CLOUD ATLAS

Report by AJ

4 Stars

Cloud atlas is a collection of six remotely connected chronological stories.  The first is about a man traveling the pacific in the 19th century and the last takes you to a distant post-apocalyptic future.  The book starts with the first half of each story, then presents the endings of each story in reverse order, chiasmus style.  I would recommend it to anyone looking for a good book to read.

Pros:

• I loved the writing: each story is told using a different medium (letters, journals, interviews, etc...) and voice.  You never would have guessed it was the same author writing all of the stories.  I thought it was brilliant!  Also, very pretty writing to boot.
• Every story is fun to read, exploring every theme from love, to aging, to colonization and racism, to 1984 big brother type stuff. 

Cons:

• You know how the first chapter or two of every book is the worst because you have to get used to the authors writing and become acquainted with hosts of new characters? That happens six times in this book.
• I still have a sense that there should have been a stronger theme connecting it all.  It felt a little ADHD.