"Cloud Atlas" by David Mitchell (April/May Fiction Group Read)

[Shirley]

Please discuss our April/May choice here.

I have decided to give two months for "Cloud Atlas" as it is quite long, and (so I have heard) not an "easy" read.

Good luck!

[[deleted user]]

An excellent book. I read it a few years ago and loved it. I recently recommended it to my boyfriend and he also thought it was brilliant.

Although I would love to re-read, I am not sure I have time at the moment but look forward to all the comments

[Greg]

This has been interesting me for a while, but I'm not sure because of the length. Hopefully I can get to it!

[Charbel]

I'm really looking forward to reading this!

[Shirley]

Greg wrote: "This has been interesting me for a while, but I'm not sure because of the length. Hopefully I can get to it!"

I feel the same, but at least we have two months. I'm going to give it a go and see how I get on with it.

[Alannah]

Just finished The Bone Clocks and really enjoyed it. So I'm looking forward to this one.

[Monica]

Unfortunately, I can't get a library copy in time for the group read, too many others in the queue ahead of me.

[Alannah]

Monica, if you would still like to read it. These times are not set in stone. Members are welcome to come back and post in this thread any time after April/May.

[Monica]

Alannah wrote: "Monica, if you would still like to read it. These times are not set in stone. Members are welcome to come back and post in this thread any time after April/May."

Thanks, Alannah, that's an option, but it does defeat the purpose of a group read (for me).

[LauraT]

Found the book; I'll start it by the end of this week!

[Tweedledum]

I am going to join you for the group read of Cloud Atlas. My daughter has been nagging me to read it ever since the film came out and I finally got started on in 2 months ago but not very far in. Her enthusiasm for the film was huge but I haven't seen that yet. Hoping I will catch the Cloud Atlas bug!

[Greg]

Great Laura and Tweedledum!

[Terry ~ Huntress of Erudition]

I may read this also -

[Pink]

I really liked this book when I read it a couple of years ago, much more than I expected to. The film was great too, but I think it helps to have read it first.

[Shirley]

I have a copy of this, so will start soon.

[Alannah]

Just ordered my copy of amazon

[Petra]

I'd like to join in, too. It's been sitting on my bookshelf for awhile now.

[Evelyn]

Pink wrote: "I really liked this book when I read it a couple of years ago, much more than I expected to. The film was great too, but I think it helps to have read it first."

I agree with you Pink, I read first and then watched the movie also. I watched it with a friend who had not read the book and found the movie easier to follow than he did.

[Jennifer]

I enjoyed this book when I read it years ago. Had recommended it (without sucsess) for face to face book lib so looking forward to the discussion here.

Would love to see the movie.

[LauraT]

Really looking forwar reading it. Hope to be able of starting sunday or monday

[Alannah]

Just got an email to say my copy is dispatched, hopefully I will get it soon.

[Leslie]

I picked this up at the library today. It wasn't as huge as I had thought it would be, so that is reassuring :)

[Terry ~ Huntress of Erudition]

I got this on Audible for $4.99 so I guess I will be listening to it for 19 hours and 48 minutes...

[LauraT]

Leslie wrote: "I picked this up at the library today. It wasn't as huge as I had thought it would be, so that is reassuring :)"

Glad to know it! I've only managed to get an electronic file, but I've not opened it yet, so I don't really know how long it is!
I must confess though that I'll start it after having finished our Zola's read of this month! So probably by the beginning of next week

[Leslie]

I won't be starting right away either as I have a couple of other library books due in a few days I need to get to first.

[Charbel]

I will be starting this either later today or tomorrow.

[Terry ~ Huntress of Erudition]

Hey LauraT, did you know it is Emile Zola's birthday today?

[Terry ~ Huntress of Erudition]

I am little concerned with beauty or perfection. I don't care for the great centuries. All I care about is life, struggle, intensity.

Émile Zola

French author Emile Zola (born April 2, 1840) wrote a 20-novel cycle titled Les Rougon-Macquart that borrowed from the work of Charles Darwin and examined the different influences of heredity and upbringing.

[Tweedledum]

I've just got to the section where Frobisher goes to stay with the blind composer Crommelynk. To me this reads like a complete send up of Eric Fenby's Delius as I Knew Him and the fact that Mitchell throws in a reference to Delius seems to clinch it. Fenby's unique and dedicated work with Delius and his remarkable book are so moving that I just find myself cringing at this pastiche, clever though it may be. Of course I guess not many readers of Cloud Atlas will be familiar with this though more may know the Ken Russell film. Perhaps it is meant as a back handed tribute but it feels cruel.

[LauraT]

Terry wrote: "Hey LauraT, did you know it is Emile Zola's birthday today?"

Seen it! Thanks!!!!

[Alannah]

My copy arrived in the post today, excited to start reading it.

[Charbel]

I started this yesterday. I'm still in the first story, and the writing took a bit of getting used to, but once I got passed that I really began to enjoy it.

[Shirley]

I've started this now, read the first 32 pages. Still in the first story, feel like you did Charbel, it did take some getting used to, but i think I'm ok now.

[Shirley]

I'm now on page 46, reading this quite slowly as not had much time recently. I am finding this much more readable than I expected. I thought it was going to be hard work and confusing.

[LauraT]

Barely started yesterday - more or less at page 50. I realized that I had even seen the film - and didn't like it!!! I was at home and slept half of it! I hope the book will be a better experience; up to now I "suspend" the judgment ... It is not that it's so complicated to read- even if you have to get used to his language - but I don't see where he's going to ...

[Chinook]

I read this about two years ago and I thought it was amazing! I had the ebook and at the end of the first section because of the abrupt change, I thought there was something wrong with my copy! The first few sections I kept wondering what all the fuss was about until slowly the incredible crafting of the stories won me over. I raved about this books for months after.

I think I'll watch the movie and follow the comments here.

[Lynn]

I read this novel three years ago, loved it, but decided I needed to re-read it to see if all the interconnections made sense. This time through I'm amazed at how much fun it is to read, getting caught up again in the story, and at the same time observing the tactics Mitchell uses to link the different time frames.

[Terry ~ Huntress of Erudition]

I am totally lost - I listened to it for about 4 hours in the car as I was driving the past 2 days and I am up to the part about the young woman who wants to be a serious reporter, like her Dad was, but works for a celebrity gossip magazine or something like that. I could not adjust the volume on my device high enough to be heard clearly when I was driving on the highway, so I missed some of the narration. Keeping an open mind and going with the flow right now but have no idea where this is leading...

[dely]

Terry wrote: "but have no idea where this is leading... "

In my opinion, nowhere.


I've read it a few years ago and didn't like it. Gave it 2 stars only because at least I didn't throw it out of the window. But a lot of people love this book so I'm curious to follow the groupread.

[LauraT]

dely wrote: "Terry wrote: "but have no idea where this is leading... "

In my opinion, nowhere.

It bumped into my mind! I'll wait and see though!

[Shirley]

It's funny, I didn't vote for this book, even though I own a copy, as I had been put off by people telling me it is confusing and a "difficult" read. Well, I'm now 71 pages in, and am really enjoying it so far, so I'm really glad this won, or I might never have picked it up!

[LauraT]

Shirley wrote: "It's funny, I didn't vote for this book, even though I own a copy, as I had been put off by people telling me it is confusing and a "difficult" read. Well, I'm now 71 pages in, and am really enjoyi..."

Yesterday I could spend the whole afternoon reading it under a really nice son on my little terrace, and maybe because of the nice environment, I'm liking it more and more!!!

[Greg]

I love that Laura, reading in the sunlight on your terrace -enjoy!

[Noel]

I had a similar experience to others - took me a little bit of time to warm up to it, but eventually I was completely absorbed. I especially loved the nursing home story and the futuristic story. And his prose! His prose! Gorgeous. :)

[LauraT]

Greg wrote: "I love that Laura, reading in the sunlight on your terrace -enjoy!"

It's the closest immage of my personal paradise Greg. Perfection is at the seaside!!!!

[Terry ~ Huntress of Erudition]

LauraT wrote: "Greg wrote: "I love that Laura, reading in the sunlight on your terrace -enjoy!"

It's the closest immage of my personal paradise Greg. Perfection is at the seaside!!!!"

Love it! I'm with you at the seaside in spirit, Laura. You inspired me to change my profile picture from a girl curled up with a book inside a cozy room, to my favorite dream view - I think this is a view of the Riviera from a balcony in Monte Carlo...

[Terry ~ Huntress of Erudition]

I'm getting more into this book now - it is like reading a series of short stories and finding a common thread - sometimes, it is just an offhand remark made by the main character.

[Charbel]

I like how Mitchell thought it through. You could tell from the start that he had an intricate design in mind; a clear sign of excellence.
So far from the various comments and reviews I've come across, it seems to be a love it or hate it type of book.

[Shirley]

Charbel wrote: "I like how Mitchell thought it through. You could tell from the start that he had an intricate design in mind; a clear sign of excellence.
So far from the various comments and reviews I've come acr..."

How far through the book are you, Charbel? I'm on the fourth story and there have been references to the other stories but I can't wait to see how he links them all up. I'm really enjoying it, I think it's very well written.

[Terry ~ Huntress of Erudition]

I love books like this - I like having a puzzle to figure out. However I no patience for "thrillers, that try to be like this, but are too obvious and seem to follow a formula.