Harry Shaw’s Reviews > Cloud Atlas > Status Update

Read the second part of Letters From Zedelghem. Was my favourite story in the first half and is still my favourite now Excellently written. My copy of Cloud Atlas is 529 pages. I am on the final chapter so will update when finished. Goodreads only has the book listed as 509 pages.

Again, the second part of half lives Louisa Rey mystery was great. The stories are reminding me of other pieces of media or fiction I've consumed in the same lane. I mean that in the most positive way possible, this last chapter heavily reminded me of The fugitive with Harrison ford when he's trying to expose the pharmaceutical company, whereas Louisa is trying to expose clean nuclear energy government scam.

Wow, Cloud Atlas requires discipline to get through but once you've invested the time it pays off. Really enjoyed the middle bridge chapter Slooshas Crossing. The following chapter Sonmi (which I mentioned previously I did not enjoy particularly.) was amazing as well. Thoroughly enjoying the second parts of the initial stories now. Ghostly tale of Timothy Cavendish was very funny as well.

The middle chapter of the book, before the initial chapters are revisited, is Slooshas Crossing. It is my favourite chapter so far, and I am interested to see where it goes. It reminds me of Horizon Zero Dawn's Plot, where human technology has backslid due to a massive extinction/ fall event, and older, more advanced technology is being rediscovered.

The stories I am reading aren't particularly interesting at the moment. Halfway into the book I hope the chapters that revisit actually make them better. I found the Sonmi chapter particularly tiresome the sentient robot or replicant in this case has been done to death and better. The chapter really dragged for me. My favourite so far was letters to Zelghelm or however you spell it.