The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet

By: David Mitchell

Narrated by: Jonathan Aris, Paula Wilcox

A Booker finalist and Mail on Sunday/John Llewellyn Rhys Prize winner, David Mitchell was called “prodigiously daring and imaginative” by Time and “a genius” by the New York Times Book Review.

The year is 1799, the place Dejima in Nagasaki Harbor, the “high-walled, fan-shaped artificial island” that is the Japanese Empire’s single port and sole window onto the world, designed to keep the West at bay; the farthest outpost of the war-ravaged Dutch East Indies Company; and a de facto prison for the dozen foreigners permitted to live and work there. To this place of devious merchants, deceitful interpreters, costly courtesans, earthquakes, and typhoons comes Jacob de Zoet, a devout and resourceful young clerk who has five years in the East to earn a fortune of sufficient size to win the hand of his wealthy fiancée back in Holland.

But Jacob’s original intentions are eclipsed after a chance encounter with Orito Aibagawa, the disfigured daughter of a samurai doctor and midwife to the city’s powerful magistrate. The borders between propriety, profit, and pleasure blur, until Jacob finds his vision clouded, one rash promise made and then fatefully broken. The consequences will extend beyond Jacob’s worst imaginings. As one cynical colleague asks, “Who ain’t a gambler in the glorious Orient, with his very life?”

©2010 David Mitchell (P)2010 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

"It’s as difficult to put this novel down as it is to overestimate Mitchell’s virtually unparalleled mastery of dramatic construction, illuminating characterizations and insight into historical conflict and change. Comparisons to Tolstoy are inevitable, and right on the money." ( Kirkus Reviews)

"Despite the audacious scope, the focus remains intimate; each fascinating character has the opportunity to share his or her story. Everything is patched together seamlessly and interwoven with clever wordplay and enlightening historical details on feudal Japan. First-rate literary fiction and a rousing good yarn, too." ( Booklist)

“An achingly romantic story of forbidden love . . . [David] Mitchell’s incredible prose is on stunning display. . . . A novel of ideas, of longing, of good and evil and those who fall somewhere in between [that] confirms Mitchell as one of the more fascinating and fearless writers alive.” (Dave Eggers, The New York Times Book Review)

Amazing (but complex)

David Mitchell gives readers who enjoy sweeping historical novels everything for which they could hope: an exotic setting, unique characters, adventure, betrayal, intrigue, sacrifice, romance, maritime conflict, and even a monkey named William Pitt. I loved his characters, who were all individualized and fascinating, yet quite believable.

My only criticism is that I might rather have read this book in print. With lots of characters with unfamiliar names and passing through about 50 years, it is rather complex to keep it all sorted out while listening. But the readers are quite fine.

Disappointed

I loved "Cloud Atlas" and thought it was the best book I've listened to in years. I could not wait to listen to Thousand Autumns...but perhaps this book is best read in hardcopy. I could not keep the names and characters straight. All of the names, of course, were very foreign to me - Japanese and Dutch, pronounced with an accent. I had to start over once I realized that Yakob Dessert was the title character. Duh! :-P

There were not many likable characters in this book. While I felt that Mitchell set up a very scary scenario, it fell flat after that. I was happy and relieved when the British showed up! Names I understood and could keep track of!

At the end, chunks of time passes without plot or narrative. Uh.. What happened? Nothing worthy of mentioning in 11 years? Or more?

I was disappointed, not Mitchell's best effort or the best book to hear either.

Disappointed

What could have been a wonderful story was ruined by the almost obsessive concern with bodily functions. On a positive note, the writer has a wonderful ability for descriptive prose.

Couldn't wait for it to end.

OK, so I didn't want to read the Steig books as my "big" summer read, so I went with the Mitchell book. The other reviewers do a good job of critically reviewing, so I am just going to go from the gut. This book is like an opera. Yes, it's good, worthy, lyric..., but can't say that I wasn't happy when it was over. I am not a fan of big, thick books unless there is a reason they need be so long. It's almost like someone gave Mitchell a thick, blank journal, and his task was to fill it. If you are looking for a good, long read, try "Cutting for Stone." It has characters, history and a story that keep thing interesting so you are just waiting for the end!

Wonderful story, well read.

What did you love best about The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet?

It was a grand novel in best sense with heroes, villains, star-crossed lovers, spies, betrayal and love all set in a time in Japan when old empires were dying and new ones were arising. Japan's reaction to Western influence was to isolate itself from the world, except for very limited, and highly controlled trade treaties. Jacob de Zoet finds himself in this netherworld between two cultures.

The story starts slowly but Mitchell is carefully laying the groundwork for this marvelous story. I had read and enjoyed Cloud Atlas. It amazes me that Mitchell could masterfully write such very different tales. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.

Brilliant historical novel

I’ve read 4 of his novels and am now convinced that he is the best living English writer. This book is different from the others in that it’s an historical novel, but some of the scenes and dialogue he writes are just breathtaking. And the performances are exceptional. Highly highly recommend

Good moments

There were excellent scenes that were done well, but the book is overlong. Keeping up with the Japanese names was difficult.

This was amazing

This was a difficult listen…but worth the effort. It had me at the first chapter.

Spend some money

The book overall was excellent, the problem was they were too cheap to hire narrators to read the Japanese parts, sounded terrible especially the womens roles, thick English accent for a young Japanese girl.... crazy.

I wish I could listen all over again!

This book was just plain fun. I love history and got lots of it here, some for real and some invented, but all fascinating. The characters and situations were so original and new to me. A real saga, and very well read by the narrators.