Anthony Doerr is not a stranger to ambitious storylines, but Cloud Cuckoo Land is even more ambitious than The Light We Can See. He weaves 3 very different timelines and storylines that all have a Greek manuscript in common. It sounds like it shouldn't work (and in the beginning I had a little bit of a hard time getting my bearings). But the gifted author ties them all together into what will certainly become known as an epic. Doerr's love of books and libraries, as well as his concern about what is happening to the environment, come shining throughout the entire novel. Readers who are willing to go on a ride will love this story, but it is not for everyone.
Thank you #NetGalley and #Scribner for this remarkable ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

"Cloud Cuckoo Land" is beautifully written, frustratingly pieced together and probably at least 100 pages longer than it needs to be. While Anthony Doerr's "All the Light We Cannot See" was a long book I wished would go on forever, this novel felt every bit as long as it was. I am glad I pushed through to the (surprisingly satisfying) ending, but there were times I was tempted not to finish it. Doerr introduces us to five separate characters -- Anna and Omeir in the 1400s, Seymour in the present day, Zeno on two timelines (1950s and present day) and Konstance far in the future. He also weaves in a (fictional) classical Greek text featuring a shepherd named Aethon. Every time you find your footing and start to be interested in what a character will do next or what will happen to him or her, Doerr shifts gears and jumps forward or backward in time. Although all these pieces fit together beautifully in the final segment of the book, and although there's a lovely message about the power of stories to give us hope in dark times, it's needlessly difficult to get there. Save this for a time when you can give it your full attention for long stretches of reading.

3.5 stars, rounded up. Some other reviews of this book mention David Mitchell as a point of comparison, but reading it I couldn't help but think of Maja Lunde's <i>The History of Bees</i> -- three stories set in the modern day, a sci-fi future, and several hundred years ago, with an environmentalist angle, themed around a particular book or subject, which are obviously interconnected but whose links are very late in being revealed. Doerr writes a better book, in part because it is more ambitious in how wide it spreads its chronological extent, but the similarities were stuck in the back of my head the whole time.

<i>Cloud Cuckoo Land</i> follows five characters spread across three settings. One, centered around the fall of Constantinople, features Omeir and Anna, two young people living on either side of the Ottoman-Byzantine siege. Another is set initially in present-day Idaho, featuring Seymour, a neuro-atypical budding eco-terrorist, and Zeno, a lonely amateur translator of Greek, retired snowplow driver, and Korean War veteran, and includes significant flashbacks throughout each of their lives. The last is set on an interstellar generation ship carrying a cargo of humans (including 13-year-old Konstance) fleeing the environmental collapse back on Earth. Each storyline features a connection to a fictional ancient Greek work (also called Cloud Cuckoo Land) -- Anna eventually possesses a manuscript copy, Zeno is working on a translation (and attempting to put on a theatrical version with children at his local library), and Konstance is piecing together the story from the archives on her ship -- and excerpts from the play are interspersed throughout.

Each storyline is capably written, though Konstance's storyline was far more interesting to me than most of the rest (early on some sort of disease breaks out on the ship, and the depiction of the shipboard society struggling to deal with or explain a deadly outbreak on a sealed spacecraft was quite intriguing). There is a bit of a problem in the attempt to cohere each to the other with the Greek story as a unifying theme; "Cloud Cuckoo Land," as depicted, is a light-hearted farce about a man who thinks the play "The Birds" is about a real place and goes on adventures trying to find it, which is fine, but it doesn't really have the heft to support being the spine of the book, and there really isn't much to tie the Constantinople storyline to the others aside from <spoiler>"Anna's book is going to be the one that is discovered in 2017 for Zeno to translate"</spoiler>. It even lacks the environmentalist themes present in the other storylines. However, the connections between Zeno/Seymour and Konstance, and the eventual resolution of each storyline, are much more satisfying, and leave the book feeling more justified in its interwoven structure.

Cloud Cuckoo Land is an ambitious book that tackles the topics of "climate instability, pandemics, disinformation" through the lenses of three separate storylines. Though there is a thread that knits the stories together (loosely), I found that Cloud Cuckoo Land didn't blow me away.

The general plot revolves around a forgotten book/play, Cuckoo Land. The three storylines take place in the 1400s, present day, and far in the future on a spaceship. And I think a big issue for me was that I was waiting, throughout the entire book, for these timelines to eventually intermix in a mindboggling way. Instead of treating the separate stories as individuals, I think I disappointed myself looking for a deeper connection between them all. I was waiting for a plot twist that would shake me to my core instead of enjoying the intricacies that the author lovingly crafted.

I can't deny that Cloud Cuckoo Land isn't a good book. It is well written and weaves around several characters without any confusion or clutter. There is undeniably a great love that has been put into this book by the author, a passion for research and stories that exudes from the pages. I just don't know if it impacted me in the way that I had hoped for.

Cloud Cuckoo Land
by Anthony Doerr
Pub Date: Sept.28, 2021
Scribner

It took me a few pages to get "into" this book. And I will admit I found it a bit wordy. This is not going to be the book for everyone, and I think the writing style this author as will not be for everyone. I found just like All the Light We Cannot See there are things that comes out early in the book that will not make a lot of sense until closer to the ending when everything comes together.
I love that Doerr dedicated this to “the librarians then, now, and in the years to come.”
This is a Historical Fiction/Science Fiction/Fantasy. I am primarily a historical fiction reader so this was a bit of a stretch to me.
Fans will be excited to read this book. It's been a long stretch between books.
Thanks to Scribner and Net Galley for the ARC. Great book! 4 stars

Oh, this book. I’ve seen other reviews of Cloud Cuckoo Land, most of them glowing but warning that this book might not be as beloved as All the Light We Cannot See. While I was reading, I felt a bit lost and couldn’t see how these story lines of very different characters living hundreds of years apart from each other were going to tie together, but I should have trusted Anthony Doerr from the start. The last quarter of the book ties everything together so beautifully that I know I will return to this story often. It is a testament to the power of a story to provide hope and connection to every one of us, as well as the belief that children provide fresh perspective to any idea if we give them the chance. I am sad to finish this book, but I can’t wait for many more people to enter its beautiful world.

This is a doorstopper of a book that has a LOT of descriptive phrases and beautifully written prose that just seemed to go nowhere.

Honestly, this book just didn't do it for me, but if you are someone that likes lots and lots and lots of descriptions about anything, then you don't want to miss out on this one.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Scribner for this advanced readers copy. This book is scheduled for release September 28, 2021.

This was a tangled mess to get into. The story shifts between 5 points of views, plus the original text that drives the story. It was hard to shift between so many perspectives. As soon as I would get into one storyline, it would abruptly end and I have to make my way through several more stories to get back! But it was a good book and I enjoyed reading it. I loved how everything came together at the end.

My brain is rattled. This book was sooooo good but so confusing at the start. There were so many characters and so many different timelines. I went into this one thinking it was going to be along the same lines as one of my all-time favorites, All the Light We Cannot See but that was a mistake. Although this one wasn't anything like it, it was just as good. This story takes you on a journey through the lives of several different characters all linked by the story of Aethon, a man who longs to become a bird and fly away to the ends of the earth. All of the storylines merge in one way or another in a masterful dance that spans over 500+ years. From Anna and Omeir in the great siege of Constantinople to Zeno and Seymore in modern-day Idaho, and finishing with Konstance on an interstellar ship, Argos, in the distant future. It will leave you in awe of Doeer's storytelling...again. 5 stars. Thank you, NetGalley for the eARC. I LOVED IT!!!

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I am a lover of books and libraries and appreciated that this book exemplified the great power of both. I loved that a particular book and its protection and transmission were a thread between story lines from the ancient past through the future. This book was a bit long and required sustained concentration. Overall it was well written and compelling and wrapped up nicely. 4.5

Sorry but this book isn’t for me. Gave up at 25%. Could not make head or tail of what was going on.. I guess this book just didn’t suit me .

I'm not sure where to begin - this book is unlike anything I've read. It was absorbing and beautifully written. It is actually several stories linked together by the story of Cloud Cuckoo Land. It spans centuries and continents. I enjoyed Zeno's story the most and had the hardest time getting into Anna and Omeir's stories. It will not be a book for everybody - it is not your typical novel. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC.

This book felt extremely complex and at many moments I felt very unsure about what was happening, but Anthony's writing is so beautiful, it is hard not to get lost in the story. There were so many characters, worlds and timelines to keep track of, but by the end it did feel like everything tied together nicely. Overall, I enjoyed this book and though it felt slow at times, by the end I could not put it down. Thank you to Netgalley and Scribner for the ARC.

Cloud Cuckoo Land shows us that stories have been around since before we were born and, if we protect them, will be around for many lifetimes beyond our own. This book travels across space and time to follow the impact that an old Greek comedy has on those who hear it. We meet Anna and Omeir in the 1400s in Eurasia, Zeno and Seymour in present day Idaho, and Konstance and her family aboard the space ship Argos.

What I liked:
-As always, Anthony Doerr does a great job of creating characters that are fully developed and intriguing. My favorite was Zeno.
-The Greek story of Aethon is woven throughout the entire book and the individual timelines. It is the thread that binds everything together.

What I didn't like:
-At times it felt like Doerr was trying to do too much. With multiple timelines and perspectives it occasionally felt overwhelming, especially when time went back and forth inside an individual point of view.

Overall this is a compelling story, but is definitely best read in large chucks in order to keep up with the timelines and characters.

Cloud Cuckoo Land is a ticket to an epic novel that spans centuries. Anthony Doerr’s book is genre-bending - tying historical fiction, fantasy/mythology, contemporary fiction and sci-fi into a rich piece of literary fiction. This blending thrilled me – I’m not sure I’ve ever read a book that has done this. I enjoy reading books that weave multiple storylines together, and even more so when the weaving involves different eras. In these books, I live for the ‘ah-ha’ moment where all the connections are made.

Being the nerd I am, I love that a library plays a central role in the story and the preservation of books and stories is a theme.

In seminary, I wrote a paper on myth, allegory and the gospel, and in the paper, I addressed our pull to myths. A good story, as J.R.R. Tolkien would say, births desirability. This desire is to be a part of the journey and the adventure. It is almost an ironic balance; the reader is pleased to be in the comfort of their home, safe from dungeons and dragons, but as Tolkien writes in his article, “On Fairy Stories,” there is a part of each of us that wishes we could enter the dangerous unknown world. And, in reading Doerr’s book, there was a part of me that wanted to join Aethon on his journey to find Cloud Cuckoo Land.

Myths identify psychological, metaphysical and historical truths that are important today. Myths present characters that all can relate to and offer the opportunity to take part in an adventure of growth, learning and pleasure. Doerr’s book does this.

We travel to Constantinople, small-town Idaho, Korea during the Korean war and on a spaceship headed to a new planet. And that isn’t counting the travel we take to ‘Cloud Cuckoo Land,’ the story the book centers around.

Konstance takes us on a journey on the Argos, a nod to Jason and the Argonaut’s journey on the Argo in Greek mythology. It is fascinating to think about what the world will be like in the future and what we’ll do with the knowledge we’ve gained.

Seymour is a complicated character, and as we read, we learn about the circumstances that led him to the library carrying a bomb, and our compassion and empathy have a chance to grow.

I don’t believe I’ve read much about the fall of Constantinople, and I enjoyed reading Anna and Omeir’s stories. They are characters on either side of the wall. Through their stories, we see both sides of the story and the humanity on both sides.

I wish I could be friends with Zeno. Spending an afternoon with him in the library in Lakeport, Idaho, would be a day well-spent. His character throughout the book is endearing. Great men and women come from both big and small towns, from wealthy families and poor families.

Many thanks to Scribner and NetGalley for the free Advanced Review Copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A mind-bending, fantastical mash-up of several genres and themes. Cloud Cuckoo Land follows a diverse cast of unique and strongly developed characters through various journeys that seem somehow linked by an ancient story. As the book progresses, the reader slowly starts to see a clearer picture of the connections.

It is hard to compare this book to All the Light We Cannot See. The writing is descriptive but the books are just so different that there couldn’t be an equal comparison. I wasn’t blown away and moved by Cloud Cuckoo Land as much as I was with All the Light We Cannot See, but overall, it was a good read.

Thank you to Scribner and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I was not the right audience for this book. It read like a YA novel to me. So for all of you YA fans out there, you will most likely love this one! For me, much of the book plodded along, but the ending was very good.

The story deals with five different characters, who live in the past, the present, and the future. Their stories are tied together by an ancient story that involves a tale regarding a foolish shepherd who longs to visit a place called Cloud Cuckoo Land. Anthony Doerr dedicates this book to all librarians and uses all the characters as examples of people who realize the importance of preserving stories.

Thanks to NetGalley, and Scribner for my advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

DNF 46% of the way through. I loved All the Light We Cannot See, but as other reviewers have pointed out, this book has a very different feel to it than ATLWCS. While Doerr again proves his mastery over language in Cloud Cuckoo Land, the Gordian knot of plotlines and character arcs in this novel overshadow the beautiful syntax. I found myself engrossed in certain chapters—especially Zeno's—only to be dragged back into other characters' chapters (especially Konstance's chapters, whose sole purpose for me was to remind me that Konstance was a main character).

There is suspense woven throughout the novel, but disjointedly. Reading Cloud Cuckoo Land unearthed complaints I had while reading All the Light We Cannot See five years ago. All the Light We Cannot See was also a novel with multiple POVs—just three, if I remember correctly—and even that was a difficult balancing act for Doerr and the reader alike. In Cloud Cuckoo Land, not only are there myriad POVs but also myriad timelines, both of which make for a confusing read.

I did find that once I picked this book up, I couldn't stop reading. Perversely, however, it was also easy to put this book down.

Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A beautifully complex and extraordinary read

I didn't think twice when requested a copy of this book. Although it was nothing like what I was expecting, I was absolutely amazed at how much I loved and was consumed by this book. I have never read anything quite like this. Cloud Cuckoo Land left me speechless and in awe of such an amazing work of art.

The story revolves around an old Greek book. The book travels from the past, present and future and then as the story progresses all of them are weaved together in one masterful story. A world of challenges, hope, love, fear and heartache.

I wanted to love this book. I expected to love it with a blazing passion for its beautiful writing, and unforgettable characters - everything that made me love All The Light We Cannot See so much.

However, this book left me feeling a bit disappointed. The writing was still beautiful, but the story felt like it was trying to be too many things. Historical fiction, check. Futuristic science fiction, check. Ancient mythology, check. Realistic fiction, also check. As in ATLWCS, Anthony Doer links disparate characters together through his storytelling. But in this book, I found some of the connections obvious from the beginning, and others to be tenuous and far-fetched.

I’m glad I read this book, but it was not the experience I hoped for.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.