This is a masterpiece in storytelling whereby three seemingly unrelated stories set in very different times and places are gradually pieced together in alternating chapters. Much like a puzzle they come together beautifully at the end for the ultimate ‘ah-ha’ moment.
The first story is about two thirteen year old outcasts, Anna and Omeir on opposite sides of the wall during the 1453 siege of Constantinople. Theirs is a gorgeous and terrifying tale of bravery, resilience, and survival.
The second story is a nail-biting thriller set in present day Idaho where Seymour, a teenage Idealist is involved in an attack on the local public library and elderly gentleman, Zeno must protect the young children trapped inside.
The third and most mind-bending of all is set far into the future, where a young girl, Konstance, tries to understand her crumbling community by examining ancient texts from the past.
Through a remarkable feat of imagination, Cloud Cuckoo Land is three genres in one: historical fiction, heart-thumping thriller, and dystopian drama that combine to create a literary symphony for the reader. Simply stunning fiction.
— Olivia