The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet

[Sarah]

Janice and I will be reading The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell. The more the merrier so feel free to join in with us.

We were thinking either end of July/beginning of August.

[Janice, Moderator]

I'm looking forward to reading this book. Mitchell is becoming one of my favourite authors.

[Sarah]

Yes he has a way with story telling that's for sure. I need to give Cloud Atlas another go now I'm more familiar with his work and that i like him.

[Janice, Moderator]

I haven't read Cloud Atlas either. I've seen the movie and bought the DVD.

[Sarah]

Janice wrote: "I haven't read Cloud Atlas either. I've seen the movie and bought the DVD."

I have the film but haven't watched it yet. Can't decide whether to watch it first or read the book first.

[Almeta]

Sarah wrote: "Janice wrote: "I haven't read Cloud Atlas either. I've seen the movie and bought the DVD."

I have the film but haven't watched it yet. Can't decide whether to watch it first or read the book first."

I've done both. In my opinion the book has much more depth. The movie doesn't seem to impart the historical impact of connective events as well as the book.

[Sarah]

Thanks Almeta. I might just watch it first. Might inspire me to read it given i gave up the first time around after 11 pages.

[Lisa]

This has been on my wishlist for a while so I might join you in this buddy read. I haven't read any David Mitchell books before, but this one sounds like it might be interesting.

[Travis]

I need a book to fit the yearly challenge for favorite season fall. Does anyone know if this one fits that .

[Travis]

I'm assuming yes since Autumn's is in title. But I did say fall in my answer are we so technical my book needs to say fall or will autumn work

[Sarah]

Autumn is the same season as fall so to my I can't see a problem with it. Janice? I'm going to use this for the boat task (preferred mode of transport)

[Sarah]

Lisa wrote: "This has been on my wishlist for a while so I might join you in this buddy read. I haven't read any David Mitchell books before, but this one sounds like it might be interesting."

This one looks more historical fiction compared to the others he's written.

[Janice, Moderator]

Yes, it will work for season in the title. Fall and autumn are interchangeable in my mind.

[Cherie]

With the nod that Janice just gave to Travis about Autumn/fall, I am thinking of joining you for this buddy read. I am willing to give the author another try and I can use it for my challenge too. I was not a Cloud Atlas fan. Now, off to find a copy!

[Travis]

Just double checking. So I think I may join in. How's this. Never tried the author. Didn't read book description the title and cover intrigue me. I have no fear running blind. Lol.

Also Cherie if you read Stephen kings review he kind of knocks cloud Atlas

[Cherie]

I am definitely intrigued by the title, Travis. I'm not sure if I saw it when I was gophering for "fall " or "autumn" titles in December. If I did, I may have discounted it when I saw the author's name. I had a few books picked out, but none that really appeal to me.

I did not hate Cloud Atlas, but I did not enjoy reading it. I did not like the format, like others have. I enjoyed some parts of the story and thought they were very intriguing, but I could not grasp the story on the whole. I saw the movie and really felt the same way. As a visual reference to the story some of it actually made sense, so I think Sarah might benefit by watching the movie first. I have thought about listening to the audio book but really, there are so many other books out there that I want to read more, it seems futile to give it another try.

[Sarah]

Just realised i chose autumn for my favourite season too. Perhaps i'll use it for that too as i have plenty of viking books to cover boat.

[Sarah]

King said this book is better than Cloud Atlas. For info...

[Travis]

Good point Sarah I forgot to add that

[Janice, Moderator]

I haven't read Cloud Atlas, but I've read The Bone Clocks and Slade House. I'm basing my desire to read this book on their merit.

[Sarah]

Janice wrote: "I haven't read Cloud Atlas, but I've read The Bone Clocks and Slade House. I'm basing my desire to read this book on their merit."

Same here. I think if I'd just gone by the book blurb, I would potentially have passed it by. But I like Mitchell's writing style so I'm curious. And it has boats. :-)

[Janice, Moderator]

I was just looking at friends' reviews and discovered that this book sets the framework for The Bone Clocks! I'm even more excited to read it now.

[Sarah]

Janice wrote: "I was just looking at friends' reviews and discovered that this book sets the framework for The Bone Clocks! I'm even more excited to read it now."

Ooh. Really?! That is definitely exciting.

[Janice, Moderator]

Is anyone ready to start reading this book? I can start tonight.

[Sarah]

I'm listening to the audio so I can listen to this one at the same time as reading the other buddy read. Probably won't start it until Monday.

[Almeta]

Just ordered from the library. Will join you as soon as I can pick it up.

[Margo]

This is one of the books I have earmarked for the annual challenge. My favorite season is autumn. I'd love to join - I'll really careful about replies with spoiler tags this time *blush* . I have the audiobook.

[Travis]

Hmmm. Let me check in how much of the MJSullivan book I have left. I'm not sure I want to set it down or not. I'll be in touch

[Janice, Moderator]

Super! I will start tonight then.

Don't fret, Margo. It's easy enough to do. We all just need to be diligent and review what shows in the quoted part of a reply. It's so frustrating that spoilers tags are removed like that when you click on reply.

[Margo]

Thanks Janice. I might start listening tonight. I need a break from The Sword of Shannara every now and again ;-)

I actually gave up on Cloud Atlas. I kinda saw tue point of it when I watched the film but I wasn't going back there! My favourite Mitchell to date was Black Swan Green, which is name checked in The Bone Clocks. I've also read Slade House which I really enjoyed so I'm optometrist :-)

[Janice, Moderator]

I haven't read Black Swan Green yet, nor have I read Cloud Atlas, though I've seen the movie a couple of times.

[Cherie]

Oh, I need to really get a copy now. I'm still in the middle of The Paying Guests. I haven't read a book for my yearly challenge in over a month and a half. I was going to start I, Claudius because I have it on my Nook, but I might visit the library tomorrow to see if I can get a copy.

[Margo]

Started last night and so I am very engaged. I managed 3 chapters before i fell asleep. I am enjoying the short chapter lenth as the last 2 books I read were anything but! Pleasant narration, a colourful back ground and a host of interesting characters.
Chpt 1 - 3 (view spoiler)[I am assuming that the baby whose birth we witnessed was Jacob. For some reason i assumed his mother was asian. There is nothing to suggest that Jacob is not completely dutch. (hide spoiler)]

[Janice, Moderator]

I started it last night as well and I'm in the middle of chapter 3, so will only comment on Chapter 1 & 2.

Chapter 1 - (view spoiler)[ That was quite a graphic depiction of a birth. I wonder how many women died as a result of medical assistance from a distance. How did the baby survive? That question was bubbling away in the back of my mind as I read on, and then I remembered from The Bone Clock (view spoiler)[that the way Marinus and others like him achieved immortality was by inhabiting the body of a child within minutes of death. I seem to recall that it was prior to the moment of death, but if this is what happened here, it was after death. If the baby has a brain injury (which it should), we'll know I was wrong. (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 2 - (view spoiler)[ We meet Jacob. I wonder what the connection will be with him and those in Chapter 1. There's more brutality, but in a different context. (hide spoiler)]

[Janice, Moderator]

Margo wrote: "Started last night and so I am very engaged. I managed 3 chapters before i fell asleep. I am enjoying the short chapter lenth as the last 2 books I read were anything but! Pleasant narration, a col..."

There was an author's note in the ebook that mentions that the lunar calendar is used to denote Japanese dates. Yet, the Dutch parts use the Gregorian dates. Part one is set in 1799, the eleventh year of the Era of Kensei, and I would think that Chapter 1 is also set in the same time period. (view spoiler)[ If my assumption is correct then Jacob would not be the baby born in Chapter 1. Interesting supposition, though. (hide spoiler)] I hope bouncing between lunar and Gregorian calendars isn't going to be confusing.

[Sarah]

Starting tomorrow!

[Margo]

Janice the timelines are already confusing so I'll just enjoy the story and forget about time lol Thank for letting know about the authors note - I wonder why it wasn't included in the audio? It seems quite crucial!

re. spoilers on Ch 1 and 2 (view spoiler)[ I want to know what happened when they told the father that his baby was dead and then had to go back and tell him that actually he was alive!! I had forgotten that from The Bone Clocks. Hmm, food for thought ;-) (hide spoiler)]

[Cherie]

I bought an ebook copy from Barnes & Noble. I'm starting now. The author's note was in the front, explaining about the calendars.

Margo - check the table of contents. It might be at the end of your audio book.

[Margo]

Doesn't seem to be Cherie, unless its attached to the last chapter.

[Cherie]

Well, I got to page 29, which is in the middle of Chapter Three. (view spoiler)[I left Jacob trying to find Dr. Marinus to be bled. Yuck! (hide spoiler)]

The first chapter was a surprise, especially the ending.

The second chapter, with all of the Dutch names and the history references was a slog. I feel like I need to get on-line and get an update to see what was going on in the world front in 1799. I know some of it, but not enough.

I think I like Jacob. :0)

I didn't realize this book was another door stop. My ebook says 520 pages. The book actually ends on page 500. The Dedication is on page 501, followed by Acknowledgements, Reader's Guide, Other Books by This Author and About the Author. The Reader's Guide was very interesting. It gives nothing away about the book, but the reason why the author got into historical fiction and a good summary of the genre. The texts , titles, and authors quoted were awesome. Ten years ago, I wouldn't have recognized 10% of them, but thanks to GR and this group especially, I have become pretty well read. It makes me feel very happy to think so, anyway!

[Janice, Moderator]

Sometimes the authors' notes are not included in the audiobooks which really annoys me. Margo, does Amazon.uk give you a "look inside" option on the book cover online? If so, the author's note should be there.

[Cherie]

I'm on chapter four. Wow, it is going to be hard to keep all of the people straight, I think.

Haha, I liked the doctor.

[Margo]

Thanks Janice, I found it. Very interesting! It seems an odd way to measure the passage of time but I suppose western calendars seem odd to them. It really is an other world and one I am woefully ignorant of. Just finished chapter 6, will update later. Now I must go to supermarket :(

[Janice, Moderator]

I didn't finish Chapter 3 last night. I couldn't stay awake. It will be interesting to see what (view spoiler)[Dr Marinus is up to. He certainly gets around in Mitchell's books. (hide spoiler)]

[Margo]

Cherie, I like Jacob too :-) I let all the detailed stuff in chapter 2 go over my head a little. I don't think it's important to the story. There is an awful lot going on and I'm struggling to keep up!

Chapters 4 to 6 (view spoiler)[ I hope Jacob gets his Psalter back,
it seems very important to him. Also hope it doesn't get him into trouble. I have the feeling Lucy's father may be just trying to separate them to end the relationship.

I became much more comfortable with the timelines when the midwife came into the story. It puts it all back into perspective.

I love William Pitt! I'm also enjoying the abrasive relationship that is developing between Jacob and the Doctor. The midwife , Ms Aibagawa seems very down to earth and is very comfortable (as one would expect from a nurse) talking about body parts! Poor Jacob - I'm quite glad we were spared the details of the doctors demonstration XO) (hide spoiler)]

[Sarah]

I started this just now and I have listened to chapter 1. (view spoiler)[I agree Janice. That was quite a graphic birth. I think hearing the detail made it much more graphic than if it were being watched on tv for some reason. It's the description rather than the actuality of it. You make a good point about the bone clocks - I wonder if it's a link or not. I guess we'll find out. I agree that many babies must have died back then. In fact many people full stop with very little medical knowledge. (hide spoiler)]

My audiobook is narrated by two narrators - Jonathan Aris and Paula Wilcox. They are doing a good job so far. I like multiple narrators. The Bone Clocks was like that too although there were a lot more of them for that book. Who is narrating your versions Margo and Janice?

[Margo]

Same as you Sarah. I,m liking the narration. I think Janice is reading the print version.

[Margo]

Janice, re comments on chapter 3 (view spoiler)[ on no, I have a terrible memory , now I'm going to have to look up the doctor! Mitchell loves to interconnect his books ;-) (hide spoiler)]

[Sarah]

Good point Margo re chapter 1 (view spoiler)[what an emotional rollercoaster to think you're baby would be born alive, the next it's stillborn dead and then alive the next. I hope it lives after all that.(view spoiler)[

Chapter 2 (view spoiler)[I think I tuned out for part of this. Perhaps you guys can help. So we meet Jacob. There's some discussion. Someone is put under arrest for some reason. Then a fight breaks out between Jacob and someone. Not sure what it was all about though. Maybe I need to relisyen to that one. (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Margo]

Sarah, that is a fair summary lol cht 2 (view spoiler)[ The important thing to know is that Jacob is there to stop everyone fiddling the books,
so everyone hates him.The next chapter contains a lot of historical stuff that doesnt seem very revelant to the story either so just bear with it -
around chap 4 it gets interesting ;-) (hide spoiler)]