Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr

Sunday, April 3, 2022--San Antonio

Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr provides a reading experience that is like putting the pieces of a puzzle together.  The further the reader gets into the book, the clearer it becomes that there are multiple stories that are all tied together.  So the reader should not give up if confused at first.  By a quarter of the way, the construction format becomes clear and the different characters obvious.  By half way through, the genius in the connections between the stories becomes exciting and it is difficult to put the book down.  By 3/4 of the way through, it is obviously such a good read that there is no desire for it to ever end.  And by 90% of the way through, there is sadness that it was all going to end soon.  The reader should take notes about the characters and their time periods as they are introduced in the beginning, since it takes time to really get them all separated and straight in one's mind.  The book really soars once it is clear what is happening.  And discovering and seeing the connections between the stories developing is a joy. It's one of the most complex novels I have read and one of the best.  I gave it 5 stars out of 5.