I enjoyed parts of this book, but overall struggled to become invested. I think I needed more uninterrupted time to devote to reading and thinking about the story and characters but I didn't have that luxury.

It took me a long time to get into this book—this is a problem I often have with stories that jump around through time and between main characters: every time I start to get into one story, and get to know one set of people, I feel like our conversation is rudely interrupted by the next segment. But, by the time I finished the book, I cared about all the characters in all their times, and was very invested in all their stories and how they fit together.

Anthony Doerr is a master of his craft. This epic, sweeping tale had so many small moments that resonated so deeply with me, but what mattered most of all was the overarching love of books and literature reflected on these pages. This is the ultimate epic tale for those that love and appreciate books--writing as a craft, storytelling as a way of preserving history, and reading as a way of connection. I typically don't do well with novels of this length, and I didn't even notice with this one. Thank you so much to NetGalley for my advance copy of this. I am so glad that I finally dove in and lost myself in this story.

Did not finish. I tried to like it but I couldn't get invested in any of the story lines (of which there are many) and it didn't engage me. Obviously there are readers for this book,. but I'm not one of them.

This novel is not my typical cup of tea. I'm not really a sci-fi fan, and the description felt a little sci-fi to me. I read some early reviews and was almost scared off: too many different story lines going on at the same time, but not told in a linear way; too many descriptions; too confusing; too long. But I loved All The Light We Cannot See, and despite my reservations, I decided I had to at least give it a try. Sooo glad I did! Although it is true that there are multiple (seemingly) unconnected stories, lots of description, and that it is long, none of it is "too much." I did not find it difficult to read or keep the stories straight. There is a through-line that connects the stories, and I think if it was told in a linear fashion, the magic of this novel would not exist. It is not really sci-fi, but does have elements of past, present, and future. I've also read criticism of the "villian" in the story being autistic. I didn't see him as a villian, but as a sad, lost soul. Autism (if that was his affliction) had less to do with his actions than the world around him and the circumstances of his life. In my opinion, this is a beautiful, heart-wrenching story, different than anything else you are likely to read this year, and definitely worth your time. Thank you NetGalley and publishers for providing a digital ARC for review.

Cloud Cuckoo Land is not for the faint of heart, but the story is so worth it the read. Doerr has a unique ability to bring separate stories together from very different threads, interweaving them in a beautiful tapestry that is Cloud Cuckoo Land.

The story unfolds across centuries of time connected by a single tale of a shepherd's journey to reach a mystical utopia in the sky. While it can be hard moving back and forth between chapters, I found myself wanting devour as much of the book as possible every night so I could see the final weaving of this story. Beautiful, timely,

Beautiful and timely, prepare yourself to feel a range of emotion has you dive into the world that is Cloud Cuckoo Land.

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I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I may be in the minority here because i had high hopes but I did not finish this one. I just couldn't get into it.

I’m so glad I started 2022 with this book. I’ve loved Doerr’s other books, but the scope and creativity of this one blew me away.

Three stories connect through and Ancient Greek texts, but each of the stories stands on its own and is just made richer through the connections. Beautiful.

Highly recommend.

This was an exciting and enticing read. The multi-leveled story kept me on my feet and flipping the next page even when I was so tired and nodding off. Anthony Doerr never disappoints and awes me with his story building skills.

All Light We Cannot See is a all-time favorite to me and I was no expecting a book by Mr. Doerr so soon, and I was glad to be surprised. This one is good, well-written, with characters that we fall in love with them. This is a certainly a five star.

A masterpiece. I wasn't sure where this was going at first but once I got settled into the stories, I was swept away. We've waited awhile for the latest Anthony Doerr and it was worth the wait.

A boy and girl from two different cultures colliding in fifteenth century Constantinople, a boy and an elderly man in Idaho, and a girl on a ship in the future – and they are all connected by a story. Love, strength, and hope. Finding ourselves and connecting with others. It’s powerful.

I was excited to read this because his first book had such good reviews. I probably should have actually read that first. The author is probably just not for me. The writing is beautiful and it just lulls you into the story but I don't know what the story is and nothing is happening. There are three time lines connected by some Greek myth and science fiction. I know that at the end this will all tie together but I just don't care anymore. I'm not rooting for anyone and I don't really like anyone.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Scribner for my copy.

Wonderful and well written book overall, though I had a hard time investing in each of the four different stories. It felt like as soon as I connected with one set of characters, I was moving on to the next again.

This book was a monster. But I love how all of the characters intertwined within different timelines. It made all 600 pages fly by

Doerr's All The Light We Cannot See was really great; that is why I wanted to read Cloud Cuckoo Land. Unfortunately, I was disappointed by the confusion of the multiple storylines. It still had some really good passages. Thanks for the opportunity Scribner.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book but I knew I loved Doerr's last book, All the Light We Cannot See. It started off slow with multiple storylines and characters but if you stick with it you will be rewarded. I loved seeing how the storylines came together and the multiple twists that were revealed. The end result was very satisfying. The best literary fiction I've read in a long time. I highly recommend it. Anthony Doerr is a master and is now an auto add author for me. Thank you so much to NetGalley for allowing me early access with an ARC.

"Stranger, whoever you are, open this to learn what will amaze you."

Truly this masterpiece of a book AMAZED me -- so much so that indecisive me *might* be able to say that this was my favorite book of 2021. I could talk about this book for days, but I'll try to narrow it down
- This book will NOT be everyone's favorite -- it's over 600 pages, has over 100 characters, takes place in the past, *present 2020*, and way into the future ALL surrounding around an Ancient Greek text -- "so many words! it would take seven lifetimes to learn them all!" -- but if you're up for the adventure, I recommend using post-its, taking notes, and having a friend to discuss it with.

- The whole novel tells little stories from various perspectives that eventually connect and it's truly a masterful puzzle. It's a great reminder for us of the interconnectedness of life -- the way that those who came before us, impact us & how we will impact those to come.

- I'm always a fan of books that are about books, but this story even takes it a step farther and explores the fragility & responsibility of storytelling -- how stories get passed down, maintained, lost, and preserved. (Also the fact that it's a book dedicated "for the librarians then, now, and in the years to come" makes it even better!)

Thank you Netgalley, Anthony Doerr, and Scribner Books for providing an ebook in exchange for an honest review. This book is OUT in stores, so be sure to go get your hands on this one :)

I so loved Doerr's All the Light We Cannot See and was hoping this would read with the same kind of magic and spiritedness, but it didn't. In fact, I'm not quite sure I knew what was going on. I'd get into one storyline, and then get flipped into another story altogether. Even the way the book chapters/sections were titled was strange. *Advance copy provided by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

last book of 2021 for me!! i was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book months ago… unfortunately i didn’t start reading it until mid-december, and i absolutely HATE that i missed out on being one of the early readers and getting to spread the word to my bookish friends.

honestly, i put it off because both the title and the premise baffled me a bit… three *very* different timelines and settings that held no correlation for me… and all revolving around a mysterious manuscript. well, i couldn’t have understood until i started reading, and all at once it started to click together.

i won’t get into the details, but, as in Anthony Doerr’s previous book that i loved (All the Light We Cannot See), the characters were what made this story for me. each timeline had memorable, lovable characters that I was immediately drawn to, and each had a story that would ultimately break my heart.

the ongoing themes of the book were both beautiful and thought-provoking ones— environmental awareness/taking care of our planet, and preserving stories throughout the ages and how stories have survived from age to age. if you are a book lover, you will connect with this tale. this book is deserving of all of the praise and acclaim it has achieved thus far.

many thanks to Netgalley for the ARC ❤️📚