Cloud Cuckoo Land - Anthony Doerr 5 Star ⭐️ review - amazing, amazing, amazing, I didn’t want it to end. This is an expansive epic worthy of plaudits and lauding by the literary Illuminati. Most authors get one in their lifetime, an epic that resonates with its reader and makes the whole world fall in love with both author and novel. The books in question almost take on a tangible life of their own, etching out their own little place in history always there for this and future generations. Doerr did it with ‘All The Light We Cannot See’ and he has most certainly done it again; his unique style and unassailable talent has drawn readers in to another masterpiece that will undoubtedly dig out another notch in history. At a little over 600 pages this will take you a little while to get through but savour every word, every sentence and page, take your time to fall in love with the numerable characters that span from the 15th century to an unstated point in the distant future, and everywhere in between. We follow 3 main time periods, each with their own protagonist. We have the 15th century with Anna and Omeir, each on opposite sides of an impending war. The late 20th/early 21st centuries which follows a war hero and a young disabled boy on a trip to certain destruction. Finally, we have the distant future where Konstance, on a spaceship far from earth, is trying to survive and save humanity. It sounds big, and it is, it’s essentially 3 separate novels of different genres, but these stories do link and tie together by a book within a book; of a story that predates them all. Grab a copy, make yourself comfortable and enjoy every last second of it.

Cloud Cuckoo Land is brilliant. The book is divided up into parallel stories with paired narratives that eventually intersect, bookended by the ancient and future timelines. Each timeline is beautifully crafted and could stand alone as an individual short story, but are heightened by the juxtaposition of a contradictory point of view. Clearly the author in part is writing a missive to the art of the book as seen in the central string of annotations from the titular book by Diogenes from which the other narratives are pegged. The art of writing, translation and custodians (Libraries/Librarians) of books are all explored and honoured. As a historical work of fiction Doerr has once again proved his deft touch, transporting the reader to the ancient world of the siege of Constantinople, the Korean war and 1970s London alongside present day social activism in the United States. The ills of the modern society are explored via environmentalism, online recruitment and terrorism, but at it's heart this book is concerned with relationships. Relationships between individuals; between societies; between the past and present; between reality and unreality; between truth and lies; and ultimately between the written word and the imagination.

No words I can conjure will adequately capture my feelings for this novel but I will eagerly add my voice to the chorus of praise Doerr is receiving. It is undoubtedly my favourite book of 2021 and one of the best I will ever read. Within it are three distinct tales, each of which would make for a satisfying story by itself. But the real skill on show here is the author's ability to wind these stories around each other and a central idea to create a piece that illustrates the connections that humans share and the strengths we hold inside. While doing this, with wit, flair and elegance I have rarely seen, he also encapsulates the power of story and the importance of passing these on through the written word. If you're looking for an important novel of our times that is fun to read, profound and profoundly moving, exciting, compelling and able to withstand any kind of scrutiny you might give it, read Cloud Cuckoo Land. Truly, it will amaze you.

Absolutely loved this book. A number of timelines linked in an innovative sophisticated way make it an epic read. Anthony Doerr is a superb storyteller. Would 100 per cent recommend this book to a range of readers. This book is part historical fiction, part thriller, part futuristic. The characters are compelling and plausible. I was particularly intrigued by the central theme which is of a text ( a fable) written in ancient times finding its way through generations and across continents. This ancient tale links the characters and has relevance and meaning in each of their lives. Just brilliant.

All the Light We Cannot See was everywhere a few years ago, and like so many, I thoroughly enjoyed it. So, naturally, when I heard about Doerr’s next offering, Cloud Cuckoo Land, I was intrigued as to how he could follow up that wonderful book. Set across three time period (the siege of Constantinople in the 1400s, present day Idaho, and a spaceship years in the future), this tells of how one story connects five people across the years. ⠀ This is an ode to the art of storytelling and the power of words to echo throughout the centuries. This can be seen in part by just how many genres this book could be placed in: sci-fi, fantasy, historical fiction, literary fiction, romance, it has elements from all of them and thus feels like a truly expansive and immersive book. Doerr’s love for words and stories is infused into the text; his simple yet beautiful prose brought me to tears multiple times. Doerr also deals with themes of environmentalism and utopia and loneliness in a very powerful and poignant way; in the hands of a lesser author this would have been jumbled, but not so here. ⠀ I have to say I fell in love with all the characters, but I particularly connected with Anna and Omeir’s story, as well as Zeno. Each character felt so real and so alive on the page. This is not a linear story, so you do jump around between each character and time period quite a lot; thankfully, Doerr is very skilled at what he does, and manages to make each story weave together seamlessly. I’ve spoken already about his prose, but I have to emphasise again how good it is; lush and descriptive, I was completely and utterly immersed. ⠀ Both melancholic and hopeful, this is a book that celebrates life and stories, and how despite am the hardships we might face, a good story can have an impact on our life that we may never see coming. A truly worthy successor to All the Light We Cannot See, I fell in love with this book, and am so excited for it to be out in the world. ⠀ Thank you so much to 4th Estate Books for sending me this gorgeous copy ❤️