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Cover of Cloud Cuckoo Land

Literary · Science fiction

Cloud Cuckoo Land

by Anthony Doerr

4.2 out of 5, from 485 ratings from Hardcover readers

Stories set in fifteenth-century Constantinople, a present-day Idaho library and a future spaceship are linked by an ancient Greek tale of a shepherd who wants to reach a city in the clouds. Each hinges on a book.

Facts last checked 2026-10-16

First published
2021
Pace
Slow
Length
Long
Pages
640
Format
Standalone
Borrow free with Libby Compare prices Save to my shelf

Read this if you like big, interwoven historical and speculative stories that celebrate libraries and reading.

Skip this if you dislike jumping between many timelines, because it takes a while for the threads to meet.

The feel

Content warnings

  • War
  • Death

Also reported by Hardcover readers:

  • Gun violence
  • Animal death
  • Violence
  • Emic/Epidemic
  • Homophobia
  • Death of parent
  • P
  • Classism

Quick answers about Cloud Cuckoo Land

What is Cloud Cuckoo Land about?
Stories set in fifteenth-century Constantinople, a present-day Idaho library and a future spaceship are linked by an ancient Greek tale of a shepherd who wants to reach a city in the clouds. Each hinges on a book.
Who should read Cloud Cuckoo Land?
Read it if you like big, interwoven historical and speculative stories that celebrate libraries and reading. Skip it if you dislike jumping between many timelines, because it takes a while for the threads to meet.
How long and how fast is Cloud Cuckoo Land?
It is a slow-paced, long read of about 640 pages, first published in 2021.
Does Cloud Cuckoo Land have content warnings?
Content we flag: War, Death.
Can I borrow Cloud Cuckoo Land for free?
Often, yes. Check Libby (OverDrive) to see whether your library lends Cloud Cuckoo Land; the borrow button above searches it for you.
What should I read after Cloud Cuckoo Land?
Readers who liked it often move on to All the Light We Cannot See, Cloud Atlas, The Starless Sea.

Where to get it

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