NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NPR
In the not-too-distant future, a simple outpatient procedure to increase empathy between romantic partners has become all the rage. And Briddey Flannigan is delighted when her boyfriend, Trent, suggests undergoing the operation prior to a marriage proposal--to enjoy better emotional connection and a perfect relationship with complete communication and understanding. But things don't quite work out as planned, and Briddey finds herself connected to someone else entirely--in a way far beyond what she signed up for.
It is almost more than she can handle--especially when the stress of managing her all-too-eager-to-communicate-at-all-times family is already burdening her brain. But that's only the beginning. As things go from bad to worse, she begins to see the dark side of too much information, and to realize that love--and communication--are far more complicated than she ever imagined.
Praise for Crosstalk
"A rollicking send-up of obsessive cell phone usage in too-near-future America . . . [Connie] Willis's canny incorporation of scientific lore, and a riotous cast . . . make for an engaging girl-finally-finds-right-boy story that's unveiled with tact and humor. Willis juxtaposes glimpses of claimed historical telepaths with important reflections about the ubiquity of cell phones and the menace that unscrupulous developers of technology pose to privacy, morality, and emotional stability." --Publishers Weekly
"An exhilarating and laugh-inducing read . . . one of those rare books that will keep you up all night long because you can't bear to put it down." --Portland Book Review
"A fun technological fairy tale." -- BookPage
"One of the funniest SF novels in years." -- Locus
Praise for Connie Willis
"A novelist who can plot like Agatha Christie and whose books possess a bounce and stylishness that Preston Sturges might envy." -- The Washington Post
"If anyone can be named 'best science fiction writer of the age,' it's Connie Willis." -- Analog
"One of America's finest writers . . . Willis can tell a story so packed with thrills, comedy, drama and a bit of red herring that the result is apt to satisfy the most discriminating, and hungry, reader." -- The Denver Post
"Willis can tell a story like no other. . . . One of her specialties is sparkling, rapid-fire dialogue; another, suspenseful plotting; and yet another, dramatic scenes so fierce that they burn like after-images in the reader's memory." -- The Village Voice
" The Best of Connie Willis ? Isn't that like sorting through diamonds?" -- Lytherus
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Opinion
From Library Staff
From Library Staff
A romantic comedy for the technology age, where a neurological procedure allows romantic partners to enhance their emotional connection. Things don’t go quite as planned for Briddey Flannigan after her surgery, and Willis’ signature humour ensues.
From the critics
Community Activity
Quotes
Add a Quoteeveryone at the meeting had finished discussing the likelihood that Apple was only bluffing and whether Apple was spying on them, how unethical that would be, and who they could get to spy on Apple . . .
_You weren’t supposed to hear that._
“I know. Which is why telepathy’s a terrible idea.”
Facebook, remember? Plus Instagram and Vine and Snapchat and iChat and youChat and weAll Chat and FaceTime and Tumblr and Whisper. Even if your sister hasn’t already posted it, somebody else is bound to . . .
Summary
Add a SummaryWhen her boyfriend Trent asks her to get an EED ("even better than getting engaged," gushes a coworker), telecommunications executive Briddey Flannigan undergoes the "minor procedure," hoping that neurological enhancement will strengthen their relationship. Instead, she ends up telepathically linked to a coworker, her company's (sub-)basement-dwelling misanthrope C.B. Schwartz. Madcap romantic comedy combined with a satirical look at modern technology makes this latest offering from multi-award-winning author Connie Willis a must-read.
Comment
Add a CommentI agree with KatG and others that Connie Willis has desperate need of a sympathetic editor to improve "Crosstalk," and I speak as a fan of her other novels. Plenty of psychobabble here that needlessly lengthens an already predictable story, and isn't it condescending to those descended from Ireland? I too had to skim many pages to arrive at the disappointing last chapter. Loyalty and curiosity will keep me reading her into the future, however.
This bloated book is in dire need of editing. Clocking in at nearly 500 pages, Crosstalk is a story that could have been very well told in 300 pages - max. There is so much repetition and needless drivel, I had to skim through parts because I was so bored. The premise and characters had potential, but I had to force myself to push through. Skip it.
This is Pick Up Artist, White Knight, terrible drivel.
Silly....verging on ridiculous. I can't believe this is the same author who wrote "Doomsday Book". Very disappointing.
Such a fun read! This is the first book by Willis that I have read and I must say I will be reading more. I was so into the story that I was getting stressed out for the main character!
Not Connie's best work. But still well worth reading. I felt like maybe there were some important plot holes - but I think i would have to re-read it to put my finger on them.
Seems like Connie's books are all dark and gloomy or bright and funny. This was one of the bright and funny ones.
This was a fun read but I don't think it's the next sci-fi classic. In what I assume is an attempt to reach a broader audience she litters the first chapter or two with pop culture references that are distracting and unnecessary. Also, the protagonist was a bit annoying. She's your textbook damsel in distress who is directed by the story instead of directing it herself.
Though this wasn’t my favorite Connie Willis book (that honor belongs to ‘To Say Nothing of the Dog’), it was still fun and quirky. This book was all about communication which I considered a great choice considering the world we live in. At times I felt exhausted by the barrage of texts, calls, emails, and social media posts our poor heroine was constantly receiving. I’m now extra aware of how often I’m looking at my phone! Also, if you’re Irish, you might get an extra special kick out of this book.
The ending wrapped up too quickly and neatly for me. Key supporting characters needed to be introduced more strongly into the story earlier on for that ending to be believable, and even then, there are limits to precociousness. It's a page turner, though, with plenty of food for thought on modern attitudes toward communication, psychic claims and mental health.
When her boyfriend Trent asks her to get an EED ("even better than getting engaged," gushes a coworker), telecommunications executive Briddey Flannigan undergoes the "minor procedure," hoping that neurological enhancement will strengthen their relationship. Instead, she ends up telepathically linked to a coworker, her company's (sub-)basement-dwelling misanthrope C.B. Schwartz. Madcap romantic comedy combined with a satirical look at modern technology makes this latest offering from multi-award-winning author Connie Willis a must-read.