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Cloud Cuckoo Land: A Novel
On the New York Times bestseller list for over 20 weeks * A New York Times Notable Book * A National Book Award Finalist * Named a Best Book of the Year by Fresh Air, Time, Entertainment Weekly, Associated Press, and many more "If you're looking for a superb novel, look no further." --The Washington Post From the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of All the Light We Cannot See, comes the instant New York Times bestseller that is a "wildly inventive, a humane and uplifting book for adults that's infused with the magic of childhood reading experiences" (The New York Times Book Review). Among the most celebrated and beloved novels of recent times, Cloud Cuckoo Land is a triumph of imagination and compassion, a soaring story about children on the cusp of adulthood in worlds in peril, who find resilience, hope, and a book. In the 15th century, an orphan named Anna lives inside the formidable walls of Constantinople. She learns to read, and in this ancient city, famous for its libraries, she finds what might be the last copy of a centuries-old book, the story of Aethon, who longs to be turned into a bird so that he can fly to a utopian paradise in the sky. Outside the walls is Omeir, a village boy, conscripted with his beloved oxen into the army that will lay siege to the city. His path and Anna's will cross. In the present day, in a library in Idaho, octogenarian Zeno rehearses children in a play adaptation of Aethon's story, preserved against all odds through centuries. Tucked among the library shelves is a bomb, planted by a troubled, idealistic teenager, Seymour. This is another siege. And in a not-so-distant future, on the interstellar ship Argos, Konstance is alone in a vault, copying on scraps of sacking the story of Aethon, told to her by her father. Anna, Omeir, Seymour, Zeno, and Konstance are dreamers and outsiders whose lives are gloriously intertwined. Doerr's dazzling imagination transports us to worlds so dramatic and immersive that we forget, for a time, our own.
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Community Reviews
“Cloud Cuckoo Land,” represents Anthony Doerr’s love letter to librarians and the mythology in storytelling. It is a tome with multiple stories and characters weaving in and out. The story arcs, character development, and themes tie together and underscore the broader message mentioned before. Doerr is an effective story, character, and plot maker. However, he needs a brutal editor to cut down his extraneous exposition and, in the case of this book, a middle portion we could have done without.
Despite the herculean effort required to read this, the multiple stories circling around a singular truth about the power of imagination to cure ills is a worthwhile one. Even if only momentarily glimpsed in the latest of sections. The structure, pacing, and meaning in this book reminded me of “Cloud Atlas” in parts. Both constructed in messy ways that distract the reader/watcher from fully taking in the experience without a way-finder and buckets of patience.
Again, despite the problems with the book, the meta-commentary on humanity, its endless striving, along with the turmoil of existence is gripping in and of itself. Doerr manages to save the book in the end and pass on a lesson on the power of language and flow of information to shape reality. In that last bit of understanding is what I think Doerr is communicating about the power of librarians. To protect and disseminate knowledge through the ages. The author indirectly suggests that we are all, in a way, librarians if we care for and share stories from one generation to the next.
I found myself dreading finishing this book - it is one that will stick with me for a long time and has made its way into my favorite reads, which was unexpected! Anthony Doerr brought to life the characters he created in such a poetic and emotional way. I will definitely pick this one back up again!
Wonderfully imaginative set of intertwining stories. 15th century Europe, 20th century USA, a time in the future on a spaceship. In each, a rare manuscript by Diogenes becomes a guiding force. Beautifully written, this book is a testament to the written word and the libraries that curate them.
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