For most book lovers, Goodreads is a second home. It’s where many go to find new books, keep track of their TBRs, engage with the bookish community, and, probably most importantly, browse reviews that may sway whether they decide to pick up a book for themselves. Goodreads is essentially the greatest book authority because it is shaped by book readers. And now those readers have chosen the best book of the century: Cloud Atlas.
Cloud Atlas is a 2004 novel by David Mitchell that tells six interconnected stories spanning hundreds of years, from the 1800s to a far-future post-apocalyptic world. The novel has long been recognized as a near-perfect sci-fi classic by many readers, and it has now even earned the recognition as* “the best book of this century” *on Goodreads, based on reader votes.
This is truly a well-deserved honor, given that Cloud Atlas is one of the most ambitious and fantastically executed books ever written, boasting an incredibly unique narrative structure and spanning multiple genres.
One of the things that makes this book stand out is that it follows six main storylines spanning hundreds of years. Rather than being told in a single linear narrative, the stories are arranged in a mirror structure of 1 → 2 → 3 → 4 → 5 → 6 → 5 → 4 → 3 → 2 → 1. Each narrative, except the sixth, stops halfway through before moving to the next era, then resumes in reverse order after the central story.
The first story follows Adam Ewing, an American notary traveling through the Pacific who witnesses colonial exploitation and slavery. The second jumps to 1930s Belgium, where a composer becomes entangled in a complicated artistic and personal relationship. Then we skip to the 1970s, where a journalist investigates a dangerous corporate conspiracy.
The next story takes a more modern and darkly comedic turn. Set in the 2000s, it follows a publisher as he tries to escape a nursing home where he is accidentally trapped. Next, we read about a futuristic Korean society shaped by extreme capitalism, with the final story taking place in a post-apocalyptic Hawaii, where civilization hangs by a thread.
What is particularly brilliant about Cloud Atlas is that despite the six stories taking place in wildly different eras, they are all revealed to be interconnected. Characters across different periods influence one another through diaries, letters, books, films, legends, and more, ultimately delivering a truly satisfying payoff for the reader.
Furthermore, the novel is a masterclass in genre blending, featuring historical adventure, science fiction, mystery, dystopian and post-apocalyptic storytelling, and more. Yet what is perhaps most impressive about* Cloud Atlas *is its exploration of timeless universal themes such as the cycles of history, freedom, consequence, and perhaps most important of all, the impact of human connection and mortality.
10 Sci-Fi Books That Are As Good As Dune ](/sci-fi-books-as-good-as-dune/)
Frank Herbert’s Dune book series is one of the best science fiction novels ever, but there are others in the genre that are just as enthralling.
The influence of this book and its themes has expanded beyond just its pages and even earned its own movie adaptation in 2012, Cloud Atlas, directed by Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski, and Tom Tykwer. The film featured an all-star cast, including Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, and Hugh Grant. Notably, the actors didn’t just stick to one role in the movie; they portrayed multiple roles across the timeline.
While the movie is great, the book is something phenomenal, so if you have yet to read Cloud Atlas, take this as your sign to run to your nearest library or bookstore, or even grab your Kindle. This story will stay with you for years and is guaranteed to become a favorite. And who wouldn’t want to check out ***Goodreads’ ***“best book of this century?”
Cloud Atlas is now available to read!
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