Cloud Atlas

Fantastic book this. Up there with some of the best I have read. This book is presented in a superb and imaginative way. The writing styles are exceptionally clever and storylines brilliantly devised. A word of warning though. Be patient. The first chapter is a hard read and may putsome off. Hang in there, you will soon be hooked.

An utterly engrossing set of six interlocking tales spanning several different genres. David Mitchell is fast becoming one of my favorite living writers.

The "nesting dolls" description works really well--every story is within a story so you feel like you're constantly looking deeper and deeper into the worlds he's created. The worlds themselves are excellently done; within the first page of every section you feel like you're been transported fully into the period and genre represented with no ties to the previous...more

The "nesting dolls" description works really well--every story is within a story so you feel like you're constantly looking deeper and deeper into the worlds he's created. The worlds themselves are excellently done; within the first page of every section you feel like you're been transported fully into the period and genre represented with no ties to the previous world. Mitchell's ability to emulate Melville, Orwell, and the authors of countless "airport novels" while all at once maintaining a sense of modern commonality is astounding. An A and not an A+ simply in the sense that perhaps he could have asserted deeper connections between the characters (a birthmark and a loose theme of exploitation/courage leaves a small wedge of leftover "how are they related" pondering) but the book is a joy to read through every word on every page. I definitely recommend Mitchell as an author to follow, because I think he's still ready to blow up the modern fiction universe.   hide

One of the best reads I had since discovering Salman Rushdie's early work. A symphony of stories spanning centuries and written in their own language.