Who better to describe Cloud Atlas than its author, David Mitchell. I quote a passage from Letters from Zedelghem which, rightly summarizes the entire novel:
In the first set, each solo is interrupted by its successor: in the second, each interruption is recontinued, in order.
Revolutionary or gimmicky?
Shan’t know until it’s finished, and by then it’ll be too late…
Too late indeed….
Oh, and by the way, I would choose “gimmicky.”
Due to my inability to properly gather my thoughts to write an unbiased review of this novel, or due to sheer laziness, I have made a flowchart instead, to show, visually, but in the simplest, most rudimentary way, the connection between each of the 6 chapters in the novel.
Warning #1: This flowchart stemmed from an idle, frustrated mind, and may be a bit inaccurate, especially with regards to the connection between Chapter 1 (The Pacific Journal of Adam Ewing) and Chapter 6 (Sloosha’s Crossin’ and Ev’rythin’ After). I must admit, due to the nature of Chapter 6, I stopped actually reading it when I reached the halfway point and just skimmed through it to get a general idea of what was happening.
So I apologize if there exists a connection between the 2 said chapters other than the one I’ve written on the flowchart, and please let me know so that I may correct my mistake.
Warning #2: This flowchart may be a bit spoiler-ish, depending on your definition of “spoiler,” so, glance at it at your own risk.
“…only as you gasp your dying breath shall you understand, your life amounted to no more than one drop in a limitless ocean! Yet what is any ocean but a multitude of drops?”
***
And with this, I complete the Plump Primer category of the Chunkster Challenge, 2012!
Cloud Atlas (2004) – David Mitchell
509 pages
Personal rating: 2.5/5
Oh! I like the idea of a flowchart.
Too bad the book wasn’t more to your liking.
Thanks! I made it mostly out of boredom, but I think it came out well.
Lol! Love the flowchart.
lol…thanks
In fairness, you made an effort with the flowchart. And oh, new blog theme!
Well, it’s the least I could do
Yeah, I was kinda getting tired of the old look.
Interesting post! I haven’t read Cloud Atlas and don’t feel much like it right now but I really enjoyed Black Swan Green by the same author so maybe in time.
Oh, yeah, don’t hurry…it wasn’t all that great. A bit overrated in my opinion.
gotta love that flowchart! it reminded me of Please Ignore Vera Dietz.
hehe thanks! It’s the only way I can “review” Cloud Atlas without offending anyone