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Original poster

Anyone else find David Mitchell books a bit.......um.......dull?

37 replies

glitch · 29/11/2011 12:09

I've tried Cloud Atlas and failed miserably.
I'm now about a quarter of the way through The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet and it is such a hard slog.
Is it just me? Should I carry on? I hate giving up on books but it is just such tough work reading it.
His reviews seem to be fantastic but I just can't seem to read them.

OP posts:
Hullygully · 29/11/2011 12:11

it's you

he is FANTASTIC

jeee · 29/11/2011 12:13

I've tried to read Cloud Atlas three times. It sounds so good on the back cover. But it's so... boring. I won't be trying any of his other books.

RealLifeIsForWimps · 29/11/2011 12:34

Sorry but I'm with Hully. He is, in my opinion, probably one of the all time greats and Cloud Atlas is breathtakingly clever.

Original poster
glitch · 29/11/2011 12:36

Glad I'm not alone jeee. I so want it to be good.
Hully, what am I doing wrong? Help me love it please Grin

OP posts:
HughBastard · 29/11/2011 12:39

David Mitchell writes books?

Are they Stephen Fryish?

Hullygully · 29/11/2011 12:41

Not that david mitchell...

RealLifeIsForWimps · 29/11/2011 12:41

Different David Mitchell- not the one on Peep Show

Notquitegrownup · 29/11/2011 12:41

I looove those two books of his - and Ghostwritten too - but there is someone at my book group like you, who just doesn't get him, at all. Think that he might be a bit like Marmite - you either love him or . . .

(By the way, slight hijack, for Mitchell fans - should I try again with Number9Dream?? Couldn't get started on this at all, after a couple of tries, though it might be down to the very small font size in my copy - not suitable for reading in dim light/bed at all!!)

LinzerTorte · 29/11/2011 12:44

Oh, I'm glad it's not just me. I struggled to get to the end of Number9dream but, rather masochistically, have just bought Black Swan Green.

RealLifeIsForWimps · 29/11/2011 12:46

Black Swan Green is one of his earlier books, and is in a completely different style to both Cloud Atlas and Thousand Autumns. It doesn't even feel as though it could have been written by the same person. It's very enjoyable, but, IMO, nowhere near as well written. I guess it just shows that published authors improve as they go along.

Notquitegrownup · 29/11/2011 12:48

I think that you have to accept that they are not fast moving, and to be prepared to relax and be absorbed - they are long warm baths, rather than powershowers (hough with jacusi ending perhaps?! - this metaphor may not be the best!!)

It could also be about expectations too. I always struggle with books that I know other people looove as I -get- -overexcited- am looking out for what is supposed to be so good, rather than just reading it.

valiumpoptarts · 29/11/2011 12:49

Chose Jacob for my book club as everyone here said it was fab. Not one person got beyond page 100....

LinzerTorte · 29/11/2011 12:50

Notquitegrownup Well, I wouldn't bother with Number9dream again - although I'm not a Mitchell fan. I also kept thinking I was reading a Murakami novel (I'd read Kafka on the Shore not long before) and it was most disconcerting.

RealLifeIsForWimps · 29/11/2011 12:55

Yes, they are not dissimilar, are they? I'm not an expert on Japanese literature, but is it maybe a common style in Japanese?

ShirleyKnot · 29/11/2011 12:57

Oh! I'm having trouble with a Thousand Suns.

Hullygully · 29/11/2011 12:57

Autumns?

Hullygully · 29/11/2011 12:58

I thought Cloud Atlas was beeter.

I didn't like the ending of Autumns.

Cherrypi · 29/11/2011 13:00

I loved number9 dream but not got into any of his others. I think he is definitely an author you have to be in the right zone for.

SinicalSal · 29/11/2011 13:00

Nope i can't get on with Cloud Atlas either.
very disappointing, excellent premise, just poor execution.

ShirleyKnot · 29/11/2011 13:01

Yeah that an all Hullster. That an all.

The one with the bloke and the book and the chick and the nasty bloke and that.

That one.

thetasigmamum · 29/11/2011 13:02

It's just you. And the people who agree with you. He is a fabulous author, one of my top favourites.

thetasigmamum · 29/11/2011 13:03

Black Swan Green was written after Cloud Atlas. And it's clearly written by the same person as all the others not least because of the usual in-plot references to past books. :)

DamselInDisarray · 29/11/2011 13:03

I recently finished number9dream. I was quite enjoying it until it just bloody stopped. Worst (non)ending ever. I had to skip over the story sections in the middle too. I just couldn't bring myself to read them. I gave up with cloud atlas because I was a bit bored.

wem · 29/11/2011 13:04

I liked Black Swan Green and loved Cloud Atlas, but gave up on Thousand Autumns after a friend who had finished it said it didn't get any better. Having trouble getting into anything atm which didn't help.

AugustMoon · 29/11/2011 13:06

I'm with you... tried Cloud Atlas twice because I love the title but just couldn't get into it. Then bought Thousand Autumns and got a few chapters in but struggled with the characters and gave up. I'm determined to finish it one day just because it's a poignant title for me and I'm convinced I'm missing something!