Published on: August 17 2004
By: Knopf Canada
Number of pages: 509
Reading attempt: 1
Reading time: 12 days
Rating: ««
THE CONTEXT
The idea of
reading David Mitchell’s “Cloud Atlas” first came to me after seeing the movie
trailer back in October. Now as a
personal rule, I tend to always read a book before seeing its movie adaptation.
So after reading the obscure synopsis on
the Indigo bookstore website, I decided to download the book preview from the
Kobo bookstore, only to find out that it didn't even include a single page of
the story. Disappointed, I made my way to the bookstore to have a sneak peak at
this novel. Not being genuinely
impressed by the little I read, I put myself on the waiting list at my local
public library, where it took 4 months before I could finally put my hands on
this book.
THE STORY
Resuming
the story plot is no easy task. Ask anyone who has read it. Basically, it is a collection of six stories
that are set in different places; different times, different genres and that each
feature a different main character. The
first 5 stories are divided in halves with the 6th story being the
only undivided one. As you read on, you
move forward in time until you reach the bending point (aka the 6th
story) and start moving backward in time, in order to read the second half of
every story, finishing each in turn.
To try and put it
more clearly, imagine throwing a boomerang traveling through time and space
while taking pictures illustrating people’s lives at a precise moment in time
and that coming back through the same times and spaces, this same boomerang
takes another set of pictures on the same people. Now, I will not attempt here to describe
every story as it would give too much away to those who wish to read it.
THE REVIEW
Although I
truly admire and applaud the author for his effort and creativity, I must admit
that I have mixed feelings about his novel.
I can’t say
that I truly dislike it, as some of the character and stories did hit a certain
cord for me. For example, I particularly
enjoyed the stories entitled “Half-lives: the first Luisa Rey mystery” and “The
ghastly ordeal of Timothy Cavendish” They were written in styles I usually am
attracted and seemed to me to be best build up.
I also liked their colorful and resourceful characters and the fast-pace
of their story plot.
As for the
other stories, something just didn't hit the mark for me; either it being the
genre, the style, the story plot and even sometimes the main character. To say that I experienced difficulty reading “Sloosha’s
crossin’ an’ ev’rythin’ after” (to name just one) would be an understatement. The sole fact that it is written in a style
where words are mainly contracted and tend to miss several letters or
syllables, made me hate the story from the very start and rendered its reading
tedious.
Moreover,
the link between the stories was loose and made me wish at times that there was
none. Even now, I find it difficult to
understand its importance and significance:
·
Is
it the fact that the whole book seems to be a critic of some sort on slavery
and the disparity between social classes?
·
Or
does the book somehow critic humanity’s perpetual desire to achieve absolute
power through different means and how it affects the rest of society?
Even the
relationship between the title of the book and its contents makes very little
sense to me.
I do believe
that I might have liked to book more should the stories have been completely separated
from one another. I think they would have worked better taken individually
instead of as a whole, which is just confusing.
As to whether
or not, this will be my first and last incursion into the works of David
Mitchell is still open for discussion. Because,
as I do not usually judge a book by its cover or first page, I tend not to judge an author’s work based on one book.
So this may only be the beginning...
Until then,
keep reading all of you bookworms and book lovers out there.
Ladybug
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