Average Bufph Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
David Stephen Mitchell
2004
Souls cross ages like clouds cross skies... A reluctant voyager crossing the Pacific in 1850; a disinherited composer bagging a precarious livelihood in between-the-wars Belgium; a high-minded journalist in Governor Reagan's California; a vanity publisher fleeing his gangland creditors; a genetically modified 'dinery server' on death-row; and Zachry, a young Pacific Islander witnessing the nightfall of science and civilisation - the narrators of Cloud atlas hear each other's echoes down the corridor of history, and their destinies are changed in ways great and small.
Mitchell's magnum opus is a labyrinthine narrative that weaves together six disparate stories, spanning centuries and genres. Each tale is a testament to his linguistic prowess and storytelling ambition. The interconnectedness of the characters and themes across time and space is both audacious and profound. While the structure is complex, it rewards the reader with a rich tapestry of human experience and philosophical inquiry. A stimulating read that expands the boundaries of traditional narrative forms.
