Mitchell's novel, set in the same world as Cloud Atlas (and all his other novels), has a similar formal structure: it's divided into six parts, each a different kind of story -- coming-of-age, Faustian bargain, war memoir, literary satire, metaphysical fantasy, and eco-dystopia. Underlying the narrative, though, are references to a war between the mysterious Horologists and Anchorites; the former are trying to protect humanity from the latter, who want to use humans as fuel in their quest for immortality.
But it’s not until late in the novel we learn this, and with the exception of the fifth section we spend little time with the Anchorites and Horologists themselves. Instead every part serves as a character study, each one narrated by someone with a connection to Holly, the first narrator and the key to the novel as a whole. in each of these sections we see the characters make bad or even disastrous decisions, but what matters is the fallout — not just the consequences to the plot, but the affect on the characters and what they choose to do after.
It's here that Mitchell demonstrates his skill as a writer. Most of the characters are deeply flawed, often making stupid, selfish, or evil choices, but Mitchell lets us see what drives them to make those choices. The fourth section in particular stood out -- it's the section that covers the longest time period, allowing us to see an arrogant, self-involved writer ever so slowly repent and learn to put others before himself. On the other hand, the fifth section, while fun and fascinating, felt out of place. The sixth section returns us to ordinary humans, but, set in a near future ravaged by climate change, it displays a deeply cynical attitude about humanity, something that seems almost like a betrayal of the poignantly-depicted characters of the rest of the novel.
Despite my disappointment in the ending, I fully intend to read more of Mitchell's work. The world he has created is filled with wonderful characters and fascinating bits of lore.
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