Review: Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell

Cloud Atlas // David Mitchell
2004 // Hodder
Paperback
5/5 stars!

A reluctant voyager crossing the Pacific in 1850; a disinherited composer blagging 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.

In English Class, we got the assingment to read a book. You were allowed to choose what book you wanted to read yourself, as long as it was literature.
It was a difficult choice for me, because there are so many books I want to read, but in the end I chose Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell, because I knew deep inside that I'd not simply pick it up. You all should know that this is a very thick book, with 529 pages.
The thing that attracted me most about Cloud Atlas was that there were 6 stories, and all of them were intertwined and told in the book. First time you meet them, and the second time, further in the book, you are reunited with the stories, that were simply ended earlier, sometimes mid-sentence.
Also, I heard that it was made into a movie. The movie trailer looked amazing, and I always want to read the book prior to watching the movie, so that's exactly what I did. And I loved it!
In the beginning, I was scared by it, to be honest. The first part was written 1850s style, and to me that was incredibly hard. I am not a native, and English is not my mother tongue, so I have some minor problems with some parts of the English language, one of them being that it takes me long to understand some terms that I am not familiar with.
So the first thirty-something pages scared me off, yet I kept on reading, fascinating by the story. Then quickly I was thrown into the next part, letters this time, and 100 years later, so much easier for me to understand. and it just went on and on and I fell in love with the novel more and more!
Historic, Contemporary and Futuristic stories, all included in one thick and magnificently written novel. All genres mixed and matched. Never thought I'd like a mystery novel, combined with political drama, as much as I did. David Mitchell; you are one of the finest writers around!

A half-read book is a half-finished love affair

Lots of books,
Mar

To kill a mockingbird by Harper Lee

Hi people,
So a couple of weeks ago I went to the library and decided not to borrow a YA fiction book, but a piece of literature. Most of people have to read this book for school, but I have not yet needed to read it, it just seemed interesting to me. And that's how I found out I love literature. This review will be different from the other ones I have already posted :)



book: To kill a mockingbird
written by: Harper Lee
genres: Adult, literature, classics
own / library / borrowed
pages: 309
rating: 5 stars!

the book:
US, Alabama, 1935. Scout and Jem are the two children of Atticus Finch, a lawyer. Atticus has to defend a black man, who is suspected of the rape of a white girl. He cannot deny the case, because that'd mean no job, which means no money. And that's why he has to defend the man, even tough he knows the case is already lost because of the difference between black and white people. Lots of terrible things will happen, because Atticus defends a black man. But when the thruth is revealed, will people set the man free, or won't they, because he's black?

review:
I have no idea how to review a book this good. To me this is an important piece of american history. The story is told from Scout, a nine-year-old girl, point of view, which makes is less difficult to read, which was great for me. I like to know what I'm reading :) I think that this story wouldn't have been as good as it is if it was told from e.g. Atticus's point of view, Scout really made the story funny with her childlike innocence. The author made me want to read literature, something I'd think I would not like.
This story is out of my comfort zone, but still I loved it, and I know I will read more literature. I hope all literature is as good as this book. Then English classes will be fun in the next 3 years :D (I'm in year 9 now)
The characters were very developed and thought-through, which made the book easier to read. You did not have to care about some very bad  characters, and I fell in love with all of them. I kind of felt like I knew every family that lived in this village, and that I knew all about them.
I could relate to Scout in many ways. I was like she is, always being boy-ish. My parents also are like Atticus, teaching me to read before school started.
*I think I can go on rambling about this book forever*
Altogether, I think many newer stories were based on this one, and this book has been a source of inspiration for tons of books, writers and readers. Definitely worth the Pulitzer Prize it recieved!


so again, I rate this book 5 stars!!
xo mar