Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell stands as a definitive modern classic.

Within these pages, David Mitchell demonstrates his mastery of diverse writing styles and narrative techniques. The interconnected tales of the six lives are all delivered in distinct styles, ranging from but not limited to, correspondence between two close friends, a seafaring notary's journal and an interview (or perhaps interrogation?) of a captured dissident fabricant. They are all unique enough to be standalone books, but as a whole never felt disjointed.

The lives are all wildly different inhabiting different lands in different times. Each world is meticulously crafted, leaving no room for inadequacy when compared to the others. These narratives traverse a spectrum of emotions—sometimes humorous, other times mysterious, and occasionally heart-wrenching. They are all excellent narratives in their own right, but the author has managed something truly special by weaving these lives together by subtle yet intricate threads across times and place. The connections never felt forced and didn't require too much thinking on my part to grasp. These lives and stories were all beautifully tied off in such a way that at the end of one, began another and so forth in a cycle.

Can't wait to check out Mitchell's other works!