Ok, I admit it. I judged a book by its cover. I really try to not be shallow or too focused on aesthetics when I walk through a bookstore, but I admit that the cover for Cloud Cuckoo Land has been catching my eye for a few years now. I know a good cover has no relation to the quality of the book, but something must draw my attention when I am not hunting with a specific book in mind. So, when I saw Cloud Cuckoo Land on sale at my local used bookstore, I had to grab it. I am glad to say this is one of those times that the story lived up to the beautiful cover.
Cloud Cuckoo Land focuses on a number of different characters spanning centuries. Two characters from opposite sides of a war on Constantinople in the 1400’s. A young man who is sent off to fight in the Korean War in the 60’s. A autistic boy living in a burgeoning town in the 2000’s. A girl growing up on a spaceship as it hurtles through the galaxy in search for a new habitable world. All these narratives are interwoven with a myth of a young shepherd who is trying to reach the legendary utopia of Cloud Cuckoo Land.
Doerr does a fantastic job of dishing out small portions of each character’s story, giving you just enough to feel like no chapter is just spinning its wheels, while never leaving you wishing for the next chapter to begin. It is a fairly long book, but this pacing made it a relatively quick read for me, and I think the intersection of these disparate stories was handled very well and in a way that was reminiscent of one of my recent favorites, Station Eleven. Like Sation Eleven, I think this is a beautifully written book, and I might say it is my favorite read of the past year.