I got this book in the hopes that it is as awesome and intensely readable as another book I read by David Mitchell, called "Cloud Atlas". This is his first novel, and so I will be sure to curb my expectations somewhat, but it got rave reviews and lots of awards, so I assume it will also be great.

A review from the back: "The Sarin nerve-gas attack in the Tokyo subway leads to a love affair between two semi-Japanese juvenile jazz-buffs, thence to a tea shack in revolutionary China. From there we are whisked into a rogue soul's spiritual progress through Mangolia. Art fraud and gangsterism in St. Petersburg follow, then philandering, gambling and bad indie rock in London... At various points "Ghostwritten" could be called a post-Cold War thriller, a love story (or several), a cult expose, a radio-show transcript, an island romance, a compendium of creation myths and- unsurprisingly- a phost story. Mitchell juggles these genres with great aplomb... an astonishing debut"

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Update April 6: I started this a few days ago. I am about half way through, and can't find the words to talk about this book. It is full of mysticism, humanity (the good and the bad), an intense amount of creativity and imagination, history, mythology, vulnerability, etc... I LOVE it! Like "Cloud Atlas", it is long and detailed and winding and intricate--- there are overlaps and allegories that are so rewarding and thoughful. And some really great insights. I'll try to collect some of the ones that resonated with me. I love this kind of book that feels like a mosaic, or a Dali painting or something--- there are seperate scenes and contexts and ideas, but they are all thrown together and then woven together by a master weaver--- the interconnectedness of seemingly disparate situations are revealed the longer we spend with them, and show us truths about our own pasts, presents and futures.

Anyway, enough esoteric rambling. I think I will probably turn this book into a bookring instead of releasing it ito the wild---- I think i would like to keep this one and read it again (as recommended by one of the reviews at the back of the book actually), but i would love to get other people's thoughts on it too.

Will journal more when i am done.

Wonderful book. Period. One of my fave recent reads, and after only reading two of his books, Mitchell has definately become one of my favorite authors.

David Mitchell is the kind of writer I would love to be if I ever tried it: intensely creative, a lover of language in all its varied forms, using words like clay to create characters, contexts and commentary that are so colorful. An imagination that spans not only continents, but also time and planes of existance. Crazy!!

I don't really know how to talk about this book coherently without sounding like a flake or ruining the story for others--- the story is so rich, varied and complex; the overlapping narrative sometimes subtle, sometimes shocking. Moving from Japan to Hong Kong to Mongolia (I think my favorite passages were here, on Holy Mountain and further into Mongolia) to St. Petersberg to London and Ireland. Every context different, every voice unique--- with their own priorities, flaws, preoccupations and quirks.

And yet, they were sharing some of those priorities and goals--- they were looking for purpose, for identity, for a place in this world, to do the right thing. Which is what we all strive for and want to achieve, I believe. This is perhaps why I find Mitchell's writing so captivating--- these experiences are so 'normal' or 'usual', and yet there are very few people, in my opinion, that can explore such existential themes so well. I am truely a fan.

I also really appreciate authors who respect their readers and know that they can figure things out without having to be spoon-fed. Not everyhting is spelled out in this book, which makes it so wonderfully engaging--- you want to find those deep and sometimes subtle moments of insight and interconnection--- not everything is blatant, and yet everyting is laid out.

Anyway, I may add some more info later with a spoiler warning, since I want to be sure I remember some of my favorite parts (as mentioned above, Holy Mountain and the Mongolian countryside, love and jazz (x2, one could argue), quirky radio stations, the casino fiasco and its lessons, deluded art thieves, etc...) I was also VERY intrigued by the ending--- very much a cliff-hanger. That zookeeper is also trying to do right by sometimes doing wrong--- but how far will the zookeeper take it--- I'm not sure, based on the last few pages....

I am interested in getting other opinions on this book and sharing it with other people who might enjoy this. So, I will be offering it up as a bookring. I would like to read it again after a while. Hence the ring and having this book eventually returned to me. But I would look forward to hearing what other poeple think about this book, and whether they agree with my glowing review... :)

The list of participants:

Princesspeach (Saint John, Canada)--- Read and passed on!
lolamarie (California, USA-- ship within NA)--- Read and passed on!
AlterEgoZoe (Stroundsberg, USA --pref. US/Can)--- Read and passed on!
Luintaurien (New York, USA-- ship internationally)--- book is here...
atnaturesmercy (New Jersey, USA-- pref. US/Can)
Adia415 (Cincinnati, USA -- internationally)
katayoun (Tehran, Iran-- ship internationally)
tantan (Australia-- pref. within Aus.)
newk (Australia-- no preference)
powerhouse (Culemborg, the Netherlands)
msoma (Exeter, UK-- no preference)
MrMustard (London, UK-- internationally)

... and then back to me!

Passed on to PrincessPeach this evening, and then she will be sending it on to the next in line. Thanks to all for participating! I am excited to have this book moving!

My sister (symphonicca) gave me this book to read. I haven't read very much yet but I am enjoying it so far. Looks like I will probably be looking for Cloud Atlas once I'm finished this....

I will be passing it along to the next person in line in the book ring once I am finished. :)

I have mailed the book off to the next person in the ring. It was an AMAZING book. I really enjoyed it.

Received in the mail today. I'll read this next...

I really enjoyed this novel. It provided much food for thought ie the interconnectedness of humanity, the role of chance (fate?), and social commentary. I did find the social commentary a bit one dimensional, but overall the novel pulled together. Mitchell has a great imagination and many interesting ideas. And I agree with symphonicaa regarding the passages set on Holy Mountain and in Mongolia. They were my favorite parts of the book.

I will send this off to the next person this week. Thanks for sharing symphonicca!

Mailed to AlterEgoZoe 7/1/06

Got this yesterday. It has 2 rays ahead of it, so I have some reading to do before I get to this one!!!

I didn't expect that I'd enjoy the book as much as I did. I agree with the others, that the Holy Mountain Section is amazing! Loved that section! The entire book reminds me of that 6 degrees of seperation theory(that everyone is connected to another person through 6 other people). It was really great how Mitchell intwined every story-sentances,experiences, how things showed up from one story to the next.

Will Pass onto Luintaurien asap.

Got it today. Thank you. Will read and pass on ASAP.

Sending on when I get the address