She Treads Softly: The Road to Roswell

Sunday, June 25, 2023

The Road to Roswell

The Road to Roswell by Connie Willis
6/27/23; 416 pages
Del Rey

The Road to Roswell by Connie Willis is a very highly recommended, hilarious science fiction novel. This delightfully entertaining novel has it all: aliens, a hideous bridemaid's dress, movie talk - science fiction and westerns, rattlesnakes, conspiracy theories, men-in-black, and a hint of romance.

Francie owes her college roommate so it is her duty to show up in Roswell, New Mexico, and be a bridesmaid for Serena's wedding to a true UFO believer during the annual UFO Festival. Much to her shock and surprise, Francie is abducted by a real alien when she goes out to Serena's car to get the decorative fairy lights for the wedding. Her abductor doesn't look like any alien she has heard about. It resembles a tumbleweed with lightning-fast tentacles and is forcing her to drive it out of town.

Francie is not the only abductee of the alien who is quickly given the name of Indie after Indiana Jones for his fast-moving tentacles. Wade, a hitchhiking con man is pulled into the car. Additional abductees who are pulled along include Lyle, a true UFO believer, Eula Mae, a gambling retiree, and Joseph, a fan of classic Western movies. They soon come to believe that they need to help Indie accomplish something, but what?

I laughed my way through this charming, humorous novel and was completely captivated by all the elements Willis included in the fast-paced plot. First, it was the awful neon green, glow-in-the-dark bridesmaid dress. Then it was all the references to science fiction movie plots and later Westerns. Adding to the engrossing story is the divergent cast of characters, the comedic dialogue between them, and the unique alien.

It's hard to explain fully why I loved this lighthearted, comical caper so much. The diverse cast of characters certainly added a comedic depth to the narrative and added to the entertaining plot. Francie is a wonderful character, both compassionate and rational while in the midst of an absurd situation. This is an absolutely perfect, wildly entertaining summer read. One of the most entertaining books of the year and I absolutely very highly recommend reading The Road to Roswell.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Del Rey via NetGalley.

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John Updike's six rules for reviewing:

1. Try to understand what the author wished to do, and do not blame him for not achieving what he did not attempt.

2. Give him enough direct quotation--at least one extended passage--of the book's prose so the review's reader can form his own impression, can get his own taste.

3. Confirm your description of the book with quotation from the book, if only phrase-long, rather than proceeding by fuzzy precis.

4. Go easy on plot summary, and do not give away the ending.

5. If the book is judged deficient, cite a successful example along the same lines, from the author's oeuvre or elsewhere. Try to understand the failure. Sure it's his and not yours?

To these concrete five might be added a vaguer sixth, having to do with maintaining a chemical purity in the reaction between product and appraiser.....Review the book, not the reputation.... Better to praise and share than blame and ban. The communion between reviewer and his public is based upon the presumption of certain possible joys in reading, and all our discriminations should curve toward that end.