The Bone Clocks and other novels by David Mitchell Read Along

BIt late for the read-along, but have recently finished Cloud Atlas and absolutely loved it, so am now about to start The Bone Clocks.

I'm almost through, 93% or there abouts. I'm going to miss Holly, I'm actually slowing down reading because I don't want to finish yet.
Utterly despised Hugo, loved Ed from his first appearance on.
I'm so pleased to see a working class family in literature that is not portrayed as dysfunctional. They remind me a lot of my own.

The thing with at least of three of David Mitchell's books - ghostwritten, Cloud Atlas and The Bone Clocks - is that if there's a narrator or storyline you don't like, another one will come along soon that you do. So persevere!

It's ok. I got the sentiment! I'll persevere! I don't want people to think i'm a thicky.

Typos galore, sorry!

Theresafly....I really struggled with the first section of cloud at
As, the only reason I continued was because it was lent to me and didn't want to say I couldnt read it . It gets so much better and by the second section I couldn't put it down. Do think bone clocks pips it imo but still an a brilliant book.

Spydra, it will all become clear, don't worry. Then you'll want to start all over again.

There is an interview at the end of the bone clocks with DM about recurring characters, it's really interesting and makes me wonder why more authors don't do it!

Just finished the bone clocks. Loved it! Have started cloud atlas but am really struggling to get into it. Does it get better?

I thought that a bit when I started on the 2nd chapter Spydra , I think that was about the time when I posted up-thread. I'm about 60% of the way through now and can't put the book down!

Will definitely read some more DM books after this one.

I'm just into the 2nd character - Hugo's - part of Bone Clocks. I'm slightly miffed to have left Holly behind - her story wasn't rounded off at all, just a sudden change to Hugo. I remember this feeling from Cloud Atlas, as if the radio's out of tune and you just lose the signal . I am enjoying Bone Clocks and quite intrigued as to how some of the themes pan out.

Maybe it needs to be bought on kindle so that it can be reread a few times to figure it out! I do think your interpretation of AI makes sense though as it was the future by then, do these spirit things come up in any other books?? He has such a good imagination though,

Hillijx I definitely think zookeeper could have something to do with the "non corpum" spirits. To me the AI Quancog thing was how I naturally read it but I might re-read and see what spirit connections there are! I like that it's a bit ambiguous and makes you think.

I never considered it to be AI stinging but that really makes sense, I assumed it was a spiritual being like the one who inhabited all the people but your explanation makes more sense, maybe one to read again to get a greater understanding. Think bone clocks was brilliant but will def be reading again to see if I missed anything. David Mitchell is fast becoming one of my top 5, have read ghostwritten, bone clocks and cloud atlas.....need to pick another......recommendations??

I've now finished Ghostwritten and I really loved it. Gorgeous writing style, love the links between the characters and the different atmospheres in it.

Pretty sure the Zookeeper in the Night Train section is Quancog, the Artificial intelligence type project that Mo the scientist was working on which the authorities wanted her to develop for their purposes? That's how I understood it. There was also a reference in her chapter to the zoo. Zookeeper says it has no genes and was created to follow its 4 laws, so that would tie in with it being AI. I'm sure it also refers to Mo as its creator, and that would explain why it's being tracked by the authorities. I know the attacker (Quasar) from chapter one calls in to talk to zookeeper and thinks it is the cult leader, but that's just part of quasars delusion in that he thinks he's getting messages from his leader, but he's not and has been left to hang out to dry for the crime!

David Mitchell is definitely my new favourite at the moment. I think I loved this one even more than the bone clocks. Feels like such a treat to discover an author that appeals to me this much and who has a fair sized back catalogue that I haven't read!

I read Cloud Atlas but no others...I don't mind if it is different as I have no expectations...just hoping for a good read as it will be quite a long time before i have enough time to read for pleasure again

Have you read any of his other books? I think Thousand Autumns is quite different to the others I've read (Cloud Atlas, Ghostwritten and Black Swan Green)

I've just dug out my copy and it has reminded me that the first few chapters were a real struggle for me (especially the graphic drawing in chapter one!)

not much....still in second chapter....
I'm not very good at stopping but have made myself a new resolution because I am missing brilliant books whilst ploughing through unrewarding (for me) books.....will keep going for a bit I think

he might be one of "those" authors that people love or hate?
Or it might be a time of life thing...

The first time that I started Thousand Autumns I gave up after the first chapter. I had a lot going on and needed a book I didn't have to concentrate on! I went back to it a few months later and still found it took a while to get into, but I really enjoyed it once I did.
How much have you read? I try to force myself to read at least 3 or 4 chapters before giving up on a book, but I agree that there are so many good books waiting to be read that there is no point reading something you aren't enjoying

i've just been given "the thousand autumns of jacob de zoet"

have you read it? did you like it.....i've just started and not feeling the love just yet...should i persevere ?

(trying to train myself to leave books i don't like as I have so little time to read)
thanks

Ah I didn't think of the cult leader - will have to re-read that part now to see what I think. At first I thought it was the Irish scientist, then I thought it was the "spirit" which had been embodying some of the characters, especially when the dj and his assistant couldn't agree if it was a male or female who kept phoning in (which made me think that "it" kept changing voices to confuse people!)

I finished Ghostwritten a couple of weeks ago and I really enjoyed it. Each chapter is like a short story which can stand alone but I found that I got into each new chapter really quickly and I liked it when characters from previous chapters starting popping up.
However I did struggle a bit with the last couple of chapters, I found the chapter with the Irish scientist hard going and I'm not sure I understand who or what was phoning the radio show in the penultimate chapter! Would be interested to hear what other people understood from the ending.

I'm planning to read a couple of books which are less taxing on the old brain cells and then start on The Bone Clocks.