The Thousand Autumns of Jacob De Zoet

"This is my kind of book: the characters are dynamic and weird, the setting is unique, Mitchell's writing requires attention but is by no means abstract, I enjoyed turning the pages as much as I enjoyed milling over the text, it's well researched, and David Mitchell is a real charmer (he came here for a book event; I also love the way he reads his own text). Most importantly, his writing is lyrical, inventive, and intensely descriptive. It's the best piece of new fiction I have ever read."

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