Oh my goodness, what a book! I must admit, it took me a while to get into it, but once I was in, I was well and truly hooked. Once I was halfway through it I had one of those, I am so jealous of the person who wrote this, moments.

Synopsis

Cloud Atlas follows the lives of six people, all living at different time periods and in different parts of the world. The magic of this book lies in the way the characters are connected, and the way it explores how one life is connected to, or can influence, the lives of others. Each character is different and quirky in their own right: Timothy Cavendish, the doddery, cantankerous old man, imprisoned in a residential home against his will; the smart and plucky journalist, Luisa Rey, bravely pledging to fight the good fight; and Somni 451, a clone capable of independent thought and who is set to lead a revolution that changes the world, to name but a few.

I can definitely see how it was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize, as it’s quite deserving of the title “Best Read of the Year” from Richard and Judy.