The Bone Clocks and other novels by David Mitchell Read Along

[DuchessofMalfi]

Sign up here and say which novels you plan to read. I'm starting with The Bone Clocks, aiming to finish it in September.

All discussions of David Mitchell's novels are welcome

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

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 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??

Hmm, I think I need to re-read Ghostwritten. Getting the impression that there's just so much information in his novels that you can't get away with just one read of them :)

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.

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,

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.

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.

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

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!

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.

Typos galore, sorry!

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

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!

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.

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 about to start the final part of The Bone Clocks today. Have been taking my time over it, reading slowly and carefully and have absolutely loved it so far. It's been an incredible read. Assuming it doesn't go down hill from here on, it will be in my favourites list for this year.

Am feeling a bit more confident about tackling Cloud Atlas now - had been putting it off, but he is an amazing writer :)