So says Robert Frobisher in the concluding part of his story. But surely David Mitchell is provoking us at this point to our own conclusion on his incredible collection of tales spanning the past and future in 'Cloud Atlas'. I'd forgotten what a masterpiece this book actually is, having just re-read it in time for the release of the film this week. It's one I always intended to go back to, after enjoying but struggling a little with it the first time round. There are some stories more appealing to me than others, just like the first time, but the quality of writing and the concept of each story interlinking with the next across the different eras still makes me wonder at the accomplishment of this book. And I am astonished that it missed out on the Man Booker Prize back in 2004.
One of the strongest themes that appear in the book is the importance of stories. Imparting and recording them for those in the present and future, both vocally and in writing. The purposes vary from instructing, informing, exposing or just simply sharing and entertaining. Clearly stories from Christianity, although the religion itself is not mentioned in those set in the future, have continued to be shared in some form. This is evident in the language used on more than one occasion to describe telling on someone, referred to in the narrative as 'judasing'. Even though we find an unfamiliar spirituality in the last (middle) tale set far in the future beyond exploration and colonisation of foreign lands, radioactive fallout and cloning on an industrial scale this term still appears.
It's not a quick or easy read, but incredibly rewarding and worth staying with to the end even if it does seem a little bewildering at times. I am intrigued to see how all (or any!) of this could possibly be conveyed on the big screen sufficiently. Hopefully it will encourage those who haven't read it to grab a copy and go on the complete journey across different geographies and time. So revolutionary or gimmicky? Simply 'magnificent' sums it up perfectly.
The comparisons to be made between the first story set back in the 19th century and the final post-apocalyptic pinnacle pose some interesting questions; where does conflict, tribalism, technology, power struggles, greed and competitiveness really get us? Do we evolve or just go backwards? Or does nothing really change in the grand scheme of things? In every tale there is something good that is revealed about human nature, be it the quest for justice or our powers of creativity.
