Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell

Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
Read: April 2010

Mum bought me this for Christmas as she'd read it and really enjoyed it. I think it was a few years ago and remember seeing it around...and often getting confused between this David Mitchell and the other David Mitchell (from Mitchell and Webb). Having seen the title around, and front cover, I had misconceptions about what the book was about. Now that I've read it, can I say what it's about? (now feeling bad for writing this review months after having read it) but generally it's hard to say exactly what the book is about.

Cloud Atlas is a series of stories that at first make sense individually and seem to have things in common, but it is only when you are a few stories in that the links really become clear. To my reading (and maybe I missed something here) they aren't overly connected, but there is a tie between each consecutive story. I really got into the book in the second half where the stories start going back on themselves. A bit complicated to explain, but somehow it works.
The story I enjoyed most was that of Somni - who is discovering the world for the first time through new eyes so to speak. One of the stories was written in a regional dialect type thing and this was difficult to read - probably like Trainspotting is. I really enjoyed the Louisa Ray story which was that of a whistle-blower-cum-detective. Great read.