Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
Scribner
Publication Date September 28, 2021

There was so much hype about Cloud Cuckoo Land, that when I was presented the opportunity to review this book I said YES. This is the newest novel by Anthony Doerr. This was a very difficult book to rate. It was a beautifully written novel but I did not enjoy reading it.

This book is mostly about sadness and despair. The story jumps between three different story lines and time periods.Each timeline presents a story and compelling characters I struggled with these timelines and trying to grasp exactly what was going on. None of these story lines made sense to me.

**TRIGGER** I am a huge animal lover, so this book could be a trigger for some folks. As you read, there is some devastating animal deaths. This can immediately ruin a book for me.

I was hoping to love it because of the reviews were so high. But there’s too much going on. You have a fantasy, sci fi, historical fiction then mix in a contemporary themed story. Way too much for me. I need one solid type of book. I know several people will disagree with my review but I wanted to like it. Just the trigger alone tuned me sour.

Thank you Scribner and Net Galley for providing me an Advance Copy in exchange for an honest review. This book is set to be released September 28, 2021.

This ambitious novel pays tribute to the power of books and libraries and addresses the many problems facing our world and the importance of our connections with each other and past and future generations. From the description, it seemed like the author was trying to do too much, and for much of the time I felt that to be the case, though it ended on a strong note.

The novel centers around a rediscovered Greek manuscript called Cloud Cuckoo Land, about a shepherd who dreams of finding a utopian city of birds in the sky. The story brings comfort to people in different places and times, including a girl who reads it to her dying sister during the siege of Constantinople; a lonely gay man in modern Idaho who translates it in honor of a lost love; a group of children performing a play version in a library held hostage by an environmental activist; and a girl who appears to be the sole survivor of an ill-fated expedition to escape an uninhabitable Earth.

The perspective changes among five different narrators in three time periods, with the effect of both too little time spent with each character and the pace dragging in the middle. Doerr's wonderful writing style and human insights shine throughout, and in the last quarter, the storylines come together in a meaningful and emotional way.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy.

Five people bound across centuries by a single book find themselves in circumstances that will determine the course of their individual lives. As they fight through their experiences, they will discover that words and stories truly do have the power to bind people and to change them forever. Author Anthony Doerr returns after seven years with a novel full of pain, fear, and hope in the lushly descriptive Cloud Cuckoo Land.

Decades from now on the spacecraft Argos, Konstance gets introduced to the Library on a special birthday. Using the Library’s virtual interactive features, she begins exploring the world as it used to be. Like all of her friends, Konstance was born on the Argos and knows nothing of Earth. She’s curious, though, about what the world was like, and the more time she spends in the Library the more she’s drawn to the past.

In Constantinople in 1453, Anna and her sister live with women who embroider vestments for clergymen. That is, Anna’s sister embroiders. Anna is too busy wondering about everything and asking questions. Outside the city, Omeir marches with a large contingent of men, animals, and weapons headed to Constantinople to conquer it. Omeir only joined the group because he was promised riches. Maybe, if he does a good job, people will forget about his physical deformity.

Zeno is embarking on an ambitious project in Idaho in 2020: he’s directing a group of fifth graders in a play. The play is based on an ancient Greek text, which started out as Zeno’s personal project. When the kids discovered him with the book, he began sharing the story of Aethon who wants to turn into a bird and visit a mythical city in the sky. Now the kids have come to the library for their dress rehearsal, and Zeno finds himself charmed by their excitement.

In the same town, Seymour is on a mission. He’s heartsick over the state of the world and has decided this is the day he’s going to make his voice heard. Leaving a homemade bomb on a shelf in the library, Seymour turns to leave when he discovers he’s not alone.

Through the centuries, the story of Aethon will connect all five of these people in direct and indirect ways. As they navigate the knowledge they seek, the courage they earn, and the consequences of their mistakes, only the power of story will carry them through the pivotal moments of their lives.

Author Anthony Doerr returns with a story that some are calling a love letter to librarians. Indeed, through his five characters Doerr pays tribute to libraries and the essential need for storytelling. Told in a nonlinear format, the book takes a little time to get started. Once it does, however, readers will be flipping /swiping pages as fast as they can to find out what happens next.

Doerr’s power of prose makes even the most disparate pieces of information feel important; in this book, they are. He uses careful detailing and gorgeous narration to make every line essential. Like the best literary fiction, Doerr leaves no thread dangling. Every subplot comes to a natural, organic conclusion. By the end of the book, readers will wish they had more time with all of the characters. Most certainly they’ll finish the book and want to start reading it again to delve deeper into what they might have missed the first time.

Readers will find themselves in the middle of a fully immersive experience in this book. I recommend they Binge Cloud Cuckoo Land.

I was generously gifted an Advanced Readers Copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Cloud Cuckoo Land is Anthony Doerr's highly anticipated novel novel following his widespread success of All the Lights We Cannot See. I, like many people, was excited to see what kind of story Doerr had next. Initially, Cloud Cuckoo Land was not what I was expecting- I have a hard time categorizing it as historical fiction or even any one genre at all. I was confused by the several story lines that make up several different time periods and circumstances- I was repeatedly questioning what an orphan living in Constantinople, a old many in 21st century Idaho, and a child living in a futuristic space ship had in common . Also, the ancient Greek story called Cloud Cuckoo Land- that was suppose to bridge the different characters- was more perplexing than information. But with patience, these stories were magnificently woven together and I realize the missing elements of the story was kind of the point. I am still shocked how Doerr was able to integrate everything so unexpectedly and give the novel as a whole a beautiful messages about things lost and found, the environment, home, and the impact of stories!

I would highly recommend this book to fiction lovers, but to those who have read All the Lights, I would give the caveat to not expect much similarities in storyline. Instead, expect the same excellent writing and storytelling skills of Anthony Doerr.

Thanks to NetGalley, Anthony Doerr and Simon & Schuster for the ARC.

After reading All the Lights We Cannot See I couldn’t wait for the next Anthony Doerr book.

WOW! This book was well deserved the wait, it’s everything a reader could ask for. This beautiful written book shows how broken the world is and damage we continue to do to it, but it also is a shining example of hope.

This book is amazing, immersive, and complex. Centered around 5 main characters, the story unfolds in the 15th century, modern day, and far in the future. The chapters alternate characters, and timelines, as it weaves the story of each of the characters' lives, as well the tale of Aethon, in ancient Greece, who longs to be a bird and fly to paradise. The book explores many themes through the eyes of the characters, the struggle to survive, prejudice, mistreatment, the horrors of war, and destruction of our environment. It is also a book of love and hope, of humankind's triumphs, and the power of knowledge and libraries. (I loved that the book was dedicated to librarians) It crosses all genres, and is just beautifully written as the author expertly connects the stories and time periods together. It was a wonderful read! I did receive an ARC from Netgalley and the publisher and I am very glad I did.

There is an ancient, mysterious Greek tale, written by Antonius Diogenes. Mysterious, because it was lost, and then some of it has been obliterated with damage and time. Five people, in three different time periods separated by centures, read and bring their own meanings to this tale.

This novel leads us into the lives of Anna, Omeir, Zeno, Seymour, and Konstance, who each have compelling stories of their own. The way the narrative switches back and forth between stories, letting the reader notice the connections, is brilliant and compelling. This ancient tale captures attention and imagination, allowing people to just enjoy it, to live in the moment.

The themes that run through these stories are beautiful, too. To need hope, to need other people, is to be human. And we are all in this together, and can't give up.

There are so many wonderful details in these stories! Jonathan Doerr writes magically, so that time disappeared while I was reading this. For a time, it was all I needed.

Thank you, Netgalley and Scribner, for gifting me with the opportunity to experience this new book!

DNF at 30% - I just can’t do it. Don’t pick this up just because you loved All The Light We Cannot See.

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

Thank you NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book.
I loved the concept, premise, and messages of the book, but unfortunately, I will have to say that I do have mixed feelings regarding the characters and writings. As I said, Cloud Cuckoo Land is told through the perspective of five characters: Anna, Omeir, Seymour, Zeno, and Konstance. Out of all of these, my favorites were Omeir’s and Zeno’s storyline; I felt that they were the most engaging. I did, however, struggled with getting interested in Anna’s and Seymour’s storyline. It shouldn’t be that way, especially for Anna because Anna and Omeir reminded me of Marie and Werner from All the Light We Cannot See.
Doerr writes beautifully, and in this ambitious and complex novel, I wish the chapters—not all of them—were longer. With five POV characters that jump back and forth in time, things can get pretty confusing at times. But personally, my biggest issue with Cloud Cuckoo Land is that I found the POV chapters changing too quickly to my liking before I even get invested in the said character’s story. This was the same in All the Light We Cannot See; each chapter was so short, but in that novel, we have only two characters to follow. Here, we have five POV characters, with such short chapters, it was hard for me to connect with the characters. Also, similar to the prose in All the Light We Cannot See, there’s a lot of metaphors used that I couldn’t fully click with; they took me out of Doerr’s beautiful writing rather than engrossed me.

Pub Date: September 28, 2021

This is a truly indescribable story.
Bouncing through many different timelines and characters, this story is both beautifully descriptive and profoundly tragic. This book demands your full attention. It is not one to rush through, or to try and read alongside any others. I actually had to stop reading all other books while I read this so that I could completely absorb and appreciate it.

One timeline in particular had me on the edge of my seat and I just couldn’t stop until I knew how it ended. This story also gave me a deeper appreciation for the advances in modern day medicine and what doctors can do to save lives. It really is a story that is all encompassing.

For those who enjoy nods to Greek mythology and a thought provoking read, this one is for you!

*I have not yet read All The Light We Cannot See so didn’t have to struggle with comparing to his previous work.

Bug thanks to @Netgalley and @Scribnerbooks for this digital ARC!

Cloud Cockoo Land is a beautifully written book that has three different storylines taking place centuries apart yet they intertwine effortlessly. I truly love the past present and future aspect of this book. Anthony Doerr does it so beautifully with a hint of science fiction to add another dimension. To me Cloud Cockoo Land is perfection and in the my favorites of 2021!

Cloud Cuckoo Land is the name of an ancient manuscript that weaves its way through Anthony Doerr’s new novel of the same name. Each of the characters puts great stock in the myth that unites them: an outlandish story of a man who becomes a fish, a donkey, and a crow in pursuit of Cloud Cuckoo Land, a heavenly world where there is no suffering. In alternating chapters, each character shepherds the manuscript through their own time.

In the future, there is Konstance, a girl living in a generation ship who has just faced the heartbreaking reality that her generation will never see the planet the ship is meant for. Seymour is a modern-day high school student whose sensitivities are vastly and tragically misunderstood. Zeno, a Korean war veteran who was, as a boy, taunted for both his ethnicity and his sexuality, learns Greek in a POW camp and translates the manuscript in present-day Iowa. Anna, an orphaned girl living in Constantinople in the 1400s, picks up reading (and thieving) like a sponge but cannot master the embroidery upon which her livelihood depends. Finally, there is Omeir, a boy whose cleft palate signals danger to his rural neighbors, but who is cloaked in his grandfather’s love. Each encounters the manuscript and is enchanted by the possibilities it holds, the ability it has to soothe the sick, to unite the cast-off people of society, and to provide respite from the world at hand. The characters are also united by a moment where they must break free of the path society has set for them and act—a moment that mirrors the hero’s final decision in the manuscript to which they’ve all been drawn.

There is less of a linear plot in this novel than in All the Light We Cannot See, and it will perhaps appeal to a narrower audience because it essentially preaches to the choir. It is a book about the glory of finding a story that speaks to you, wraps you up in its world of words, and allows you to be more than you would have been without having travelled through its ideas. If you liked Geraldine Brooks’ The People of the Book or E. Annie Proulx’s Accordion Crimes, this might be for you.

Review posted to Goodreads

Some people are going to absolutely love this novel. It took me a while to find my groove with it as the different characters/storylines felt a bit exhausting in the beginning. There's a mix of science fiction, historical fiction, etc. so it's all across the board. It did keep me entertained and I liked how the stories finally intertwined.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a treat to read! Three different storylines centuries apart - eventually they all converge and the entire book makes sense. Reading this is like watching a magician who forms a whole out of parts.

Two thoughts came to my mind after finishing #CloudCuckooLand, Anthony Doerr’s magical follow up to his Pulitzer winning All The Light We Cannot See : 1) How marvelously original, and 2) How marvelously derivative . What do I mean ? Original, in that for me the story', which continually shifts between past, present,and future never loses its narrative drive , and derivative, in that Mr. Doerr shows he’s done his homework and has read some of our most memorable and influential authors. For instance, Doerr proves he is a member of Kurt Vonnegut’s Karass. Huh ? Cat’s Cradle : teams that do God’s Will without ever discovering what they are doing. This is a perfect representation of the multitude of the characters in #CloudCuckooLand to say nothing of the karass. theme song : Nice, nice, very nice, so many different people in the same device. I haven’t read Cat’s Cradle in about thirty years but a terrific book like #CloudCuckooLand gets the brain going and revives long lost memories. In that sense one might say CCL is an adult book for kids, while also being a kid’s book for adults. It most certainly is a twenty first century fairy tale with plenty of meat on its bones. Go ahead, give it a taste.

Tears, then more tears, then more tears still. Sometimes it was sad sometimes it was just the sheer beauty of the book. Spanning the past, present, and the future it revolves around the story of an ancient text that as the reader you get to enjoy with the characters. This book IS NOT All the Light We Cannot See, but is written with the same elegance. There is a slight possibility science fiction element to the book, but not enough to turn off any reader who does not like the genre. A huge thank you to Anthony Doerr and Scribner/Simon and Schuster for the advanced copy. This is now my favorite book of 2021. I do not know if it will win the Pulitzer, like his previous book, it should.

Anthony Doerr wrote one of my favorite books: "All the Light We Cannot See." As a result, I was honored and very excited to be able to read this book ahead of publication via NetGalley.

The cover of this book is gorgeous and eye-catching. It draws you into its world. I would often look for images of it online as I read, reminding myself of its beauty and hope. The reason I did that is because there is a long thread of melancholy throughout this story. Each of the protagonists, suffers in some way during their unique time frame in a unique location. Many of the perspectives are from when they were young. I did not have trouble following the separate perspectives because Doerr is a master at his craft. At the same time, I did not feel eager to get back to the book each time I took a break. Someone who can handle the heaviness of the storyline may be more engaged.

PROS: Very well written, not graphic in its depictions of violence, many heavy themes handled sensitively, glimmers of hope, overall message positive, love of stories is conveyed, libraries honored.

CONS: Very long, seemingly bleak at times, almost too many modern-day themes for reader to juggle, difficult to relate to some of the characters.

Overall, I still admire Doerr as an author, although this was not my favorite volume of his. I will read whatever he comes up with next because he is a wordsmith who values language. As a linguist, I did appreciate the exploration of how a work of literature in Greek is translated into English. I'm grateful to have been given the opportunity through NetGalley and Scribner to read it.

Who doesn't love Anthony Doerr? Cloud Cuckoo Land is his next masterpiece and is quite the tome - right out of the gate, kindly leave your expectations at home. They do not belong here. Enjoy the spontaneity, the ride, the breathtaking ending.

I doubted if I was smart enough to put these pieces together, but don't force it. The work will be done for you. Just know there are 3 time periods and 5 main characters:

*13 year old Anna, an orphan and seamstress
*Omeir, a village boy with a facial deformity
*Zeno, prisoner of war and soft-hearted
*Seymour, troubled teenager with a sensory disorder
*Konstance, a girl from the future, stuck alone, angry, and curious

Don't rush this, and please, consider it for your winter TBR. I call this type of read "slow-cooked." The more time that passes after you've read it, the more endearing it becomes. The first 30 % of this book can feel overwhelming and confusing. The next 30% feels leisurely and thoroughly enjoyable. Things are coming together in the following 30% and the last 10 % will absolutely blow your mind! Fantastic adventure!

This book was just incredible! It is definitely a slow burn, and took a few days to really understand what was going on and who the characters were, but once I was in, I was IN. Like All the Light We Cannot See, final 1/3 or so of the book is unputdownable!

We have characters in the distant past in Constantinople, characters in the 20th century and present times, and the distant future aboard a space ship. It sounds nuts, but Doerr is such a talented storyteller, he makes the commonalities seem effortless and beautiful. This story tracks various connections to an Ancient Greek story "Cloud Cuckoo Land" as humans throughout time experience the story, work to save it, translate it, act it out, etc.

This is a huge book, but definitely a huggable one when you get to the end and realize all of the connections these characters have with the story and each other throughout time. This is also one of the only books I've read that I immediately wanted to go back and start again from the beginning. Truly a masterpiece!

This tale was a bit slow moving, in my opinion. The narrative was awkward and strained. I didn’t hate the book, the subject matter being interesting, so will try this author again.
Thanks for the ARC opportunity.