find Connie Willis novella. The story was poignant and creepy at the same time. Connie Willis brought the reader into the scariness and the messiness of making it through each day during WWII and the constant bombing of London. Jack and Jack are the main characters, perhaps at polar ends as men.
June 20, 2021
Astonishing in its pedestrian nature, in light of the brilliance of the rest of the author's work. It's not terrible per se, and I was able to finish it, but there just wasn't anything there that I can imagine sticking with me. It's just meh...
May 9, 2020
Originally published at Reading Reality
I didn’t catch that this was a reprint when I downloaded it from NetGalley a few weeks ago. Upon further investigation, I discovered that I read this one, a long, long time ago. It’s part of Connie Willis’ marvelous short story collection, Impossible Things. This is one I even have a signed copy of.
And just for the record, my absolute favorite story in that collection is Even the Queen. Even after reading Jack. If you haven’t seen the collection or read that particular story, it’s certainly worth looking into.
But we’re here to talk about Jack. Both Jacks, really. Because the titular character is named Jack and the subject of the story is named Jack and they are NOT the same Jack.
The story here is about a group of Air Raid Wardens in London during the Blitz. A time of chaos and confusion, a time of monsters and heroes. This is a story about someone who is a bit of both.
War makes monsters of us all. Sometimes it makes the monsters into heroes, and the heroes into monsters. One’s perspective shifts depending on whether one is one of the bombers – or one of the bombed.
War is also a time when people reach deep inside themselves and find the hero, or the villain, within. London during the Blitz was a time of rising crime. It was also a time when people went out into the bombed streets to rescue their friends, their neighbors, and even relative strangers.
War is also a time when life is in upheaval, when social norms are overthrown, when some people manage to have the best of times, while others experience the worst.
Jack, our narrator Jack, is a young man waiting to be called up for military service. While he’s waiting, he’s part of a quirky bunch of air raid wardens. The portrait of the life of the air raid wardens, their gallows humor, their intense camaraderie, their harrowing experiences in the field and their endless war against paperwork, brings the read deeply into their little found family just as the other Jack, the subject of the story is introduced to their little gang.
New Jack, Jack Settle, is a bit of a mystery. He has an uncanny knack for finding survivors under the rubble of a bomb site. He is entirely too good at finding people who aren’t making a sound – and he knows when they’ve died while the rescue is still ongoing.
Our narrator can’t resist poking into the conundrum that is Jack Settle, and he finds something unexpected – and shocking. Some monsters are more literally monstrous than others. But even they have a part to play in this war. There are times when a curse can be a blessing, even though no amount of rescues can balance the scales weighing past crimes.
Escape Rating B: Jack is a quiet little story. Quietly heroic and quietly chilling as well. The narrator’s discovery about Jack Settle’s true nature creeps up on both the narrator and the reader, as does that narrator’s understanding that this war, as terrible as it is, has allowed some people to show their best selves – even a monster like Jack Settle – while others display the more monstrous side of their humanity.
I don’t think it’s any accident that there’s a “bodysniffer” every bit as successful as Jack Settle over in Whitechapel. He’s probably named Jack, too.
Jack, the story, is a quick read. If you’re a fan of the author, particularly her award-winning Blackout/All Clear duology, Jack is a return to that setting from a different perspective. And if you haven’t read her Impossible Things collection, the entire thing is available in more formats for less money and is a real treat!
I didn’t catch that this was a reprint when I downloaded it from NetGalley a few weeks ago. Upon further investigation, I discovered that I read this one, a long, long time ago. It’s part of Connie Willis’ marvelous short story collection, Impossible Things. This is one I even have a signed copy of.
And just for the record, my absolute favorite story in that collection is Even the Queen. Even after reading Jack. If you haven’t seen the collection or read that particular story, it’s certainly worth looking into.
But we’re here to talk about Jack. Both Jacks, really. Because the titular character is named Jack and the subject of the story is named Jack and they are NOT the same Jack.
The story here is about a group of Air Raid Wardens in London during the Blitz. A time of chaos and confusion, a time of monsters and heroes. This is a story about someone who is a bit of both.
War makes monsters of us all. Sometimes it makes the monsters into heroes, and the heroes into monsters. One’s perspective shifts depending on whether one is one of the bombers – or one of the bombed.
War is also a time when people reach deep inside themselves and find the hero, or the villain, within. London during the Blitz was a time of rising crime. It was also a time when people went out into the bombed streets to rescue their friends, their neighbors, and even relative strangers.
War is also a time when life is in upheaval, when social norms are overthrown, when some people manage to have the best of times, while others experience the worst.
Jack, our narrator Jack, is a young man waiting to be called up for military service. While he’s waiting, he’s part of a quirky bunch of air raid wardens. The portrait of the life of the air raid wardens, their gallows humor, their intense camaraderie, their harrowing experiences in the field and their endless war against paperwork, brings the read deeply into their little found family just as the other Jack, the subject of the story is introduced to their little gang.
New Jack, Jack Settle, is a bit of a mystery. He has an uncanny knack for finding survivors under the rubble of a bomb site. He is entirely too good at finding people who aren’t making a sound – and he knows when they’ve died while the rescue is still ongoing.
Our narrator can’t resist poking into the conundrum that is Jack Settle, and he finds something unexpected – and shocking. Some monsters are more literally monstrous than others. But even they have a part to play in this war. There are times when a curse can be a blessing, even though no amount of rescues can balance the scales weighing past crimes.
Escape Rating B: Jack is a quiet little story. Quietly heroic and quietly chilling as well. The narrator’s discovery about Jack Settle’s true nature creeps up on both the narrator and the reader, as does that narrator’s understanding that this war, as terrible as it is, has allowed some people to show their best selves – even a monster like Jack Settle – while others display the more monstrous side of their humanity.
I don’t think it’s any accident that there’s a “bodysniffer” every bit as successful as Jack Settle over in Whitechapel. He’s probably named Jack, too.
Jack, the story, is a quick read. If you’re a fan of the author, particularly her award-winning Blackout/All Clear duology, Jack is a return to that setting from a different perspective. And if you haven’t read her Impossible Things collection, the entire thing is available in more formats for less money and is a real treat!
August 14, 2020
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
Jack is an beautifully well written and atmospheric gothic novella set in London during the blitz during WW2. Originally released in 1991, this reformat and re-release in a special hardcover edition from Subterranean Press and Connie Willis is 112 pages.
I really loved everything about this read. There are classic nods to horror fiction from the past at the same time maintaining a wonderfully clean and distinct narrative which never devolves into homage. The characters are so distinctly drawn and motivated that they live and breathe. The narrative arc is precisely controlled and the denouement crisply delivered (and bittersweet).
I started reading at bedtime and I'm glad it was a short book because there's absolutely no way I could've put it down before finishing it.
Wonderful novella from a talented author at the top of her game. (Trivia factoid: The author has won more major awards in the SF/Fantasy category than any other writer - 11 Hugos and 7 Nebulas (nebulae?)).
Five stars. Fabulous short read.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Jack is an beautifully well written and atmospheric gothic novella set in London during the blitz during WW2. Originally released in 1991, this reformat and re-release in a special hardcover edition from Subterranean Press and Connie Willis is 112 pages.
I really loved everything about this read. There are classic nods to horror fiction from the past at the same time maintaining a wonderfully clean and distinct narrative which never devolves into homage. The characters are so distinctly drawn and motivated that they live and breathe. The narrative arc is precisely controlled and the denouement crisply delivered (and bittersweet).
I started reading at bedtime and I'm glad it was a short book because there's absolutely no way I could've put it down before finishing it.
Wonderful novella from a talented author at the top of her game. (Trivia factoid: The author has won more major awards in the SF/Fantasy category than any other writer - 11 Hugos and 7 Nebulas (nebulae?)).
Five stars. Fabulous short read.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
April 17, 2020
I'm... so confused.
I love the premise of this book. The idea is something I've seen before, but done in a new (to me) way and I was excited to get this book. I just don't know how I feel about it.
I was distracted early on by some of the phrases... some pretty bad and some pretty good. One character has "colorless brown hair" (what the actual hell does that mean, is it colorless or brown?). Another Brit quotes someone as "blah blah "he says, I says"", which I had to read twice and once more out loud... try reading "he says, I says" with a British inflection, you'll feel yourself in a better mood.
The problem I have is with the dual characters Jack and Jack. The narrator and the mystery, I don't know how I feel about them and what they represent. Maybe I'll figure it out as my memories of the story marinate, but I feel like this novella needed another several chapters to develop the characters.
**I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I love the premise of this book. The idea is something I've seen before, but done in a new (to me) way and I was excited to get this book. I just don't know how I feel about it.
I was distracted early on by some of the phrases... some pretty bad and some pretty good. One character has "colorless brown hair" (what the actual hell does that mean, is it colorless or brown?). Another Brit quotes someone as "blah blah "he says, I says"", which I had to read twice and once more out loud... try reading "he says, I says" with a British inflection, you'll feel yourself in a better mood.
The problem I have is with the dual characters Jack and Jack. The narrator and the mystery, I don't know how I feel about them and what they represent. Maybe I'll figure it out as my memories of the story marinate, but I feel like this novella needed another several chapters to develop the characters.
**I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 17, 2025
Three stars and a half stars.
A good, if short (108 pages, thus the designation "novella") tale.
I must admit that Connie Willis is one of my favorite female science fiction authors, along with Ursula K. LeGuin and the short works of Octavia Butler. Her prose is so direct and real, it is simplicity itself to follow and a pleasure to read. Her stories simply _flow_.
I also like that the narrative went in a direction I wasn't expecting. I was thinking this would be a spinoff of the author's "Blackout/All Clear" series -- happily I was wrong. The book rolls along to a dark, and then even darker ending, which might leave some readers unsettled or unhappy. It did me. I'll allow you to read for yourself and decide how you view the protagonist Jack by the finale.
I also feel that somehow it could have been pared down to a superb short story, rather than lengthened into a novella. Perhaps doing that would have emphasized the disquieting ending too much, so the author decided that giving ample foreshadowing before the protagonist's observations and confessions at the end which in turn might lessen the reader's disquiet.
The tale ended on too dark a note for me. Still, the tale was well-told.
Three and a half-stars.
A good, if short (108 pages, thus the designation "novella") tale.
I must admit that Connie Willis is one of my favorite female science fiction authors, along with Ursula K. LeGuin and the short works of Octavia Butler. Her prose is so direct and real, it is simplicity itself to follow and a pleasure to read. Her stories simply _flow_.
I also like that the narrative went in a direction I wasn't expecting. I was thinking this would be a spinoff of the author's "Blackout/All Clear" series -- happily I was wrong. The book rolls along to a dark, and then even darker ending, which might leave some readers unsettled or unhappy. It did me. I'll allow you to read for yourself and decide how you view the protagonist Jack by the finale.
I also feel that somehow it could have been pared down to a superb short story, rather than lengthened into a novella. Perhaps doing that would have emphasized the disquieting ending too much, so the author decided that giving ample foreshadowing before the protagonist's observations and confessions at the end which in turn might lessen the reader's disquiet.
The tale ended on too dark a note for me. Still, the tale was well-told.
Three and a half-stars.
May 7, 2020
I always enjoy Connie Willis, and this novella is no exception. Set during WWII, this moody novella follows ARP wardens as they attempt to rescue civilians after the bombings. When a mysterious man, Jack, joins their team, our protagonist, also Jack, grows increasingly suspicious. Is this paranoia brought on by lack of sleep and stress or something more sinister? I missed the allusions to Dracula upon first reading, I just enjoyed this novella for what it was. A bleak glimpse into the war and the lives of the folks trapped in it, doing their best. It wasn't until the next day that the implication of the ending and the reference struck me. If you're a Willis reader, or just want to revisit a celebrated novella, this edition is for you.
August 23, 2022
I read this story (and only this story, which is why I'm listing it this way) in the October 1991 Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine. Some lists I've seen say this story is part of Connie Willis' Oxford Time Travel series. It's not. It is, however, set in London during the Blitz (like some of her time travel books) and Willis creates a harrowing tale of what life is like for the air wardens and rescue teams, as well as the London residents.
I was waiting for the time travel to show up and so it took me a fair bit to cop on to what was actually going on. I really appreciated the story, its many literary references, and an ending that makes you think. I'd also recommend going in with as little info as possible.
I was waiting for the time travel to show up and so it took me a fair bit to cop on to what was actually going on. I really appreciated the story, its many literary references, and an ending that makes you think. I'd also recommend going in with as little info as possible.
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