Cloud Atlas

[Stavros]

Despite this little element you picked up on. Many artists plagiarise.

For example?

[Jericho]

For example?

You're very harsh and unforgiving sometimes, Stavros!

[Prospero]

Snnnn

[trish]

As several of us noted already, the stories in Cloud Atlas are nested, as if the transition to a new story mirrored a modulation to a new key until the reader/listener is as far from the opening key as possible and the sequence of modulations reverses and the piece eventually resolves in the original key.

From story to story the characters change, yet something about them does not. Spoiler alert: one keeps expecting the some enlightened character will experience a mind shattering moment of deja vu, discover the immortality of her soul and her deep historical connections to those around her. It doesn’t happen. The relations between the stories remain tenuous hints at karmic connections that may or may not be real.

I don’t share Stavros’ feeling of pessimism. The idea of karma isn’t that one is doomed to relive the same mistakes over and over again, but rather that one reaps in the next life what was sown in the prior.

I recently read Bangkok 8 by John Burdett. It is a mystery set in district 8, peopled by transsexuals, prostitutes, sex vacationers, policemen and military agents. It was written before Cloud Atlas and has no pretense of literary significance. I read it after I read Cloud Atlas and was struck by how the characters “fate” was prefigured by their karma. The detective in Bangkok 8 believes himself to be especially attuned the karmic connections between people and allows those imagined/perceived connections to guide his investigations, much as a cop in western mysteries relies on his intuitions as well as his reason. I think readers of this forum who liked Cloud Atlas, might especially like Bangkok 8 for it depiction of the sex industry in Krung Thep.

[fred41]

For example?

Good question.
A little music while we wait for a response:

[Musashi]

I really enjoyed the book.

I saw the film and my fears of disappointment were indeed met. Just didn't work for me, but I'm more of a book person.

[Jericho]

Good question.
A little music while we wait for a response:

Oh Joy...Now I've got that worming its way thru my head!

[robertlouis]

Never mind, everyone. There's a new Bruce Willis Diehard movie out!

[Stavros]

As several of us noted already, the stories in Cloud Atlas are nested, as if the transition to a new story mirrored a modulation to a new key until the reader/listener is as far from the opening key as possible and the sequence of modulations reverses and the piece eventually resolves in the original key.

From story to story the characters change, yet something about them does not. Spoiler alert: one keeps expecting the some enlightened character will experience a mind shattering moment of deja vu, discover the immortality of her soul and her deep historical connections to those around her. It doesn’t happen. The relations between the stories remain tenuous hints at karmic connections that may or may not be real.

I don’t share Stavros’ feeling of pessimism. The idea of karma isn’t that one is doomed to relive the same mistakes over and over again, but rather that one reaps in the next life what was sown in the prior.

I recently read Bangkok 8 by John Burdett. It is a mystery set in district 8, peopled by transsexuals, prostitutes, sex vacationers, policemen and military agents. It was written before Cloud Atlas and has no pretense of literary significance. I read it after I read Cloud Atlas and was struck by how the characters “fate” was prefigured by their karma. The detective in Bangkok 8 believes himself to be especially attuned the karmic connections between people and allows those imagined/perceived connections to guide his investigations, much as a cop in western mysteries relies on his intuitions as well as his reason. I think readers of this forum who liked Cloud Atlas, might especially like Bangkok 8 for it depiction of the sex industry in Krung Thep.

Trish, I don't know what karma is, I will have to take your word on it, I did read about it when I was interested in eastern religions -I think I was 17 at the time- but concluded it was meaningless. I will also track down Bangkok 8 which sounds like it is a more enjoyable book than Cloud Atlas. Your appreciation of Cloud Atlas recognises its thematic links -to me these are merely functional links without depth, as the book has no depth -but that is my opinion. I should also say I am not criticising Mitchell's ability to write, but the uses to which he has put his ability in this book.

[trish]

Trish, I don't know what karma is...

Neither do I. At least it’s no clearer to me than the Judeo-Christain-Muslim notions of sin and heavenly reward which (I think) are rough analogs of karma. In the western religion (as I understand it) sin is the guilt we carry for the trespasses of Adam and Eve as well as for our own trespasses. Because we carry sin, we ask God to judge, punish, forgive or award us in this life and the next. In Buddism (again as I currently understand it) the universe is structured so that our actions and relationships are “remembered” from one life to the next so that our bad actions may come back to bite us in the ass in a future life and our good actions might reap rewards in future lives.

....I think I was 17 at the time- but concluded it was meaningless.

In my estimation karma, sin and heavenly reward, though not meaningless, have no actual reference. (We all understand the meaning of “Batman is the black Knight guardian of City of Gotham,” but we also understand that “Batman” refers to no person in the actual world.)

I will also track down Bangkok 8

Disclaimer: If you dislike Cloud Atlas because it lacked depth, you may not like Bangkok 8 either. It’s just a mystery novel. Sometimes I enjoy a light read. It’s just that having accidentally read Cloud Atlas and Bangkok 8 back to back I was struck by the general atmosphere created in both by the playing on the notion that characters can be influenced by actions taken in prior lives.