Pic Source: goodreads.com Title credit to Dave Eggers's cover quote |
I finished the behemoth Cloud Atlas, by David Mitchell. Behemoth not so much because of its length, it is not near the longest book I've read, but behemoth because of its complexity. This is not a book for everyone, but if you are a reader looking for a challenge, pick up Cloud Atlas.
Cloud Atlas is a timeline. We are treated to the first half of five different stories, taking place in chronological order starting in the 19th century and leading into a future we have not yet encountered. Each past story appears in the next, as history is wont to do. However, these links of one story within the next hint at something more than simply a historical timeline...a more connected presence of the characters and circumstances within the timeline. The collection of these hints and their connections and possibilities are what make Cloud Atlas such a challenge. The five stories lead, in chronological order, to a sixth story, which is the forsaken future of fallen humanity. And then the five stories count down counterclockwise, finishing off the second half of each, until we are back in the 19th century with a most apparent theme, tied together and strengthened with each story: "...one fine day, a purely predatory world shall consume itself. Yes, the Devil shall take the hindmost until the foremost is the hindmost. In an individual, selfishness uglifies the soul; for the human species, selfishness is extinction" (Mitchell 508). Indeed, in each story, selfishness of some people sets out to destroy the lives of others.
And is that it? Is mankind doomed to extinguish itself? I have a suggestion that you will rarely hear me make emphatically: Watch the movie. Read the book FIRST, but definitely watch the movie afterward. The movie stays pretty true to the stories, but I love it for the wonderful way it visually represents the main ideas/themes of Cloud Atlas. There are a limited number of actors and actresses who show up as a different character within each of the six stories. Paying attention to which characters each actor or actress plays allows the viewer to see the connection between the characters in the stories.
Another beautiful thing about the movie is the way in which the stories are represented and connected. Unlike the book, the stories are chopped into smaller sections and rotate through each, repeating, until all stories conclude. At first it was somewhat confusing (this is why reading the book first is best, it kept me from being completely lost); however, I soon began to see the connections between the stories that I could not see as clearly when I read the book. With overlapping narration as one story melts into the next, I saw how Adam Ewing's situation in the 19th century story was connected to Somni's hundreds of years in the future.
There are also sections of the text that are rewritten more fluidly and concisely in the movie, allowing the ultimate meaning to shine through and add yet another layer of meaning, such as this excerpt:
"Belief, like fear or love, is a force to be understood as we understand the theory of relativity and principles of uncertainty; phenomenon that determines the course of our lives. Yesterday, my life was headed in one direction. Today it is headed in another. Yesterday I believe I would never have done what I did today. These forces that often remake time and space, that can shape and alter who we imagine ourselves to be, begin long before we are born and continue after we perish. Our lives and our choices, like quantum trajectories, are understood moment to moment. At each point of intersection, each encounter suggests a new potential direction."
The ultimate thought behind it all: "Our lives are not our own. From womb to tomb we are bound to others. Past and present. And by each crime and every kindness, we birth our future."
There is more, sitting at the edge of my mind, just out of reach. I know I will hit publish on this post and wake up tomorrow bursting with more insight. But, at some point, you just have to read, watch, and gather the epiphanies for yourself. This is definitely a book made for careful consideration and discussion.
Any reads blow your mind lately?
I'm glad to see you had a good experience with this (and the movie!). My book club did a read of it right before the movie came out and while everyone loved the book, I was the only one who didn't hate the movie. I'm firmly on the fence about it (I hated most of the end, but thought it was really good for an "unfilmable" book).
ReplyDeleteExactly - I was thinking this is going to be hard to put on screen and I thought they did a good job with that overall. They changed some details as usual, but I just loved the sequencing to make the pieces of each story parallel.
DeleteI'm not sure this is my kind of read, but it looks interesting enough. Glad you enjoyed it! And I love the word "behemoth"!
ReplyDeleteI bought the book awhile ago and when I didn't get to it last summer, I purposely put it off til this summer. It is one of those books that you have to be ready for.
DeleteOMG! It's on my shelves. I have to read it now. I already knew I needed to read it but NOW I am tempted!
ReplyDeleteGet yourself a good chunk for time (ha, yea right) to settle in with. I feel like I need to reread it because I didn't start noticing the connecting hints throughout the stories until the second half of the book, so I'm wondering what other cool clues I missed.
DeleteActually, the book I've enjoyed most lately was CHILD OF GOD. Yeah, I'm behind the eight ball here - since it was first pub'ed in 1973. Either way, now I want to read all of Cormac McCarthy's work. I've read THE ROAD. Teri Carter was talking about BLOOD MERIDIAN the other day. Just not sure which I'll go with. Another one that was a bit of a surprise that I enjoyed - although rather dark/gross in spots - was BLACKBIRDS by Chuck Wendig. I've got Donna Tartt's THE GOLDFINCH still in the TBR pile -with many others. But, I don't want to get into that one yet until I know that my current WIP isn't going to suck more time out of my days. :)
ReplyDeleteWhen I read The Road I was so creeped out, I had to leave it at work and read it on my free time there. I think it was because I had small children and I couldn't handle the thought of them in that situation late at night. Fun side note: parts of that movie were shot over my school district. Should we be proud or offended? I mean the movie's setting is desolated wasteland...
DeleteIt was really creepy - and they did a great job of that in the movie too. And...um, maybe just a tad bit insulted? Desolated wasteland...reminds me of that song - I probably have the lyrics wrong and have been singing it wrong for years. "it's only teenage wasteland..." Need my hubby here to 1) correct my lyrics, or, if right, 2) tell me who sang it.
DeleteI didn't realize this was a movie (LOL I live under a rock, seriously) and had no idea what the book was about. This sounds like my kind of read, though! Such a great review.
ReplyDeleteThanks! Sometimes that's the best way to hit a book, when you know nothing about it.
DeleteI've been really on the fence about this book, but your enjoyment is a good sign.
ReplyDeleteYou definitely have to make sure you're in the mood for a commitment when reading it, and like I said above, not because of its length so much. Warning though, the one story that didn't capture me in the whole thing was the first one, which is 39 pages long, so if that happens, just keep reading!
DeleteI loved this book and the movie but you're right- it is a book that requires patience. Like so many wonderful things, right?!
ReplyDeleteI was trying to think of books that blew me away and the two that come to mind are Ruby and The Headmaster's Wife. Not on the scale of Cloud Atlas but the authors surprised and shocked me.
The Headmaster's Wife is on my TBR! I think from reviews that a few people have written, it sounded really good! Maybe I'll bump it up on the list.
DeleteQuick question; how did you get your goodreads reading challenge onto your blog? Thanks
ReplyDeleteHere is a link on Goodreads that will help, https://www.goodreads.com/help/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&q=Widgets&commit=Search
DeleteThe top piece "How Do I Add a Widget to My Blog" tells you how to find the code for the Goodreads shelf you want to display on the Goodreads site.
The bottom piece "How Do I Install the Goodreads Widget on Blogger" will tell you how to put it on your blog IF you are using Blogger, which is what I have here.
I have to Goodreads things linked here - my yearly challenge and also my Read Shelf. So I had to go through the process for each one. Hope this helps!
Actually, I have three shelves on there. Besides Challenge and Read shelf, I also have my Currently Reading shelf. They are all done the same way, you just pick the choice you want on Goodreads and it gives you the code to embed on Blogger.
DeleteThanks a lot!
DeleteI love your last paragraph! Perfectly sums up the way I feel about the greatest novels- almost impossible to describe and they linger.
ReplyDeleteI'm reading Mitchell's upcoming release, The Bone Clocks. Same kind of thing- intricate stories wound round and round.
I will definitely read another Mitchell book. Can't wait to see what you think of it.
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