This was my review on goodreads when I first read it:
Ok so it sounds so cheesy to call it transcendent, but...this book is transcendent, and I don’t say that lightly. A moving exploration of faith, love, science, addiction and above all, meaning making. It questions why do we do what we do, what amount of choice we have over that, and if there’s a reason for it all, but in such a rich and tender way that they feel like completely new questions. This book is, to me, a classic already. I’ll be highly surprised if this doesn’t make its way into GCSE or A level English literature or philosophy reading lists at some point in the future, and if it doesn’t then that is a failing of education. Give Yaa Gyasi all the awards.
Related Recs
I know I am technically late to this book but I just finished it and it has fundamentally changed me forever. Maybe its because I am an academic, or because I often introduce myself as the speaker of 2 and a half languages but it hit hard. It is vivid and spectacular and grief inducing and devastating. It has so much heart, so much love, yet so much despair. The attention to detail regarding history and conflicting philosophies, politics, religious beliefs and belief systems is so carefully and precisely constructed, it is in and of itself poetry. It's so vivid that I can taste it, I can feel the texture of the pages, different passages are rattling around my brain and I can remember where I read them, I am a different person from before I read this book. After the reading slump I was in, it feels like all along I was waiting to find this book, I didn't know I was missing it, or waiting for it and yet when I read it it is like all at once I suddenly knew that I had needed this book all along. Read it, if you are one of those people that gets skeptical of things that reach a certain level of popularity, just know that all the hype in the world has undersold this book. It is that good. And yes, I attached a low light photo of my copy because I have reread chapters of this so often that the pages are curling, fished it out of my backpack when I found random spots to sit or stand idly, accidentally smudged it when I immediately reached for it after writing sprawling pages in my notebooks. You see how my earphones aren't connected to anything because all I am thinking about is this book? Yeah exactly! This is a good fucking book I am so serious you guys if you have held off on reading it, bump it up your list.
Jan 9, 2025
a friend rec’d this for me 2 yrs ago, & I thought, “what kind of book is called cloud cuckoo land.” I went into it pretty blind, & I think u should do the same.
it has Greek mythology, themes of climate anxiety, the interconnectedness of humanity, etc. so many good things & beautifully written. I just finished it & I’m still processing my thoughts so none of this is eloquently written but i highly recommend!!
Jun 10, 2024
This is a New York Times bestseller so I’m sure you’ve already seen this floating around. I just wanted to say it’s worth the hype. It’s the first 5/5 stars read I’ve had in a while.
A beautifully written story about someone searching for meaning or purpose. Akbar does so well with writing in a nonlinear timeline and different perspectives. This made me cry and laugh, tense up, hold my breath, and finally exhale. I will be thinking of this book for a really long time I think. And I’ll probably go back to it many times. It also touches upon grief through unique lens.
3d ago
Top Recs from @mouse
I used to be envious of people who had “MySpace friends” or “tumblr friends”. Now I have PI.FYI friends. Thank you capyboppy for your lovely letter and this illustration of a capybara and a mouse with fruit on our heads, it made me weirdly emotional ❤️
Jun 11, 2024
📣
is gig etiquette dead? Don’t go to a gig if you wanna just talk to your mates! go to a pub it’s what they’re for!
Dec 8, 2024
IT'S OUT MY RECORD IS OUT I LITERALLY AM CRYING. The culmination of 4 plus years of work. I'm...gonna go to bed now!
May 3, 2024