Wow- what a book. Similar to Doerr's previous novel, the imagery is spectacular (if not a bit much at times). Also similar to his previous novel is the different timelines- this time with many more characters and completely different time periods. I enjoyed some timelines more than others (Konstance in the future was my favorite) and sometimes found myself immersed in a character's life, only to be switched back to another timeline. I'd say that aspect, as well as the whole theme of vilifying a character who's clearly being written as neurodiverse, are my only complaints. Otherwise, how the stories are weaved together by an ancient text was beautiful and I overall really enjoyed this book.

Another outstanding book by Anthony Doerr. His love for books, the earth and people comes through on every page. I love how his writing enables you to inhabit each time period and really get to know and empathize with each character. Beautifully written it presents themes of stewardship, growing into oneself, environmentalism, mistakes and redemption, and how our dreams and desires shape us and the world around us. And just like in All the Light we Cannot see, I fell in love with the characters and was rooting for their ultimate triumph. On top of all that, it is a love letter to librarians and books. I will be re-reading this one for years to come.

I was captivated by "All the Light We Cannot See", much like the rest of the reading world. This is an imaginative and excellent story from the same author, yet I felt it wasn't told properly. I felt the descriptions dragged endlessly while not provoking the same awe. At times, the prose and some of the characters stories felt repetitive.

When it came to Anna and Omeir, I felt I was reading their every waking thought. I so badly wanted to skim over these parts to get to the "breadth" of the story, but didn't want that to change my honest review. I do think these parts were tedious to get through, but end up meaningful to the overall story. There are several disjointed stories, but they do come together.

Regardless of that, I felt the ending third of the book really made a wonderful impression on me and finally brought everything back together. There were a lot of things toward the beginning of the book that didn't make complete sense until the end, which brought on this wonderful, full, and satisfying understanding of the entire story.

3.5 stars rounded up! My thanks to Netgalley and Scribner for an advance copy of the book!

First reactions:
I don’t remember much about Doerr’s first book, only that I read it for a book club and enjoyed it. When I saw the title of this one, I thought, “what a strange connection to the Lego Movie”. Fun fact, the phrase Cloud Cuckoo Land actually comes from Aristophanes, about 2500 years ago and NOT in fact, from the delightful children’s movie.

The plot:
From Amazon: “Set in Constantinople in the fifteenth century, in a small town in present-day Idaho, and on an interstellar ship decades from now, Anthony Doerr’s gorgeous third novel 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 Cloud Cuckoo Land, Doerr has created a magnificent tapestry of times and places that reflects our vast interconnectedness—with other species, with each other, with those who lived before us, and with those who will be here after we’re gone.”

What I liked:
Doerr’s prose is gorgeous and vivid and captivates you completely in the world he paints. I always appreciate multiple storylines (if it’s done well!) and I liked the connections in time. Ultimately, this is a story of hope despite how broken the world is and it leaves you thinking about legacy and who is left after you are gone.

What I didn't like:

I didn’t love all characters equally, so the chapters from the points of view of Anna and Seymour were a bit tough to get through at times. I also didn’t realize this would be a cross-genre tale, with some fantasy/sci-fi mixed in with history.

Conclusion:
A beautiful read, but it will certainly test your stamina.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Scribner for sharing a digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

fun fact, i was assigned to read all the light we cannot see as a freshman in high school. suffice to say it was a little dense for a 13 year old. but this? at this point in my life? much more resonant. i can't even be mad at how it meanders. ok i can be a little mad. 3.5 rounded up

Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr is an impressive work of fiction. One of those impressive stories that will stick with you for a long time.

I remember seeing Anthony Doerr’s novel All the Light We Cannot See everywhere — it was on the bestsellers list for years and everyone from President Obama to others all sang its praises. And it was so well-deserved. While there is so many fantastic WWII historical fiction out there, All the Light We Cannot See is very special.

So I was quite excited to see that Anthony has a new novel coming out this year! It’s funny because I actually expected another tale similar to All the Light We Cannot See but Cloud Cuckoo Land is world’s away from that one. It did take me a bit to get into it but once the story gets rolling, it’s fantastic. I got choked up quite a bit—it’s moving, emotional, sad and hopeful all at the same time.

I keep these spoiler-free so I don’t want to get too much into the plot. But know that this is a special story with so much to discuss. I’ll be thinking about this one for a long time.

I requested this book as part of a buddy read; and I was so excited to be selected by the publisher and NetGalley to receive this ARC. Ultimately though, it was not for me. I love books about books, and the central theme appealed to me; but the writing and timelines are too complicated. At 640 pages, it’s a long book, made longer by having to read and reread certain parts to follow the plot. I know this is an unpopular opinion, but I did not enjoy this book —which is heartbreaking. I truly had high expectations.

Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Doerr will always get 5 stars from me for his writing style. His prose is gorgeous. The characters were exceptionally drawn. For me, if a writer can get me in to a character's head and body, I know they're good. The message of the book is a good one that every reader will appreciate. You may get distracted by all the characters and unearthly elements but push through and by opening my heart and mind to a narrative design it made more sense and I allowed myself into Doerr’s past, present, and future, so that, at the end, as I closed the book, I wanted the world that Doerr created. Love, redemption, curiosity, desire, and a bit of the odious blend together to show us all our humanity. There are 5 main characters in this book. You will be hooked to Omeir, Anna, and Konstance's arcs. I found Zeno and Seymour's arcs dragging in the middle there. The story of Aethon is what ties them all together. Parts of this will definitely feel contrived but I really enjoyed the ending. It makes up for the rest to a large extent. It was a bit busy though. So much is going on its easy to get confused, but Doerr does an excellent job of wrapping it up so that I felt good about understanding the story at the end. Overall, this is an enjoyable novel that provides readers with a glimpse into different cultures, historically and in futuristically, and shows how we are connected by mysterious threads.
Thank you to netgalley, the author and the publisher Schribner. This book is expected to be published Sept 28th.

probably one of the coolest ARCs I’ve ever copped 🤍

if you were a fan of all the light we cannot see, you’re going to love this read too. immediately pulled me in and I couldn’t put it down. stayed up last night just to finish it because I needed to know how it ended. not many books can get me to do that on a work night. couldn’t recommend enough. already one I wish I could read for the first time again.

publication date - sept 28 2021

Cloud Cuckoo Land is the much anticipated book by Anthony Doerr. This book is so different from All The Light We Cannot See. Not that authors books need to be the same. The writing is beautiful but this book jumps all over the place and cannot be classified into one category. Cloud Cuckoo Land is Greek Mythology, historical fiction, and Sci-Fi. The book also takes place in 15th century Constantinople, current times, and the future. The story of Aethon touches all three times to pull the book together.

I found this book hard to read since it jumped all over the place. I usually enjoy books that have a current timeline and a historical timeline. Maybe adding the future as well made the book more discombobulated. It was a hard book to pickup and restart. This might be a good book to commit to and finish in a few days so everything can be straight in your mind. However, I did not find this to be a quick read.

I think parts of this book will stick with me. It has some good stories to tell. I am looking forward to when this book is released and what the book bloggers and FB groups have to say about this book because it has left me a bit confused.

I would like to thank #NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. #CloudCuckooLand #AnothonyDoerr

Ok, reading friends, take note - this book is wonderful! I enjoyed every minute of the diverse story lines: medieval Constantinople, 20th-21st century Idaho, a rocket ship taking colonizers away from a environmentally exhausted Earth, and even ancient Greece (kind of), which are all connected through a powerful fairy tale. Each story brought a different layer to the themes of the power of stories, as well as the limits of their power; the human desire to search for more than we have at home; and how that search can bring us home again with a new love for the familiar.
I was a big fan of "All the Light We Cannot See" and this novel, thought wildly different, is just as good. Please read it!

Reading Cloud Cuckoo Land is quite like listening to a sonata in three movements. There are multiple storylines, that though never actually overlap while at least two are linked from a distance, and that adds to the timelessness of the story that Doerr has to tell here.

The overarching theme is human perseverance, the constant aim of doing something, being someone, reaching someplace, winning something, while trying to survive. He shows a complex interplay of circumstances, timelines, situations, personalities, Great Wars, and - yes - a virus (!), while showing a handful of central characters who must do what they believe they have to do, against great odds. Sometimes, what must be done is as simple as simply surviving, as in the story of Anna and Omeir, while sometimes it is as great as moving to a star system millions of miles from Earth to repopulate and sustain humanity itself, as in the story of Konstance. In between, there's the stories of Zero and Seymour, both conflicted in their own way.

The writing is lyrical, and almost equals the fantastical play it strives to emulate. The play itself is used very cleverly, and while it is certainly not required to have read it or even know about it, I was intrigued enough to read up a bit on it somewhere in the midst of reading this novel. Having a handful of characters, including the unfortunate but indefatigable Aetheon, in such a long novel made it possible to dig deep into each character, baring their soul, granted some more fleeting than others, and on some instances one can easily close ones eyes and see them, as they walk by in search of whatever it is they are searching for. The stories are disparate, separated not just by time and circumstances, but also by eras and technological and socio-economic progress, each progressively more advanced and yet more pained than the one that preceded it.

I came away happily impressed by each character, though on hindsight, I wished there could have been some more details around the story of Konstance - easily the most alluring of them all. That may also be because it is the closest literal equivalent to the travels of Aethon (!), but each storyline has its parallels with the story of Aethon, and it speaks to the sheer willpower of the characters that they challenge the reader's beliefs, presumptions, biases, and yet fits into all of them while still able to keep a flicker of hope till the very end.

It almost shows where we as Earthlings are coming from, where we are right now, and (perhaps) where we could be headed, unless we take steps to curtail our excesses and our often-misguided exuberances.

Cloud Cuckoo Land is able to achieve a unique distinction - it is a warning shot, and yet at the same time, a ray of hope. We, each of us, have multitudes within us, and the pairs in the storylines demonstrate those multitudes. We are all Janus, and we're each our own saviors.

A Must Read.

My sincere Thanks for NetGalley, Scribner and Mr. Doerr for providing an e-ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the author's previous book so was hoping for another wonderful story. Mr. Doerr has such a lyrical way of writing that you can't help but fall in love with his words. However, multiple storylines and a plethora of characters created a confusing, at times jarring, transition between stories. I found myself reading those chapters of favorite characters while completely skipping over others. Not quite as good as his last book.

Yes Yes Yes!!! Love Love Loved this book! I adored All the Light You Cannot See and was expecting a lot from this new novel from Anthony Doerr. I was not disappointed one iota! I'm from Idaho and I work in a library, so I could relate to so much in this story. I loved all the characters and was happy each time they were introduced again in a new chapter. Congrats Mr. Doerr!!

"Cloud Cuckoo Land" was a hard book to get into. Very ambitious, and I love the whimsical idea but the plot was all over the place. I normally have no problem jumping between characters, timelines and such. I think the problem with this book was I didn't have a clear idea what the book was about. I will give it another try later.

DNF.

I chose to read this book as I had wanted to read Doerr’s All the Light We Cannot See, which received wonderful reviews, as did this one. As this was my introduction to Doerr, now I’m not so sure I’ll read All the Light We Cannot See. This was a struggle and, at over 600 pages, a long struggle. I stuck with it, thinking that eventually something would click, but it didn’t. The book has so many 4 and 5 star reviews, and Doerr won the Pulitzer Prize, so I may be wrong.

The story is told in past, present and future timelines with multiple points of view, which unfortunately didn’t work for me. While I was interested in each, there are five, plus the mythological story of Aethon woven in between all. The timelines skipped around so much, it was hard to pick-up each again.

Past timeline: Anna is an orphan who lives with her sister in Constantinople in the mid-1400’s. Their lives are heartbreakingly depressing. Omeir is a teamster of ox in the army that will invade Constantinople, and he also leads a heartbreakingly depressing life. Anna, who has learned to read, finds a book with the story of Aethon, who longs to be turned into a bird so that he can fly to a utopian paradise in the sky (Cloud Cuckoo Land). Anna reads the book to her dying sister as Constantinople is beseiged.

Present timeline: Zeno and Seymour, about 500 years later. Seymour is a troubled child who grows into an extremely troubled youth, and places a bomb in a library. Zeno, an 86-year-old WWII veteran, meets up with Seymour that night. Seymour has mental health issues and craves a solitary existence. Zeno, a gay man, lives a solitary existence and craves sharing it with someone.

Future timeline: Konstance is on the ship Argos, taking her to another planet as Earth has been decimated.

The common thread is the story of Aethon, which touches all the characters.

The prose is beautiful, but I couldn’t find a plot. It was just endless and depressing unhappiness and misery.

https://candysplanet.wordpress.com/

I appreciate the opportunity to be given an advance copy of this and I tried but I just can't get into this. It jumped around too much between too many characters and it was hard to follow.

I had SUCH high hopes for this book. I wanted to love it so much, and I just didn't. I should've known when the synopsis didn't grab me from the beginning, but I read it anyway hoping I was wrong. This was actually one of those books I practically had to FORCE myself to finish. For some reason I just couldn't get into it.

Doerr’s acclaimed historical fiction novel, All the Light We Cannot See, has been one of my favorites for years due to its exceptional prose.

This book delivers the wonderful words that I was hoping for, and I loved being lost within the pages.

There is a lot of timelines and characters to keep track of in this one - it spans 6 centuries, has 3 time periods, and multiple different perspectives. I think this may be difficult for some readers who don’t like frequent changes in the storyline.

However, I loved the various view points, and the threads of hope woven within the story. It’s quite beautiful.

Yes, it's convoluted.

When you start reading this amazing book you will have moments of confusion. But recall the times you have gone to the cinema with that obnoxious talky friend who keeps whispering "Who is she?" and "What's going on now?" and "Why did he do that?" and you have to constantly shush him and say, "Just be patient -- it will become clear."

You may need to shush yourself a few times as you settle into this story.

I don't think I've ever read such a well-constructed book. As I neared the middle, I zoomed through those brief chapters looking for the next installment in the lives of Zeno, Anna, Konstance, Omeir and Seymour, from the Middle Ages, the 20th and 21st centuries, and some unspecified future period.

The book is heartbreaking and heartwarming, and if we all took it to heart in its vast historical sweep, we would be better people and better citizens of the world.

Thanks to NetGalley and Scribner for an advance readers copy.