Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell (Participants in the first post; Eavesdroppers: Angus, Mae, Monique, Tricia) Start Date: Sept 1

[H]

September 1 na...game! lol

[Tina]

Naunahan ako ni H. Haha! Good morning friends, September 1 na! Pwede na magstart yay! :)

(At dahil excited ako, some of you may have gotten a text dahil lang dito. Sorry naman. Haha :D)

[Angus]

The Pacific Journal of Adam Ewing

(view spoiler)[Magpost na kayo please para marefresh ang memory ko, hahaha! Wala pa kasi ang movie tie-in edition na siyang gusto kong ireread. At nakaloan ang copy ko kay ... Chami! (hide spoiler)]

[Tina]

Haha Angus!

Eto muna, since nakaupo pa ako sa salon at di pa tapos i-rebond ang buhok ko haha:


The Pacific Journal of Adam Ewing
(view spoiler)[It really ends that way ano? As in abrupt? Medyo nagulat ako. But it wasn't that hard to read. I can't shake off the feeling lang na they're pirates of some sort because of all the ship talk! Haha. (hide spoiler)]

Aaron, Maria, click spoiler tag only when you're done with the first!
(view spoiler)[Adam Ewing's Ailment reminds me of Will Henry's dad's "sickness" before he dies. :p (hide spoiler)]

I am now torn between continuing to read it or waiting. Haha. Di pa tapos plantsahin buhok ko. :))

[K.D.]

Paki-take note nga kung anong moral lesson meron ang book. hehe.

[Monique]

The Pacific Journal of Adam Ewing

(view spoiler)[Tina: Glad you think so! I was hoping that I'd given a fair warning to all who are joining who may not be so keen on archaic/arcane writing.

Buddy: Are you going to re-read this?? I still have my digital copy, but my print copy is with Louize. (hide spoiler)]

[Tina]

Okay, proper post!

The Pacific Journal of Adam Ewing
Adam Ewing's journal entries from November 7th to December 8th. I figure there's more entries in that journal since he mentioned that he mentioned entries in October I'm not exactly sure what Adam is (if it was mentioned in the first chapter, I missed it -- gah), but he has a wife and a son, (view spoiler)[and he also has an Ailment, which was later diagnosed by his good friend (and teeth collector) Dr. Henry Goose in the chapter. (hide spoiler)] Most of the chapter talked about some history of the natives/locals of the Chatham Isles, and how Adam waited for their ship named Prophetess to be fixed so he can sail with them back to California. Once aboard the ship, (view spoiler)[Adam finds a stowaway in his "coffin" (his cabin, but it was too tight that it became a coffin), the Moriori slave being punished by his master that Adam made eye contact with during the whipping. Autua is an experienced sailor having sailed from their islands to other places all over the world, but this didn't help his status when he got back and he still became a slave. When Adam made eye contact with him while passing by, Autua figured that he is a good man and found a way to get into the Prophetess and ask for his help. Adam helps him despite his initial misgivings (after all, he could be accused of hiding a colored stowaway in a ship full of White people and it's almost equivalent to death in their world), and he finds a place in the ship. (hide spoiler)] In the meantime, Dr. Henry Goose helps Adam (view spoiler)[ with his Ailment, which is some kind of parasite that lodges itself in his brain. He gives him several medicines that he should drink in the correct amount lest he die of either the parasite or overdose. According to Dr. Goose, he will feel very sick before he feels completely well, and but he should just follow the "prescription". Adam drinks his medicine and he does feel sick... (hide spoiler)] and that's it.

Okay, I think I hid all the spoilery parts :D

What I thought:
* It wasn't really as hard to read as I expected. Either I was expecting it to be a hard read because I was warned, or I was sort of used with the language (how I did that, I have no idea. Perhaps the classics I've read?). You just kind of have to power through the history telling and the names (so. many. names) and the overall feeling that you don't know where it's heading later on.
* (view spoiler)[The ending was really abrupt. Waha. I had to text Monique to confirm if it's right. haha. (hide spoiler)]
* I'm sure it's just me, but I kind of imagined them as pirates for some reason. Maybe it's all the ship talk? I can't help but imagine their captain like Robert De Niro in Stardust (minus the tutu and the star :D):



Hihi. :D

Kind of itching to read the next chapters...but I will wait. A little. :D Hihi.

Can't promise I can do recaps like this on the next few days, especially since weekdays tend to slow my reading time. So if you're done with one chapter, by all means do a recap of your own. Bibo lang ako ngayon, marami lang akong free time today. :D

[Angus]

KD: The moral lesson of the book is...

(view spoiler)[...predacity. The weak are outlasted by the strong. The prey is hunted by the predator. But the weaker prey should not lose hope. This may be a dog-eat-dog world, but if we do something, even if it seems insignificant, it can have great rippling effects.

"Yet what is any ocean but a multitude of drops?" - the last sentence of the novel. (hide spoiler)]

Buddy: Yes! I plan to reread it once I have the movie tie-in or PAGASA edition. Maybe slow reads.

(view spoiler)[Or maybe I'll read each part in their entirety. That means I'll have to keep flipping the pages back and forth. (hide spoiler)]

Tina: I am trying to be very careful, haha.

(view spoiler)[Take note of how this part ended as it would play a somewhat crucial role in the next part. And oh, Ewing is an executor of a will notarized in the US. Something like that. :D (hide spoiler)]

If you didn't have any problem with this, I am pretty sure that the next part will flow as smooth as your first reading did. :D

Kami na ang supportive eavesdroppers!

[K.D.]

Angus, nice one. Ewan ko ba...

[Angus]

Naku Kuya, at bakit parang nahihiya kang mambasag? At buti hindi mo pa pinalitan ang rating, hahaha!

[Louize]

1 The Pacific Journal of Adam Ewing (Historical Memoir)


(view spoiler)[
It was a hard start. I agree with Atty. Monique, the language was not something usual.

Adam Ewing is an American notary in search of a client’s heir. In the beginning of his narration, he was temporarily held at Chatham Isle, New Zealand, while the ship was taking some repairs. Here Ewing heard and witnessed the savagery of the land. The story began as Ewing found Dr. Goose at the beach picking human teeth amongst the sand. Those teeth belonged to cannibal victims.

The aborigines of the place are called Moriori (ordinary people) who named the land Rekohu (misty sun). They were believed to be Maori pre-settlers. They adhere to a covenant of peace –
"From now and forever, never again let there be war as there has been this day. Do not kill."
The same origin came and invaded the land. Due to the invader’s savagery and cannibalism, very few Moriori may be found today. And you will not find Rekohu on the map; instead you'll find Wharekauri, as dubbed by the Maori.

Something about the first chapter niggles at me: (1) Dr. Goose’s eccentricity. This man is revengeful, too. (2) The savagery and enslavement in the land. (3) The absence of any Spiritual Leader. The settlers were left to pray for themselves, as if God himself had abandoned them. (4) Ewing’s curious ailment and medical treatment. Whether these have significance on the whole story or not, the book has yet to prove them.

Some notable characters were: (1) Autua, the courageous; wizened by his own endeavors in life. (2) Cpt. Molyneux, as straight as a rod -very strict but fair. Like any good entrepreneur, he doesn’t buy a car without trying it.

Additional trivia: Chatham Island is the first inhabited land in the world to see the sunrise each day. The first time I read the story of the Moriori, in 2005, I cried.

(hide spoiler)]

[Tina]

Angus: no spoilers! I want to know why (view spoiler)[it ended that way (hide spoiler)] on my own. :D Hihi curious curious.

Louize: ah there. I always miss those obvious details. Or baka nag-focus ako sa stylist ko kahapon baka masunog niya buhok ko while rebonding kaya di ko maalala yung ibang nabasa ko. Hihi. But yay details!

About the absence of a spiritual leader: that was interesting. But a part of me still admires some of the effort they make in keeping the Sabbath and saying prayers, because they could have just abandoned it like that since there's no one to lead them or there's no structure that they follow. How deep the spirituality runs is another question, though, so they may be just keeping them because they were used to it. Just thinking aloud. :D

I have one more question pala. (view spoiler)[Yung heart na nakita sa volcano, will it play a bigger part later? Hm. (hide spoiler)]

Wait, is Chatham Island the one that experiences the New Year first in the entire world?

[Tricia]

@Tina (view spoiler)[ Totoo! Actually, there are parts of the book reminds me of Will Henry! (hide spoiler)]

[Tina]

Tricia wrote: "@Tina [spoilers removed]"

DIBAAAA. Might be the doctor (view spoiler)[or, the Ailment (hide spoiler)], or the archaic language? :D Haha pero first part pa lang ako, so dunno what happens next. Pero natuwa ako dun. :D

[Alexa]

The Pacific Journal of Adam Ewing

(view spoiler)[The others are right; the language is something to get used to. I like it, though. For some reason, it became easier for me to imagine the setting (I can actually feel the sea spray on my face and the smell of salt HAHA I think my imagination's going on overdrive), but like what Tina said, they kinda remind me of pirates :)) I don't get why it ended the way it did which is why I'm excited to read the next chapters! Yay.

What's really interesting for me is how the Moriori are really loyal followers of Nunuku's Law. Yung tipong even though they are being killed one by one, no resistance pa rin. Wow. Sobrang bait lang nila.

Totally unrelated Moriori trivia: They made sure to kill only old male seals and hid the carcasses so the other seals won't be scared of them. I don't know why this amuses me so much.

Somewhat related trivia: The first Moriori killed by gunfire from the newcomers was this dude called Tamakaroro. I think it was because he was defending his fishing nets or something. In the end, the elders thought it was partly the Moriori's fault because they didn't devise a good enough greeting ritual for visitors. This makes as much sense to me as the LRT driver being sued because of the woman who committed suicide on the tracks the other day.

Source! (hide spoiler)]

[Angus]

Tina: I barely remember the... (view spoiler)[...volcano part. Naaalala ko lang ay yung nagtatakbo siya tapos nadulas, nagkandasugat-sugat. Probably it's a metaphor for something, but as far as plot is concerned, hindi naman yata siya ganun kasignificant. (hide spoiler)]

Miss Louize: Autua is an unforgettable character for me. Kapag naiisip ko siya naluluha ako. :')

Alexa: Waaah! I miss the Moriori people! It's almost unbelievable that a such a peace-loving tribe could exist.

[Louize]

Tina wrote: "Wait, is Chatham Island the one that experiences the New Year first in the entire world? ."

Yes!
I believe Oprah had a show episode dedicated to her visit on the land. And yes, her crew captured the first sunrise.

Angus wrote: "Miss Louize: Autua is an unforgettable character for me. Kapag naiisip ko siya naluluha ako. :')."

O diba? :(

[Ranee]

yung memorable character dyan si Dr. henry goose.

[Tricia]

Dr Henry Goose din for me >.<

[K.D.]

Gusto ko yong black na bihag doon sa ship. May significance ang role nya. Nagulat lang ako sa connect.

[Monique]

Tina, Louize, Alexa:
(view spoiler)[Please take note also of the Moriori tribe - as far as I remember, very significant sila. (hide spoiler)]

Buddy: I might just have to browse through the book when (view spoiler)[it's time for the joint discussion! I'm excited for that, weee! (hide spoiler)]

[Louize]

Monique wrote: "Tina, Louize, Alexa:
[spoilers removed]

Monique, after reading the Sloosha chapter, I have a very strong feeling that they are significant.

[H]

Sa totoo lang, yang Sloosha ang pinaka panget at pinaka boring at pinaka nakakainis na chapter....one week ko nang binabasa, hindi ko pa matapos tapos!!!

[Monique]

Louize wrote: "Monique, after reading the Sloosha chapter, I have a very strong feeling that they are significant."

Haha! Louize, di ka naman yata naniniwala sa akin, haha! Believe me and (view spoiler)[that strong feeling that you have: significant ang mga Moriori. (hide spoiler)]

[Angus]

H: Hahaha! Nagustuhan ko naman yung...(view spoiler)[...mountain climbing part, yung may Old Georgie thing. Mahirap lang talagang basahin. Nakakahilo ang mga contractions! (hide spoiler)]

[Aaron Vincent]

Wait lang. So diba a chapter per two days ang schedule? So dapat today and tomorrow it is Letters from Zedelghem? Just checking.

And please, for those who already finished it, refrain from saying who and which is important on the following chapters. It's not really a spoiler spoiler, but it's a hint on what to expect. And when you know what to expect, you connect the dots easily. Kaya nga hindi ako muna nagbabasa kahit ng spoiler-free reviews ng book. Yun lang. :))

[Tina]

Aaron Vincent wrote: "Wait lang. So diba a chapter per two days ang schedule? So dapat today and tomorrow it is Letters from Zedelghem? Just checking. "

Yup yup. :)

On another note! I received a message from Honey of FFP last weekend re: Cloud Atlas informal and unofficial offline meet-up. They're not available for August 29, October 21 and 27. Personally I'm not available on Oct 13. That leaves us...October 6, Aaron's birthday. Hee. Or if you guys are game for a Friday night, they're also game for that. :)

[Monique]

AARON: Okay, I just reviewed my posts and *whew!* nasa spoiler tags lahat ng concerns mo. :D

Carry on, hihi! :)

Tina wrote: That leaves us...October 6, Aaron's birthday. Hee. Or if you guys are game for a Friday night, they're also game for that. :)

Yay, game ako sa birthday ni Aaron! :D

[K.D.]

Wow. Happy birthday, Aaron. Enjoy the FFP Cloud Atlas meet up!!! Regards to Honey!!!

[Aaron Vincent]

The Pacific Journal of Adam Ewing.

(view spoiler)[So the writing wasn't that hard to follow, but I had problems with the vocabulary. Some words are very obscure that I had to check the dictionary app on my phone every other chapter or so. It's an advantage to those who will read it in ebook format because they'll get to check the words instantaneously.

Okay, on to the chapter itself...since every one already said the significant stuff, I think I shall just mention something I noticed. There is a footnote on the journal entry of the day when Adam Ewing fell on a pit. It says there J.E. I take it's from -- Jane Eyre?-- Jackson Ewing, Adam's son. Am I right to think that the journal entries that we are seeing are not exactly the entries Adam wrote? I think it's kind of implied on Jackson's footnote that he had a hand on omitting stuff he deemed to be better left unsaid. If that's the case, we shouldn't take everything on the journal as 100% truth. An unreliable narrator, yeah? Or am I reading too much on it?

Another thing, when Adam had a eye contact with Autua when he was being whipped... I can't help but think that since it's frequently hinted on summaries, etc. that this book is about reincarnation, Adam and Autua had already met on their past lives. Or am I reading too much again on it and it is just what Autua said with regards to having strength in meeting a friendly eye? No, don't answer me. :) I just want to get it out there. :)

Tina: The archaic tone of the journal reminds me of Will Henry, but I think they're approach is very different. Will Henry's journal philosophize every thing and kept on foreshadowing the future. Adam's, on the other hand, is very limited to the day's event and there's a trace of sarcasm in his writing.

That's all. Ang dami ko na naman sinasabi. :P
(hide spoiler)]

[Angus]

Ay, grabe nameyn. Ilalagay ko na lahat sa spoiler tags ang book-related comments ko, hehe.

Tina: Diba plano nating mag-archery on Aaron's birthday ba? So tuluy-tuloy na ba tayo nun kung Friday night ang discussion?

[Aaron Vincent]

Hindi naman. Yung comments lang na sobrang ahead na sa libro. Yung tipong... "watch out for...", "this and that will be important.". Oo. Ako na maarte. :P

[H]

Kasali ba yung mga comments na "I hate the chapter about Sloosha's Crossing" ?? as spoilers??

Angus: hmm..sabagay, interesting nga yon, pero nakakaimbyerna lang talaga! Gusto ko lang mag rant hahaha.

[Angus]

At oo nga pala, will there be anyone to moderate the discussion, or will it be a super informal and casual na free for all dakdakan?

[Monique]

AARON: (view spoiler)[Or am I reading too much again on it and it is just what Autua said with regards to having strength in meeting a friendly eye? No, don't answer me. :) I just want to get it out there. :)

I'm not going to answer you but feel free to over-think stuff. OK lang yan. Hehe! (hide spoiler)]

[Louize]

Angus wrote: "H: Hahaha! Nagustuhan ko naman yung...[spoilers removed]"

That's the bliss of having the audio...
super natuwa ako sa Sloosha kasi ang galing ng narrator.

[Monique]

Angus wrote: "At oo nga pala, will there be anyone to moderate the discussion, or will it be a super informal and casual na free for all dakdakan?"

Mukhang informal anything-goes-except-spoilers naman ito, Buddy. Heheh. :)

[Angus]

I meant sa meet-up. Sorry, hihi!

[Tina]

Angus wrote: "Tina: Diba plano nating mag-archery on Aaron's birthday ba? So tuluy-tuloy na ba tayo nun kung Friday night ang discussion? "

Have to check with Gandiva pa kasi baka sa kanila Friday counts as as weekend, so di tayo pwede? Lahat naman ng may archery coupon ay Cloud Atlas reader din, so if pwede Friday, baka we go on a Friday nga?

Pero si birthday boy pwede ba sa birthday nya? :P Hihi.

[Monique]

Angus wrote: "I meant sa meet-up. Sorry, hihi!"

TOINK! Haha. Monday ngayon, Monday! :))

[Louize]

2 Letters from Zedelghem (Romance/ Love Story Memoir)
(view spoiler)[
The epistles were dated in 1931, written by disinherited English music prodigy named Robert Frobisher; addressed to his Cambridge pal (and slightly implied lover), Rufus Sexsmith. Frobisher went to Belgium to escape his debtors and apply as amanuensis to the blinding world-class composer Vyvyan Ayrs.

Frobisher was both promiscuous and spirited. It did not took him long to have the lady of the house, Jocasta van Outryve de Crommelynck, to share his bed. But he’s a real talent, too. On his first summer, he and Ayrs were able to create two master pieces, bringing some life back to the old composer. It was generally a good accommodation; accept for Eva’s open hate for Frobisher. Eva was Ayrs and Jocasta’s only daughter and heir. Most naturally, she was spoiled and suspicious.

What I hate about Frobisher was that he’s an accomplished opportunist; and selling the Ewing manuscript was a bold thievery on his part.

Trivia: Zedelghem is a municipality in West Vlaanderen (Flanders), Belgium. This place was known in history for hosting a camp for prisoners-of-war during WWII. That was ironic because the place is beautiful and peaceful. I loved their mini cars. They have those Citroen 2CV cars with slanted roofs, most were painted black or gray, but some were painted in different designs, which were always a delight to see. They have a yearly car show for 2CVs, I forgot the name, nakakatuwa kasi pati classic milk trucks kasama.

There is no Chateau Zedelghem, but instead there is a Castle Loppem; which was very similar as to how Mitchell described the grounds and lake near the place.
(hide spoiler)]

[Louize]

Monique wrote: "Haha! Louize, di ka naman yata naniniwala sa akin, haha! Believe me and [spoiler..."

Yes, I believe you! hahahaha

[Angus]

Atty Monique & Miss Louize, I perfectly understand!

♫ It's just another manic Monday
I wish it was Sunday ♫

[Monique]

LOUIZE: So after reading Letters from Zedelghem, what did you think of (view spoiler)[Robert Frobisher's discovery of half of Adam Ewing's Pacific Journal (hide spoiler)]?

BUDDY: Haha! Kantahan ba kami ni Louize. Tuesday na. Got through Monday without further mishap. Lezzdodizzzzz! :))

[Aldrin]

Louize: What did you think of (view spoiler)[Robert Frobisher and Rufus Sixsmith's romantic relationship? (hide spoiler)]

[Louize]

Monique wrote: "LOUIZE: So after reading Letters from Zedelghem, what did you think of [spoilers removed]?

(view spoiler)[
I guess that was a spoiler for the next Ewing manuscript, but it did not shocked me; like I said before I find him eccentric and vengeful. (hide spoiler)]

[Louize]

Aldrin wrote: "Louize: What did you think of [spoilers removed]"
(view spoiler)[
Hmmm, an enlightenment! hahahaha
If you're hooking me for any perversion, you're not going to get it. I believe, it was rather sincere, atleast half of it was. I don't think BF was ever serious with any relationship, he does it for comfort. But not in the case of RS, because he was really dedicated. Reading 'Half Lives', RS valued those letters fervently. In a sense it was beautiful, no?
(hide spoiler)]

[Aldrin]

Louize: Boo, no Louize the Swedish dominatrix for me today then? Haha.

It really was beautiful. This bit was what cliched it for me: (view spoiler)["Don’t let ’em say I killed myself for love, Sixsmith, that would be too ridiculous. Was infatuated by Eva Crommelynck for a blink of an eye, but we both know in our hearts who is the sole love of my short, bright life." (hide spoiler)]

[Angus]

Baket, do you imagine them doing a Boerhaave?

[Aldrin]

Angus wrote: "Baket, do you imagine them doing a Boerhaave?"

(view spoiler)[A much less perverted and a much more amorous Boerhaave. (hide spoiler)]