'The Bone Clocks' - Another one for the David Mitchell Appreciation Society

[PacificDogwood]

What did you think?

I love his writing, I really do; reading his books gives me creativity envy.

His characters are so well drawn, the plot is inventive and original, I find it rather unpudownable, in spite of the dystopian world-view.
I wonder whether he is a pessimist and thinks humankind is doomed??
But his books are not depressing IMO.

I am not prone to gushing fandom, but DM comes close to making me fawn

I loved it, but I was hooked after reading Cloud Atlas and I've read most of his other books since then. Reading his books is like eating a proper meal after living on toast for a week.

Oh, yes, I argree - I am currently not enjoying all that much a book recommended here because it's too 'light' after Bone Clocks.

I've read and reread all of his books except Black Swan Green and the one he translated and ?edited with his wife written by the Japanese boy with autism - title escapes me, sorry.

I think Black Swan Green is next

He is a genius and a master storyteller. I loved Cloud Atlas. It was exquisite in every detail and just glorious.

The Bone Clocks, on the other hand, felt like a distant runner-up. Almost like it was written by D Mitchell many years ago, back when he wasn't as good an author, as a draft for the ideas that later became Cloud Atlas.

Aw, no, I disagree, much as Cloud Atlas is a Work Of Genius, I think Bone Clocks is not at all worse in terms of plot and wider ambition.
I liked the time line and the jumps in how the characters developed. And how it went from entirely realistic descriptions of people's lives to the more fantastical when the Atemporals were introduced.
I thought it posed interesting questions about self, morality (and the difference between a-morality and immorality) and how one is (or is not) true to oneself.

Cote, you now I loved your longer interpretation that you posted some time ago, but I disagree with you on this one.
But then, I also really liked Ghostwritten a lot, but not Number9Dream so much.

Ooh, Black Swan Green is great. I finished it a couple of weeks ago and loved how it was done. Having grown up around the Falklands era, I thought it was spot on and very evocative.

Haven't yet read Number9Dream but it's on my list.

Oh my, I've just discovered my typo in my post to Cote: 'know' not 'now'

Number9Dream is as original as you could wish for but quite violently disturbing in places, well, for my taste.

I would love to know whether DM thinks humankind will destroy itself?? His characters seem as happy or not as the next person, but the overall outlook is rather bleak IMO.

Black Swan Green next then

I recently finished this and thought it was brilliant, I have only read this and cloud atlas by him but will definately look up some of his other books now.He is so imaginative but yes, he does seem to think humankind will destroy itself!! Any other book recommendations from those who enjoy his books would be great as I am stuck for things to read at the moment?