I'd read all of David Mitchell's other books before finally getting round to The Thousand Autumns, and I'm so pleased that it is as strange and brilliant as his other works!

It's a slow burn of a historical novel that took me to both a period and a location that I visit in fiction only sporadically, and evokes the sights, sounds and smells of a Dutch trading port at the end of the 18th century astonishingly well. The (many!) characters spring to life too, and I found myself strangely compelled by the stories about how each of the sailors/traders came to be in Dejima.

I particularly loved the middle section that departs from Jacob's point of view to tell part of the story from the perspective of Orito, a Japanese midwife, and provides much of the suspense that kept me reading to find out how her story turns out. I would've liked much more from Orito’s perspective, to be honest, but the rest of the novel unfolds so beautifully and unexpectedly that I can forgive Mitchell for this oversight…!

A wonderful, rich read that might take a little while to get through, but is so rewarding when you do. ( )

Seems as if the Mitchell books that everyone else loves (this, Cloud Atlas) I find to be patience-trying and pretentious. The ones other people dismiss (Black Swan, Bone Clocks), I think are really solid. ( )

It's not my favorite David Mitchell novel, but it still has all of the beautiful themes and style that lock me into his books. ( )

Perhaps it was my mood, but somehow I never got carried away by this novel. It was well-plotted and the settings vividly evoked, yet failed to evoke much tension or emotional impact. The characters were interesting, although the narrative seemed to heavily emphasise their flaws. The titular Jacob never really endeared himself to me - I liked that he was a pedant, but other than that he never exhibited a great deal of personality. Orito was by far my favourite character and the sections from her point of view had the greatest appeal. On the other hand, the sections from the viewpoint of Captain Penhaligon made me yearn for Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey & Maturin series. The setting of Dejima, Japan’s only trading link with the outside world at the turn of the 19th century, was well-chosen. I do wish, though, that the politics of Japanese/Dutch relations had been more of the focus than Jacob’s emotional life. I was also surprised by the somewhat perfunctory ending, which seemed to do Orito a disservice and ignore other side characters.

Since I’ve really enjoyed other recent novels by David Mitchell, the lack of connection I felt with this one was disconcerting. I reiterate, it might be my current mood, which requires relatively cheerful reading matter to relax me after thesis-writing. Whatever its other merits, this is definitely a depressing novel that takes a dim view of almost every character. If you’re feeling in the mood for that, I imagine you’d get more out of it than I did. ( )

Jacob comes to work in Dejima, the closed city island off the coast of japan. ( )

Challenging reading but worthwhile as the author brings to life the Dutch and Japanese of an 18th C. trading post in a Japanese port. As I am not a willing historical novel reader, his prose and story overcame my reluctance and I couldn't think of leaving the story unfinished. Mitchell is an exceptional and empathetic writer whose research is inspiring. I learned a lot about nautical Dutch life and Japan's insular history. ( )

Incredible. ( )

What a beautiful and haunting piece of literature. I've adored Mitchell's work since his first novel, "Ghostwritten", and this is probably my favourite of his since then. It's too late in the evening for coherent thought, but yes, yes, a thousand times, yes. ( )

I didn't like this one as much as "Cloud Atlas" or "The Bone Clocks" mostly because it didn't have the SF/F stuff (or very little of it, anyway) that I normally go in for. However, to give it only 3 stars would be a disservice. The writing is just too good, and the setting so beautifully rendered. ( )

Similar to Cloud Atlas in terms of themes and general feeling. Apparently, Mitchell likes writing about living the hard life, survival versus principles, and ships.

It occurs to me that Mitchells books are permeated with melancholia. This beautiful sadness makes you respect and sympathise with main characters that try to make the best of their lives, even when they've been dealt a bad hand.

If you like this book, read Stoner (Williams) and Shogun (Clavell) next. ( )

A book club pick :)

I wasn’t too keen on picking up another David Mitchell novel after Cloud Atlas. I did enjoy it, but it felt too much like an “I’m writing a bestseller and don’t I know it” exercise. Then I happened to read about The Thousand Autumns in a couple of blogs I trust, that basically said “don’t read Cloud Atlas, read his other books”. And then I suggested it for my book club, and I am glad I did (well, I am writing this review before the book club meeting, anyway… ;) ).

The very first chapter will floor you. Orito is an awesome character (more on this below) and I wanted to see so much more of her.

So I felt the joy that comes upon you when you dive into a good story told well. The history of Dejima is intriguing and I hadn’t explored it much, despite my fascination with Japan (because there is a lot to explore, you know). The author has done a lot of research, and it shows. I loved all the details and the melting pot of Dejima from the very beginning – smart-ass sailors, merchants, slaves, interpreters, courtiers, smugglers etc. Even the minor characters shine!

Jacob de Zoet steps into this medley. Corruption and thievery abound, so he walks on shaky ground and in a web of intrigues.

I always like to read about different cultures meeting:

“ ‘Ask, Vorstenbosch orders, ‘how His Honour enjoyed the coffee I presented’. The question, Jacob notes, provokes arch glances among the courtiers. The Magistrate considers his reply. ‘Magistrate says’, translates Okagawa, ‘Coffee tastes of no other.’ “

The academia meetings were very interesting to read about, with Dutch and Japanese scholars trying to make sense of western science together, as things got lost in translation. Historical figures, such as Sugita Genpaku, make an appearance. Nice!

The writing hooked me and sang to me. Here is Jacob (who has been doing his homework, as one should), catching a Japanese interpreter at a lie:

“Ramifications hatch from the appalling hush.”

And here is the impossible romance:

“I wish, he thinks, spoken words could be captured and kept in a locket.”

And here is autumn:

“Birds are notched on the low sky. Autumn is aging.”

Besides being a very well written piece of historical fiction, this is a novel about choices and their consequences. Jacob makes a noble choice, and then he makes a horrific one, and the difference between doing something noble that is detrimental to you alone and truly taking responsibility for another human being, hits the reader hard. When it comes to responsibility, Orito makes a different choice. I love Orito’s strength, resilience, and agency – while her would-be lovers are busy with angst for months, she plans. I enjoyed her POV much more than Jacob’s (who sometimes comes off as a bit of an everyman), she is a lot more interesting.

The end chapters transformed this book from a four into a five star read. Perfectly done.

P.S. I suspect David Mitchell has seen a lot of samurai movies. The scenes, dialogues, turns of fortune in the samurai/ronin adventure part of the book were exactly right. ( )

Here's what I wrote in 2012 about this read: "Nice. Learned about Dutch trade with Japan when the Dutch and Chinese were the only traders with Japan. Dejima Island in Nagasaki Bay, late 1700's through early 1800's. Oh, and a good story of love and secret sects thrown in for fun." First two quotations in the comments section are my exact kindle highlights. ( )

I really enjoyed reading this, but ultimately didn't think it was very good. Essentially there are two plot threads: one a reasonably straight-forward historical fiction, about a Dutchman struggling to live in a trading station in early 19th century Japan; the second involves more adventure/suspense/mystery elements, and is really far less convincing - with clichéd characters. It kinda felt to me like Mitchell lacked confidence in the first plot and so tried to ginger the book along with something a bit more uptempo, but for me it undermined the whole thing. Certainly, I felt that the second half (two thirds? not sure) didn't live up to the promise of the first part of the book. That said, I did really enjoy reading it - but any recommendation would be qualified. ( )

i liked this one a lot. set at the end of the 1700s, at an outpost of the Dutch East India Company, i was engrossed throughout, with great characters, a fine story, and of course very engaging writing, given that it's David Mitchell. ( )

I really wanted to like this book more than I did. The problem was that I didn't really got sucked into the story untill 75% in, at which point I wasn't that invested in the main characters. I don't think that this is entirely on the writer though, the book is beautifully​ written and the premise of the story is interesting as hell, it just failed to grip me when it should have.

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The second time (listening to the audiobook) this book came to life for me. Maybe I have matured as a reader a bit. This time I got sucked in, and it didn't let me out until a few pages before the end. I did thing the ending was a bit disappointing. While the book worked towards a thrilling climax, the few chapters after that felt decidedly anti-climactic. I guess there might have been a point to that cadence, but to me it felt a bit strange.
( )

Set in Nagasaki around 1790 to 1810, the novel is very rich in period and Japanese detail, with complex and deeply described characters. Jacob de Zoet is an educated man who was raised in a parsonage to be faithful and truthful. He wishes to marry a girl in his native Holland, but her father insist he join the Dutch East India Company to make his fortune before he can marry. The Japanese of the Shogunate often referred to Japan as "the land of a thousand autumns". Each character has a story, told in the omniscient third person, so the reader knows their thoughts. The main plot is driven by the abduction of a young woman midwife, Orito Aibagawa, taken to a sinister monastery overseen by a powerful abbot. Jacob develops a longing for her when she is studying with the Dutch physician on Dejima, the walled island where the Europeans are confined while they carry on business. In somewhat of an aside from Jacob's story , interpreter Ogawa, who has also longed for the midwife, fails miserably in an attempt to rescue Orito and is killed by the abbot. The novel then describes the arrival of an English frigate with news of Bonaparte's conquest of Holland, and when the Japanese magistrate, advised by de Zoet, refuses to grant the English trading rights, the captain bombards Dejima. Jacobs obsession ends after a brief conversation with Orito following the death of the abbot, and the end of the novel briefly describes Jacob's return to Holland and later life. ( )

I get a bit suspicious of David Mitchell, because he's just so damn readable. This book is no exception, being interesting, well written and having lively, engaging characters. The plot does cross that line from fast-paced to unlikely a couple of times in the middle of the book, but other than that it is a flawless tale of adventure. I could never give it five stars, though, as it really is just a jolly good adventure and so is just a lot smaller in scope than something like Cloud Atlas. ( )

I've read two other works of David Mitchell's. Both were a collection of short stories grouped together to form a novel ,full of variety, and faced paced. This one on the other hand was a long work of historical fiction. And while I did appreciate the historical aspects of this work I found myself longing for the variety and fast pace of the David Mitchell I'd grown accustomed to. ( )

This guy hasn't let me down yet. Good story lines, good characters, believable historical details, ends well. ( )

A great read, but a bit disjointed. At times it feels like the author wants to push home how much research he did to prepare for the work. However, the setting of 19th-century Japan and its Dutch outpost allows for the making of a fantastic story, intertwining intrigue, a bit of romance, and historical fiction. Due to some of the subject matter, though, this book is not for the faint at heart. ( )

A novel burdened by too much research, and my least favorite David Mitchell book. ( )

The book with the most beautiful prose I've ever read. It's a lot better than the more popular "Cloud Atlas", but it is like one of those promising short novels in that book given room and time to breathe. I was reminded of parts of Clud Atlas' "The Pacific Journal of Adam Ewing" as well as "Letters from Zedelghem".

The japanese setting is beautifully conveyed, as was expected, but the most impressive thing is the prose itself, which mimics perfectly the timing and feeling of classical japanese writing. The sentences are awe-inspiring at times, with particular sections that flow like music and sting with feeling.

These two passages struck me as perfect in their simplicity. All writers shouls aspire to that simple, zen-like clarity, and they encapsule all of the novel:



"Shiroyama’s heart stops. The earth’s pulse beats against his ear.
An inch away is a go clamshell stone, perfect and smooth …
… a black butterfly lands on the white stone, and unfolds its wings.”


“The clock’s pendulum catches the firelight, and in the rattle-breathed final moments of Jacob de Zoet, amber shadows in the far corner coagulate into a woman’s form.
She slips between the bigger, taller onlookers unnoticed …
… and adjusts her headscarf, the better to hide her burn.
She places her cool palms on Jacob’s fever-glazed face.
Jacob sees himself, when he was young, in her narrow eyes.
Her lips touch the place between his eyebrows.
A well-waxed paper door slides open.” ( )

OK, I know this was voted wonderfully, but I can't get into it. Putting it away for a bit.

Great atmosphere, language, style. I didn’t care much about any of the characters. 2.5 ( )

A great book about the Dutch history with Japan. It is dramatic as interesting as it is historically. I mean, the book gives great insight in how commerce and Japan were during the 18th century, but moreover it tells a beautiful and cliche-free love story. An absolute recommendation. ( )