Journal Entry 1 by ankevd3s from Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Friday, July 25, 2008

I really enjoyed these 12 half stories, playing in different times.
My boyfriend however thought the book is totally boring (I admit I found the beginning a it tough to get though as well). I am really curious what you think??

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Review from Publishers Weekly
At once audacious, dazzling, pretentious and infuriating, Mitchell's third novel weaves history, science, suspense, humor and pathos through six separate but loosely related narratives. Like Mitchell's previous works, Ghostwritten and number9dream (which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize), this latest foray relies on a kaleidoscopic plot structure that showcases the author's stylistic virtuosity. Each of the narratives is set in a different time and place, each is written in a different prose style, each is broken off mid-action and brought to conclusion in the second half of the book. Among the volume's most engaging story lines is a witty 1930s-era chronicle, via letters, of a young musician's effort to become an amanuensis for a renowned, blind composer and a hilarious account of a modern-day vanity publisher who is institutionalized by a stroke and plans a madcap escape in order to return to his literary empire (such as it is). Mitchell's ability to throw his voice may remind some readers of David Foster Wallace, though the intermittent hollowness of his ventriloquism frustrates. Still, readers who enjoy the "novel as puzzle" will find much to savor in this original and occasionally very entertaining work.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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RINGRING????
I red Cloud Atlas a couple of years ago while travelling, and due to limited luggage space we left it in a hostel in China somewhere (torn in half because my friend and I wanted to read it at the same time, and we thought it was appropriate in this story to split the book).

But back home again I still wanted to have the book, to be able to show it to others and discover if they also liked it. So I bought it, and gave it to my boyfriend, but he unfortunately was not enthusiastic about it and put it away again.
Now I am wondering if there would be fellow-bookcrossers interested in reading it, and sharing what they think? :)

If there are people interested for me to ring this book, I would like to limit the ring to the EU.

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De volgende Nl bookcrossers willen graag meelezen:
- Rroos
- Cynthia6
- Wanderin
- AnnevO
- Bookguide
- EvaCG
 

Journal Entry 2 by rroos from Utrecht, Utrecht Netherlands on Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Vandaag ontvangen, bedankt! Ik probeer het zo snel mogelijk te gaan lezen, al kan dat nog een uitdaging worden, zo midden in een verbouwing/verhuizing. Ik ben in ieder geval erg benieuwd wat ik ervan ga vinden.

edit290709: Inmiddels ligt het al weer te lang bij mij. Helaas heb ik me er niet toe kunnen zetten, een te drukke periode om in dit boek te duiken ben ik bang. Jammer. Toch erg bedankt voor het ringen. Ik stuur het boek door naar Cynthia6, ik hoop dat het haar beter bevalt. 

Journal Entry 3 by Sonje from Maastricht, Limburg Netherlands on Saturday, August 01, 2009

Arrived safely today! I've been curious about this book for quite some time now (although never curious enough to actually buy it myself), so after just a little while on mount TBR I will let you know! 

Journal Entry 4 by Sonje from Maastricht, Limburg Netherlands on Sunday, October 18, 2009

Ow, this book has been in my house for a riduculous amount of time! I'm very sorry! I must say, it took me quite some time to get into the book, but I'm happy that I've read it. Thank you very much for this beautiful ring, ankevd3s! 

Journal Entry 5 by wandering from Den Haag, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Ontvangen! Binnenkort ga ik het boek lezen. 

Journal Entry 6 by wandering from Den Haag, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Monday, January 18, 2010

Finally, I finished reading this book. I'm sorry it took so long!

I really like the concept of connecting seemingly unrelated stories in a book. It's fun to think about how Mitchell connects the six stories. The longer you think about it, the more links you find. I bet that if you read this book again, many more links appear.

Each story is very distinct in time and language. The middle part of the book reads very slowly, because it is 'future spelling' and you need to pronounce it in your head to understand what it says. Mitchell does have an interesting view of the future, I guess he thinks the apocalypse will happen at some point. It's a warning against consumerism and endless materialistic and energetic growth. I liked the part about sonmi, but not the fact that people like her are created. I sincerely hope that that won't happen in the future. That part would be a warning about the ethics of science. In the end, human nature does not really change over time, just the circumstances of life do.

When talking about language, the part of Timothy Cavendish was best. I got most of the memorable quotes from that part of the book. He would also be my favourite character, for his sense of humour. The life of Frobisher made me shake my head and the part about Luisa nicely links multiple stories together. The Adam Ewing part was least interesting to me. Too bad, because that is what the book starts and ends with.

I already have AnnevO's address, so I'll send the book tomorrow. Happy reading!


___________

You can find me on pages 106, 126, 331, 353 and 360. 

Journal Entry 7 by AnnevO from Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Arrived safely at my home today; thanks! 

Journal Entry 8 by AnnevO from Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Tuesday, March 16, 2010

It took me quite a while to finish this book. Some of the half stories I liked better then others; most likely because of the style of narrative.

This book will start a journey to Bookguide tomorrow. 

Journal Entry 9 by AnnevO at Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Released 2 yrs ago (3/17/2010 UTC) at Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland Netherlands

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Per post naar Bookguide. 

Journal Entry 10 by bookguide from Wijchen, Gelderland Netherlands on Thursday, March 18, 2010

Arrived today, safe and well in Wijchen, and is now standing high and dry on my bookring shelf. Thank you for sending it, AnnevO, and thank you for making it a ring, Ankevd3s.

UPDATE 4th May 2010: Started to read today. 

Journal Entry 11 by bookguide at Wijchen, Gelderland Netherlands on Monday, June 07, 2010

This book is a real tour de force, with a complicated structure resembling a set of nested tables, with links between the six individual stories. Each story is written in a different genre and style. It would be a great book to take to the proverbial desert island, as you could choose between a classic adventure novel, a sci fi section, a thriller, etc. etc. I'm left wondering how David Mitchell normally writes. Deservedly on the 1001 list.

I found Cloud Atlas not exactly difficult to read, but it does demand attention from the reader, and it actually took me more than a week to read, which is unusual. One review I read described it as "dense", and I think that sums it up. I was most taken aback on page 40 when I turned the page and was left hanging, as I hadn't expected that at all! As Robert Frobisher remarks when confronted with the same frustration on reading the first half of 'The Pacific Journal of Adam Ewing', "A half-read book is a half-finished love affair".

Some parts of the book I found more enjoyable than others, and the story of poor old Timothy Cavendish was my favourite, and very funny. I could imagine it being made into a TV programme, maybe as an episode of something like 'Tales of the Unexpected'. This made me laugh: "Old Father Timothy offers this advice to his younger readers, included for free in the price of this memoir: conduct your life in such a way that, when your train breaks down in the eve of your years, you have a warm, dry car driven by a loved one - or a hired one, it matters not - to take you home". Very wise words! In the same part of the book, there is a sentence which could have been spoken by Stephen Fry as host of QI, or perhaps be part of 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: "Sometimes the fluffy bunny of incredulity zooms round the bend so rapidly that the greyhound of language is left, agog, in the starting cage." Another wonderful turn of phrase in the same story: "The cold sank its fangs into my exposed neck and frisked me for uninsulated patches."

My final quotation is once again from the Timothy Cavendish part, and struck me as true:
"Once you've been initiated into the Elderly the world doesn't want you back... We - by whom I mean anybody over the age of sixty - commit two offenses just by existing. One is Lack of Velocity. We drive too slowly, walk too slowly, talk too slowly. The world will do business with dictators, perverts and drug dealers of all stripes, but being slowed down it cannot abide. Our second offence is being Everyman's memento more. The world can only get comfy in shiny-eyed denial if we are out of sight". 

Journal Entry 12 by bookguide at Wijchen, Gelderland Netherlands on Monday, September 06, 2010

Released 1 yr ago (9/6/2010 UTC) at Wijchen, Gelderland Netherlands

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

I'm afraid I was away unexpectedly in England for an extra ten days during the summer holiday period, and I was unable to send this on. Things are now getting back to normal, and so it's time to visit the post office. I apologise for the delay, and hope you enjoy the book as much as I did.

This book has been released as part of the following BookCrossing challenges:
- The Ultimate Challenge - read and release books, with extra points for a monthly theme
- Reduce Mount TBR (To Be Read) - read and release books on the TBR list since before Jan. 2010. My reading goal is 75 books.
- Pages Read Challenge - read a self-set target number of pages in 2010. My goal is 24,000.
- Set It Yourself Challenge
- 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die Challenge 

Journal Entry 13 by EvaCG at Wezep, Gelderland Netherlands on Wednesday, September 08, 2010

Boek is goed aangekomen. Ziet er goed uit en ben meteen begonnen. Heb het wel erg druk momenteel dus zal niet heel snel uit zijn. Ik doe mijn best! 

Journal Entry 14 by EvaCG at Wezep, Gelderland Netherlands on Thursday, September 23, 2010

I enjoyed this book, I like it when a book is cleverly crafted and the way each part has its own unique tone and rhythm...
thanks for the ring! I will find out where to send it next and do so.