Reviews

Utopia Avenue by David Mitchell

jess_mango's review against another edition

4.0

4.5 stars

I was psyched to see that David Mitchell was releasing a new novel. Several of his previous books are amongst my all time favorites. I love the quirk-factor and the smart writing.

In this tale we follow a fictional 60's-era British rock band called Utopia Avenue. The book has plenty of cameos by real rockers from The Beatles to The Rolling Stones, David Bowie and more. The book oozes with the vibe of the era. Some may compare this book to [b:Daisy Jones & The Six|40597810|Daisy Jones & The Six|Taylor Jenkins Reid|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1580255154l/40597810._SY75_.jpg|61127102] (loved it!) which also follows a rock band during roughly the same point in time. While there are similarities the feeling and style of both books are different. Utopia Avenue reads like straight up 1960's historical fiction but there is a sneaky thread of oddity running through in the story. We see all the tumult of the era with riots, anti-Vietnam sentiment, sex, drugs and rock & roll. There are the growing pains of achieving fame and how it impacts the group.

I enjoy music-themed stories and this one was no exception. I also like that the author has created a playlist for the novel, which you can find on Spotify. Mitchell is clearly a talented writer who has a knack for details that make stories come alive. I love the cleverness of the connections that he makes in his "David Mitchell Multi-verse". This will be a great read for Mitchell fans AND music fans alike.

What to listen to while reading...
This playlist compiled by the author: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/09SuXCtjHJiNdtEDfWh55e

Thank you to publisher for the review copy!

ellenclibrarian's review against another edition

5.0

I loved this book and intertwined reading with listening to the audio. It is a lot, and a bit chaotic, but that goes along with a theme of the story. I've always loved band stories because the dynamic of a rock band fascinates me, and I once thought I would combine my sociology degree with my passion for music for just this purpose. It may not be a great read for everyone, but I loved the Forrest Gump-like meetings with various musicians of the era coupled with the fascinating study of mental illness.

hannahkate's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

charlottewithjam's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

isabellyboo's review against another edition

emotional funny inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

evieeerosew's review against another edition

bored and reading slump

maxxence's review against another edition

4.0

So, I clearly wasn't ready for this book to take an almost fantasy/ sci fi turn close to the end but I was here for it. I really liked the book but I like everything that has to do with music and the 60s so it wasn't complicated. 
I think this book could've been a five stars if my slump wasn't slumping (not this book's fault i promise) and yet, here we are.

onceyougoack's review against another edition

medium-paced

3.5

seanstarb's review against another edition

4.0

This was a weird one in many ways. Long but sometimes feeling insubstantial. Expect realism at your peril. Often cliched, with the cameos from some of the real people taking me out of the story and occasionally completely jarring, especially the Joni Mitchell reference. Ultimately I kept reading and actively craved going back, realised I cared more about the characters than I expected, and wasn't keen for the book to end.

crimsoncor's review against another edition

4.0

As someone who grew up (years after the fact) listening to the music of the 60's, I loved this romp through the era with his imaginary band. Mitchell does a really good job of capturing the frisson and friction of being in a band. An argument can be made that everything resolves a little too easily for all the characters and I think that is likely a reason why the novel won't hold up to a re-read as well as some of his other novels. On a first read, you don't know how those paths are going to unfold, so there is always the haunting possibilities hanging over the characters. I thought the immediate Cloud Atlas name-drop in the first stanza of the book and of course the name de Zoet were maybe just a sly hat-tip, but then

Spoiler

there is the dramatic turn in the final third of the book where the entire Mitchell multi-verse comes rushing in. It definitely changes the entire complexion of the book and I'm not sure how necessary it was. It didn't necessarily detract from the novel for me-though I think that if this was the first Mitchell novel you had read, you would be left quite confused as to what the hell just happened in this novel. And that really is disappointing because his other novels can also stand firmly on their own.

. But I adored all the members of the band and found the constant drop-in by musical luminaries of the 60's and 70's to be the sort of good nostalgia that Ernie Cline wishes he could write.