Hardcover, 1136 pages
English language
Published May 7, 2021 by Scribner.
Kinda science fiction, kinda not? A really well designed story with compelling characters that loops around on itself. Once it gets going it's hard to put down
It's a long novel but it didn't feel like it was wasting words. It's a few stories told at once about different people living in different places at different times. One thing that links the stories is none of the main characters are satisfied with the hand they were dealt in life, and the stories explore how they deal with that. Some threads (Constantinople) engaged me sooner than others (Argos), but by the end I was interested in everything, and it all came together in a satisfying way.
There also was some queer representation in the novel, and I like that sort of thing.
So much to enjoy in this one. Rarely do I feel like I get to know as many characters deeply as I do in CCL. Subplots that begin in one character's arc payoff beautifully in another character's arc. While CCL certainly may not be for everyone, I found it difficult to put down!
Excellent book. A fabulous range of seemingly random threads all wonderfully joined together by the end. Romance, war, science fiction, history, small town family life, it's all here.
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 …
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!
