There is nothing more delicious than a novel by David Mitchell. Every time a new novel of his is published, I know that I get to take a mental vacation of the highest form - I fall into the worlds he creates and am totally immersed in the remarkable characters and setting that he creates. UPTOPIA AVENUE fulfilled all of my expectations. It follows a British band in the 1960s from formation to stardom and beyond. The members of the band, Elf, Dean, Griff and Jasper are wholly realized people who feel like friends by the end of the book. Mitchell is comprehensive in his character development and gives the reader the full backstory - from Dean's fractured relationship with his father, Elf's past loves and currents losses, Jasper's bizarre childhood and whisper-thin grasp of reality and Griff's fairly normal life until tragedy strikes. And Levon, their manager is a delight - filled with good intentions and ready for adventure, even when he thinks he isn't. This was a truly fantastic read and I am so sorry I have finished it! I just want it to go on and on ...

Until the end of Utopia Avenue, I think I'd been taking this book too seriously. I'm a huge fan of the other David Mitchell books I've read (The Bone Clocks, and Slade House), and they contained only the occasional laugh. I think Utopia Avenue is meant to be fun. It's pretty light-hearted, though there are some brief harrowing sections (and a smattering of magical realism for good measure).

The book follows the fictional band, Utopia Avenue, and their rise to fame. Along the way, the band members face personal and professional crises, the unreliability of a career in music, but also have some notable successes, not to mention conversations with real-life Rock Gods (Bowie and Hendrix to name but two).

It was amusing to imagine Utopia Avenue genuinely existing. Much like the recent Taylor Jenkins Reid novel, Daisy Jones and The Six, there were moments when I want to Google certain moments to get more information, only to come hurtling back down to reality.

Mitchell's love for the phenomenal era of music is evident in his writing. Some parts contained a little too much technical info for my liking; I spent years as a music journalist and do not miss in-depth conversations about equipment and instruments.

Utopia Avenue is a pretty epic novel in terms of length, but it's a relatively easy read. Given its summer release date, I think it will sell a fair few copies in airports. Is it as good as The Bone Clocks? Not for me, but it's a completely different type of David Mitchell novel, and one that may open him up to completely new audiences.

This was an excellent novel! As always, Mitchell developed intriguing characters that felt like real people I knew, and will stick in my head long after I finish reading.

There were three main things that kept this book at 4.5 stars instead of 5 for me. One was the excessive celebrity name dropping in certain chapters—it felt more like a catalog of cool artists for the bands to meet than actual story development. The second was (*spoilers*) the fact that Jasper’s mental illness was actually magical—though I understood that Mitchell wanted to place this book firmly within his already established magical world, and Jasper de Zoet was the way to do that. And, thirdly, the ending (*more spoilers*). I was not impressed by the cliche of redeeming a character (especially one who’s not actually a bad guy but has some faults and is working through some big life decisions) by having him choose to Do The Right Thing just seconds before he dies. I would have rather that Mitchell kept Dean imperfect and human through his last moments.

But, truly, I loved this book a lot. It was the kind of book that made me almost miss my train stop because I was too busy reading. I’d recommend this for fans of Daisy Jones & the Six who wanted more realistic characters, more of the 60s music scene, and less inter-band drama.

4.5 stars
David Mitchell is one of those writers I had been too intimidated to read, so I'm delighted by how accessible, not to mention compulsively readable, "Utopia Avenue" is. The '60s London setting and the making-of-the-band premise are irresistible, the writing rich with insights and gemlike turns-of-phrase, and the characters so vivid. "Utopia Avenue" actually kept me awake during my 6:45 a.m. train rides to work, and not many other books do that.
So why don't I give it five stars? Some of the dialogue from the historical figures such as Jerry Garcia, David Bowie, and the like didn't ring true to me; they seemed to be mouthpieces for the author. (Though I am willing to bet that Leonard Cohen really did speak as he does here.) I think the character of Jasper was given short shrift; it was as if his illness were the whole of his character. (As an aside, if you find Jasper and his storyline intriguing, I highly recommend "Lowboy" by John Wray.) And the ending was a cliché and a cop-out, imho.
All that said, I did love the book and am already looking forward to rereading it. Thank you, NetGalley and Random House, for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was a big fan of Daisy Jones and the Six from the summer of 2019, so I was very excited to read that Mitchell was tackling this subject - the rise of a popular band and the intricacies of band life. Whereas that book felt more "pop culture," Utopia Avenue feels deeper and allows for more detailed storylines of each band member. Following the life of a 60s rock band, Mitchell explains how each of the parts/members of the band came to become part of it and continues their stories in sections. He writes a complete story that makes you get to know these characters so well - you have your favorites and not so favorites and when things happen to them, you feel their emotions just as deeply.

Read this for the writing, stay for the quirky way he incorporates a supernatural storyline, and finish it for the satisfying completion of a brilliant story.

I loved how these band members "bump into" up and coming actual pop icons throughout their journey into become a band themselves.

Wow. The thing about David Mitchell is, I'm not really a fan of all the paranormal, worlds colliding, deep thoughts about reincarnation, soul transference, horology, etc. stuff, but he's such a good writer that I get sucked into it anyway because the rest of the novel is such a fun, well-written read about the late 60s as told through the eyes of a newly-formed, burgeoning psychedelic rock band. Loved the name dropping, loved each and every one of the characters, really the most fun I've had reading in a long time.

This account of the relatively short-lived history of a fictitious band from late '60's London is so Mitchell, with its combination of pop culture, personality, a little of the supernatural, and many tie-ins to his previous works. There are cameos of many figures of the time, and since Mitchell wasn't born until 1969, it's amazing because it's as if he witnessed the era firsthand. The structure is unique. Chapters headings are song titles by the band members, identified by the composer, and form the framework for the backstories and furthuring of the plot. I don't think I've read a novel that presents the creative process so well and with such engaging characters. Last year's Daisy and the Six was more about the soap opera aspects of band memberships, but here the subject is well written with people you really care about. Well done.

There is a great passage near the end of <i>Utopia Avenue</i>, David Mitchell’s engaging look at the British music scene circa 1967-68, in which one of the members in the fictional band of the book’s title is at a party talking to Frank Zappa. The two are discussing the difficulty of putting into words what it means to experience music when Zappa, citing the legendary Charles Mingus, says “I’ll take ‘indescribable’…writing about music is like dancing about architecture.” Whether that attribution is accurate (or even appropriate to the time period), the quote summarizes perfectly the high-wire act the author sets out for himself to capture the essential drama of the struggles and triumphs of a psychedelic-folk-rock band starting out in England during the Summer of Love.

Without a doubt, though, Mitchell succeeds in doing just that in this wonderful novel. Beginning with the backstories of four struggling musicians—keyboardist Elf Holloway, bassist Dean Moss, guitar prodigy Jasper de Zoet, and drummer Griff Griffin—the narrative proceeds to tell how their up-and-coming manager Levon Frankland assembles them into Utopia Avenue. The heart of the tale then chronicles the band’s unlikely rise out of the desolate London bar scene to the top of the international charts (near the top, anyway), all in a mere two years. Along the way, Mitchell gives the reader plenty of joy and heartbreak involving the personal lives of the bandmates and does a remarkable job of recreating that heady, almost mystical time in history. The foursome quickly becomes a touchstone for some of the most important events of the era as they connect with such as luminaries as John Lennon, David Bowie, Janis Joplin, Leonard Cohen, Brian Jones, Cass Elliott, Graham Nash, David Crosby, Jimi Hendrix, and Jerry Garcia. Improbable? Sure, but then that’s part of the fun.

If all of that sounds like straightforward, albeit interesting, storytelling, you would be correct. Except that this <i>is</i> a David Mitchell novel, so you know that there is going to be a lot more going on. As even casual fans know, this author loves to create interconnected worlds throughout his catalog while also exploring some dark and fantastical psychological topics. <i>Utopia Avenue</i> is no different in that respect, with significant roles for characters who have appeared elsewhere, including Luisa Rey (<i>Cloud Atlas</i>), Dr. Marinus (<i>The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet</i>), Crispin Hershey (<i>The Bone Clocks</i>), and even the ubiquitous moon-gray cat (last seen in <i>Slade House</i>). Of more substance is the frightening and angst-ridden journey of Jasper, himself a distant relation of Jacob de Zoet, that provides serious devotees of the author with the most direct connection to his past work.

So, does the attempt to combine so many disparate points-of-view and themes into one novel—even one that runs almost 600 pages long—actually work? My answer is yes, although there were times when Jasper’s tale felt quite far removed from those comprising the rest of the book. Also, while we get to know a lot about the lives of Elf and Dean, the characters of Griff and Levon seemed somewhat underdeveloped by comparison. Still, these are minor quibbles inasmuch as I really enjoyed every moment I spent reading this book. I am a big fan of David Mitchell’s work (perhaps I should have led with that fact!), which I have always found to be both enlightening and wildly entertaining. There is certainly nothing in <i>Utopia Avenue</i> that causes me to change my mind.

First two confessions: 1) I am a David Mitchell completist. He is one of my very most favorite authors. I would read his grocery list if I was offered a galley to review. And 2) I am old and had a front row seat to the good, the bad, and the ugly of the ‘60’s so I recognize at least some, if not most, of Mitchell’s references in “Utopia Avenue”.

So I was all set to settle into a great read, and David Mitchell did not disappoint. All the usual elements were there: the connect the dots with prior works, settings, and characters for Mitchell enthusiasts, the multi-layered stories within a story with multiple POV’s that slowly evolve and enrichen over the course of the novel, the dialogue with puns and wordplay, the drama.

There is always an element of mental health struggles, trauma, heartbreak, and disabilities to ponder and address in Mitchell’s work. “Utopia Avenue” is the most intense ever on that score. Depictions are very real.

I recommend “Utopia Avenue” highly for all. For Mitchell vets, this is right up there with his best. For Mitchell newbies, do take the time to read more. You will not be disappointed.

Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for the eARC.

4.5, rounded up.

In many respects, this is a departure for Mr. Mitchell, and I think how people will react to it will largely depend on whether they are long-time die-hard aficionados (as I AM!) ... or if this is their first exposure to this definitely sui generis author. This chronicle of two years in the formation and rise to fame of a late sixties 'psychedelic/pop/rock/folk' group could easily be seen as just a more literary version of the recent best-seller Daisy Jones & The Six - since it treads similar ground within the same time frame. And for those who approach it as such, they won't be disappointed, since it's like getting a bird's eye view to a period most of us weren't around for (indeed, Mitchell himself wasn't born till 1969 - so his feat of reconstruction here is astonishing). In fact, virtually EVERY famous and up-and-coming musical act of 1967-68 (from John Lennon to Leonard Cohen to Mama Cass to Keith Moon to Jerry Garcia to Diana Ross, etc. etc.) seems to make at least a cameo appearance in these pages - which MIGHT get a bit annoying if it wasn't also so much fun.

For those without any knowledge of the Mitchell multiverse, the book is largely easy to follow (with perhaps the minor exception of ONE chapter, as explained below) ... and will be satisfying on that fundamental level alone. But for fans, the exhilaration in any new Mitchell novel is playing connect-the-dots between this and his previous opuses. These people will probably NOT be disappointed either, since characters and concepts from those works show up regularly - from minor shout outs (Robert Frobisher from Cloud Atlas; Bat Segundo from his first novel Ghostwritten) to at least semi-major characters (Luisa Rey, Crispin Hershey, Esther Little and Marinus from several previous works) here. Since I have a mind like a sieve, I regularly had to consult the Wikipedia entries for each of the novels to refresh my memory about his canon, and I strongly suggest anyone who wants to get the most from the book to do the same.

Thar said, however, the complex metaphysics so prominent in Mitchell's last novel, The Bone Clocks, with the cosmic meddling of the Horologists, etc., only makes a very late appearance in a single chapter, to explain the schizophrenia of bass wizard Jasper de Zoet (progeny of the titular character in The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet, several generations removed), so those expecting Mitchell to expand on those concepts could come away unsatisfied. I must admit I got somewhat lost trying to follow the myriad intricacies in Bone Clocks, so actually appreciated the short shrift it gets here, but others might miss such pyrotechnics.

The book comes to a most satisfying conclusion, though, especially for this San Francisco native, since the final chapters take place here, following the fabled Summer of Love - and this will surely make my 'best of' list for the year. Mitchell has garnered five Booker nominations for his previous seven books, so I wouldn't be at all surprised if this became his sixth - and perhaps even take home the prize this time.

My sincere thanks to both Random House and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for this honest and enthusiastic review.

Thank you to the moon and back, Random House and NetGalley, for this ARC!

(This review can be found of Goodreads).

Actual rating: 4.5 (rounded up)

Mr. David Mitchell is a gift to the literary world, and his groovy new book, Utopia Avenue, TOPS THE CHARTS for me.

I need to get this out of the way: I LIIIIIIIVED for the music, pop culture, film, and history references in this book. David Mitchell chose his decade and setting well for this outing. The 60’s London music scene was (and is!) I-CO-NIC, but it was also a decade of momentous change, conflict, and advancement. The Swingin’ Sixties was counter-culture and civil rights, Vietnam, hippies, beatniks, psychedelia and LSD, revolution, riots, and sex, drugs, & rock ‘n’ roll. All of that, you’ll find here. There is so much to pull from, and Mr. Mitchell wastes not a single important moment.

This novel is really a ‘who’s-who’ of the 60’s... and that—to just get it out of the way—is mostly why I took off half a star. Why, you may ask? We meet so many (in)famous characters from the era, which is all super exciting, but it throws the narrative off a bit after the first dozen-or-so, and kind of becomes a whole ‘who can I toss into the plot now that was around in 1967?’ just for the hell of it. In keeping with the music vibe: It’s a bit of a scratch in an otherwise groovy record.

Anywho, the review plows onwards...

The interconnected-ness of David Mitchell’s novels makes me giddy, so if you’ve read his previous works, you’ll be treated to some fun Easter Eggs from his sprawling multiverse.
(I may or may not have cried at some of the familiar names and places. You’ll never know, and I’ll never fully admit it). Each chapter header is a song, driven by the narratives of a character’s arc, which I thought a cool addition. It works to the story’s benefit.

The way Mr. Mitchell crafts his characters from the get-go (with such finesse) was what hooked me. I was immediately invested in each of them—Dean, Elf, Jasper, Levon, Griff—they all came alive. It’s really a testament to the writing that barely 10% into the book, all the characters were already so fully realized. Each of their respective chapters—as the POV shifts between Dean (the bassist), Elf (the keyboardist), Jasper (the guitarist), and once each for Griff (the drummer) and Levon (their manager)—all have a distinctive voice and mood/emotion running through them.

Dean’s chapters were tragi-comic, in a sense. Scraping by, down-on-his-luck. His felt at times like incertitude, desperation, excess, bumbling hopefulness. (A character comes in halfway through, and describes each band member through their music)... “Life is a battle, is hard, but you is not alone.”

Elf’s were mostly personal drama. A talented woman trying to make waves in a man’s world, all the while grappling with her own confusions. Her chapters were insecurity, questioning, repression, finding an escape, and tightly-wound stresses. ”Life is sad, is joy, is emotions.”

Jasper’s chapters were... well, let’s just say his POV introduction was ‘manic thoughts on a runaway train’. To be honest, and even though I loved them all, his chapters were the ones I looked forward to the most. I found them totally absorbing. David Mitchell has created such a complex character in Jasper. It’s all very ‘tortured artist’ on the surface, but it goes much deeper than that. Jasper’s struggles with (and I use this term loosely knowing the full context of the story) “mental illness” really hit me hard. Reading his racing thoughts was like reading my own—perfectly capturing the mania. Knock-knock. His chapters made me think: melancholia, tension, genius, artist... deeply removed, but holding on. He was constantly having to “act” the part of a “Normal” human being, and fighting to keep sane.i ”Life is strange, is wonderland, a dream.”

As the novel progresses, the subtle shifts and changes to each character became more pronounced as their careers blossomed. The way they metamorphosed (or degraded) was written brilliantly and realistically, I’d say, for the industry. Each character has their chance to shine in Utopia Avenue, and brightly they do.

One thing that I am still a bit torn on is the treatment of “mental illness” in this book. At times, I found the discussions profound, and others... well, not so much. Jasper’s (I wouldn’t dare guess at a formal diagnosis) “emotional dyslexia” was handled well; Trying to understand and articulate what he felt inside, but an inability to decode and express it. Constantly trying to parse and understand the emotions, facial expressions, intonations of everyone and everything— A sort of social dysfunction. It was heartbreaking, but also beautifully done, his broadening detachments from reality. **I don’t want to say anything more on the subject for fear of entering spoiler territory, but in terms of the rest of his psychosis... I kind of wish it had gone a different route.

Nearing the end, the plot (momentarily) shifts dramatically. It fits right into David Mitchell’s wheelhouse, though, and honestly makes for quite a surprise. But after those few chapters, the narrative sort of lost a bit of steam (in my opinion) and meanders to its conclusion. I think it threw off the pace and dimmed a bit of the magic. I’ll say this, too: If you haven’t read Mr. Mitchell’s previous novels (two in particular), you will be confused regarding moments in the final 1/4th of this book. It’s not exactly a major issue, but it’s certainly a sizable, confusing hole in the narrative towards the end without having prior context. I can’t decide if that’s for better or worse, but it doesn’t change the fact that I found Utopia Avenue a groovy, engrossing, and wild f*cking ride.