Cloud Cuckoo Land

    When I read fiction, it generally falls under one of three categories, which in descending order of frequency are science fiction, fantasy, or thrillers/mysteries. So when my mom recommended Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr, I was, admittedly, a little skeptical, but decided to give it a shot. Generally, our tastes in fictional literature tend to diverge a fair bit, so I had some doubts about the book's ability to pique my interest and enthrall me, the way good fictional literature can. 

    Initially, the skepticism seemed fair. The jumping from one plot line to the next, not providing enough character development for my liking, and not progressing. I like slow burn novels for the time they take for world building, character development, and character interactions. But there simply wasn't enough of this to explain the deficient plot. However, I decided to give the book a bit more of a chance, since such raving reviews could not have heaped upon a truly boring book. And man am I glad that I stuck with it - the payoff is great. 

    In a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way, the arms have distinct points, but spiral inward to a common core. So it is here- everything which seems so disjointed is, at its heart, connected. And that heart is a story about unity, connection, humanity, and love. There's much wisdom in this tale - and the idea that's nearest and dearest to me is perseverance. One of the oft repeated quotes is:

“what's so beautiful about a fool is that a fool never knows when to give up”  

If it is so, then let me be the fool who stands up in the face of adversity, pushes past difficulties to do what must, or should, be done. Hopefully I manage to do so. But there is another theme that really resonated with me - the idea of erasure to history and the permanence or temporary existence of both the creators and their creations. It may seem pesimistic, but there is hope:

“Sometimes the things we think are lost are only hidden, waiting to be rediscovered.” 

And sometimes it takes a fool, digging against all odds, to find this. I really enjoyed the book and understand why it was a nominee for Best Fiction 2021 on Goodreads.