Cloud Cuckoo Land

I didn't even know this book existed before the beginning of October, when I unexpectedly received the audiobook. And because I'm a extreme mood reader, I forgot about all the arcs I've yet to read and my library borrows and picked this up, despite feeling that I might not like this.

And my instinct wasn't wrong. The author's writing is undoubtedly very beautiful and metaphorical but also too descriptive and wordy, and if I wasn't listening to the two narrators do an excellent job in the audiobook, I don't think I would have been able to finish the book. It's also very ambitious - spanning multiple genres like historical fiction, contemporary as well as speculative fiction/ sci-fi; while also telling a story that spans across centuries. To add to this complexity are five POVs, multiple timelines, and another subplot which connects all the storylines while also rendering the name for this book. I can't deny that I do enjoy multiple POVs because I'm a fan of ensemble casts, but the cast in this one are separated by time and they are very individualistic plotlines. And with the chapters being very short, we never get enough time at once to spend with one character and empathize with them. Not all are interesting either.

I think I loved Zeno and Konstance the most, with Zeno being my favorite with his penchant for surviving all obstacles in his life and finding joy in little things. I just kept wishing that he could see the results of his translation and how many hearts he touched, and maybe had found someone he loved and loved him back. Konstance is fascinating and I was impressed by her resourcefulness and resolve to find the truth, but one of the main twists of her plotline never got resolved and I'm still salty about it. While Anna and Omeir are the main catalysts behind how all these characters' stories intersect, I found their parts pretty boring because they both are just waiting for the war to happen and ultimately nothing comes out of it. I probably felt more emotional about Omeir's oxen Tree and Moonlight. And finally Seymour - he probably has the best character arc of everyone and we see so many facets of him, but I can't say I was too engaged with his story knowing what he was gonna do. And I also found the choice to make the only neurodivergent character in the book an antagonist very telling, especially when it didn't need to be so.

Ultimately, despite the multiple genres and centuries and characters, this is a story about books and stories and the connections they create. It's an ode to the love of books, the power of literature in helping us survive, the joy of finding words which were once considered lost, and the importance of translating antiquated works. But this was not enough for me to love the book because the writing wasn't for me. But if you are a fan of the author's previous works, you might enjoy it a lot more.