Cloud Atlas

The birth mark bit annoyed me because I kept trying to work out what the link was. From the chapter or so I've read it does seem to be nicely written, but I didn't find it unputdownable. [which is obvious as I've only read two chapters grin]].

Sorry!

Well, you've put me off it. Good and proper.

We read the book in our Book Club recently and are getting together soon to watch the film together. I write the reviews for our local magazine and this is what they got from me:

"Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell

One of the characters in this book says, “As an experienced editor, I disapprove of backflashes, fore-shadowings and tricksy devices......” I am sure that this is a conscious irony on the part of this clearly intelligent author, as Cloud Atlas is based on the tricksiest of devices: six separate storylines with highly tenuous links, spanning from the 19th century to a post-apocalyptic future – what David Mitchell describes a “Russian doll” format. However, contrived though this book may be, some of the individual stories are splendidly written and are absorbing cameos in their own right, although the “Sci-fi” section was somewhat formulaic and I confess to skim-reading at that stage.

There is a simplistic recurring theme of a shared comet-shaped birth mark; but more profound are the reflections on hierarchy and powerlessness which run throughout.

This book is a hard slog and a true brain workout, which is unfortunate, as most of the stories are capable of standing alone as novels or short stories. David Mitchell has tried a bit too hard to create something unique and is to be admired for the effort; but a book of short stories would have been more enjoyable and no less thought-provoking."

It's an amazing production and a massive achievement. We were enraptured by it. Halfway through the film I was dying to spend a penny but didn't want to miss anything. I sat there in agony through the second half of it!!
Now I can't wait to see it again as I know I will understand it more and appreciate it more fully, in the same way as re-reading a book helps it to fall into place, if that makes sense!

I took my son to see it early this year and we both loved it - we talked about it for ages afterwards which is a sure sign of a good film, despite it not being the sort of film either of us would have chosen normally, but we were in a hotel in the winter and were bored.

I've got this film on my Love Film list. Tegan I can quite understand why some would find it unfathomable, I am sure I would if I hadn't read the book, which I didn't enjoy at all, but thought the concept was very clever, I'd like to see if I find the film any better. I have couple of friends who loved the book. I gather the film, again is in the love it or hate it category, it received very mixed reviews if I remember rightly.

My boss went with a group of her friends that had also enjoyed the book and they all loved the film. I watched it with the S.O., my son and his girlfriend and none of us had a clue what was happening [and usually my son is good at working out what's going on]. Crikey; what a choice..mountainous bendy roads or a helicopter [I don't like either ].

I enjoyed the book, so haven't been to see the film. Perhaps I should.

Some of it was being filmed when we were on holiday in Majorca at Port Soller in September 2011. We didn't see Hallé Berry or Tom Hanks but they were around, we were told Tom didn't like mountainous bendy roads so was flown about in a helicopter !

I really coudn't understand it, so I'm trying to read the book, then I'll watch it again. It was one of my boss's favourite books and she loved the film, so I know it's worth persevering with.