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ribbonreuben's review
4.0
This, I think, is one of my favorites of the Cloud Atlas universe. There were a few sections that could have been improved, but I really enjoyed Utopia Avenue, and there is part of me that wishes I could listen to their LPs.
urte_urtte's review
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
brandidean's review
5.0
So good. Maybe my favorite by Mitchell yet. (Though I haven’t read some of his earlier books — will make it a point to go back and do that!) For a lot of the book, I wasn’t even really sure there was going to be an actual plot, but I didn’t even care. I loved the characters enough that I was happy to get to each of their point-of-view chapters. And it leaves you dying to hear the songs they’re writing.
I would maybe knock it down to a 4.5 for the inserted mythology from Mitchell’s other books. I didn’t really mind it at all, but it kind of stuck out pretty baldly? It provides an interesting arch that I enjoyed (and mistook for the main plot for awhile?), just seemed out of place with the rest of the book.
I would maybe knock it down to a 4.5 for the inserted mythology from Mitchell’s other books. I didn’t really mind it at all, but it kind of stuck out pretty baldly? It provides an interesting arch that I enjoyed (and mistook for the main plot for awhile?), just seemed out of place with the rest of the book.
sarahyfairy's review
4.0
Yes - philosophies about art & music & the world we’re making & breaking. And who doesn’t love a story that starts in the gutter & ends in stardom?
Nope - Mitchell is too sentimental about his characters, there’s too much name dropping (if I had a penny for every time “Jimi Hendrix” is mentioned), & “knock knock” seemed like plot line that was forced into the story to feed the metanovel…
Nope - Mitchell is too sentimental about his characters, there’s too much name dropping (if I had a penny for every time “Jimi Hendrix” is mentioned), & “knock knock” seemed like plot line that was forced into the story to feed the metanovel…
sepptb's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
occasional_owl's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Very long, in a way that doesn't feel justified. A lot of stuff was brushed over too quickly. I wish Griff got more characterization.
insearchofstorys's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Y'all. Its my favorite book ever. It's placed in the 60' and literally all over the place. Mainly in England. So many different scene settings in different city's/countries. The story of the band is so engaging and everyone of them has their loveable and funny side but also something heavy to deal with. It's perfectly written without being too heavy in itself and still being able to fully connect the reader to life happenings of each character. I just love all of them. It's authentic and gets in your heart.
It's diverse and shows how lgbtq+ was handled back then. It's also reflecting the political structure from the 60s so good.
Music wise is everything I wanted in my bookish dreams bc it's one of my favorite decades musically and the references all seem so natural. I may add it also describes not only the good side of the hippie movement, it also shows the shadows that may appear along the way. It's literally about s**, dr*** and rock and roll and ALL of it's faces. Check the trigger warnings. This book contains and discusses some dark issues. As I said, it's still lighthearted without lacking truth,facts,emotions,authenticitynin every human way possible. It's a ride through an generation, music, passion, love, war, politics,family, mental health, death and everything in between.
Everything speaks for the quality of the writing its self. Everything and everyone is just so natural and authentic.
It's a 5 star book without a doubt. F it. I give it 100 stars.
It's diverse and shows how lgbtq+ was handled back then. It's also reflecting the political structure from the 60s so good.
Music wise is everything I wanted in my bookish dreams bc it's one of my favorite decades musically and the references all seem so natural. I may add it also describes not only the good side of the hippie movement, it also shows the shadows that may appear along the way. It's literally about s**, dr*** and rock and roll and ALL of it's faces. Check the trigger warnings. This book contains and discusses some dark issues. As I said, it's still lighthearted without lacking truth,facts,emotions,authenticitynin every human way possible. It's a ride through an generation, music, passion, love, war, politics,family, mental health, death and everything in between.
Everything speaks for the quality of the writing its self. Everything and everyone is just so natural and authentic.
It's a 5 star book without a doubt. F it. I give it 100 stars.
frederiquejaspers's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
kion_nordberg's review
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
eileen_asr's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
a tale that seems timeless as music is
i read this book after i heard it was similar to daisy jones and the six well that recommendation couldn’t have been more wrong
utopia avenue is a story of how music can bring people together, change worlds, outlive everyone
the characters are so they’re own, it’s weird to say but they exist for themselves as themselves, they truly struck me
as someone would loves to know what’s hidden behind a great song, what had spring it to life, it’s own story i was truly not disappointed, the emotions felt by the characters and their journey through life and early fame was so vibrant that you could feel it, the music that they made you could hear it through the pages
this book is like a section of time and history put into words, the sixties seems now like old times for me
it’s a weird political book about wars that have ended and a new age that began and yet what is said is still true, maybe more than ever
you close this book just regretting that this band is fictional, even though one could argue you find utopia avenue into every music enjoyer out there
needless to say i’m in the search of my next ticket to a live concert
i read this book after i heard it was similar to daisy jones and the six well that recommendation couldn’t have been more wrong
utopia avenue is a story of how music can bring people together, change worlds, outlive everyone
the characters are so they’re own, it’s weird to say but they exist for themselves as themselves, they truly struck me
as someone would loves to know what’s hidden behind a great song, what had spring it to life, it’s own story i was truly not disappointed, the emotions felt by the characters and their journey through life and early fame was so vibrant that you could feel it, the music that they made you could hear it through the pages
this book is like a section of time and history put into words, the sixties seems now like old times for me
it’s a weird political book about wars that have ended and a new age that began and yet what is said is still true, maybe more than ever
you close this book just regretting that this band is fictional, even though one could argue you find utopia avenue into every music enjoyer out there
needless to say i’m in the search of my next ticket to a live concert