Cloud Atlas: A Novel by David Mitchell Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Cloud Atlas: A Novel
Book Review: Tour de Force
Summary: 5 Stars
One of the most amazing novels I have ever read. It's an unbelievably complex, beautiful creation, and its virtuosity is always at the service of its series of stories that are moving and humane. I'd say this is a must-read for anyone serious about fiction.Book Review: Tremendous journey with the author...
Summary: 5 Stars
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel whiched weaved the lives of disparate but amazingly interesting protaganists. Simultaneously a work of historical fiction, comedy, and dystopian sc-fi. As I read this book I felt that the author was showing me a window into what makes up civilization: empathy, cruelty, absurdity. Many parts of the novel I thought were profound - as if I were attending a philosophical discussion on life, love, and choices with a very "lern'd" teacher. Since I am new to this author I look forward to his other novels now.Book Review: Ugh!
Summary: 1 Stars
I have to agree with the folks who found this book severely wanting. I got to the North Korean chapter when things began to irk me though I struggled through it. BUT when I hit the Hawaii section I just had to quit. Some one else wrote a book with the same name not to long ago. It was a far better than this mismash. I wonder at all the rave reviews.Book Review: Unexpectedly Fabulous
Summary: 5 Stars
It's not what I expected, but as the story lines progressed, I became more sucked into the stories and the characters. Mitchell is a masterful storyteller, with stories that teach and change you. I fully recommend it.Book Review: Unique format, but it works
Summary: 4 Stars
This is a pretty interesting book, both in story and in format. The first part of the book, Mitchell tells the first half of six stories spread out over a period of hundreds of years, starting with the year 1850 and ending at some undetermined future date. The second part of the book, Mitchell tells the second half of those stories, working backwards from the future to the past. Other reviewers have summarized the stories, so I will spare you.
The stories do all have a very loose connection, which you discover as you keep reading. They are all intriguing in their own right, especially since you're left hanging after reading the first half, until you get into the second part of the book. What is really interesting is how Mitchell is able to tell six completely different stories, in six different voices. It is like reading six different authors, all in one book. The book tries to be philosophical at times, wrapping up in nearly two pages of philosophical ponderings at the end of the book, which I didn't like. Just tell the story.
I have never ready anything by David Mitchell before, but I liked this book enough to want to read more of his work.