Would you read a multiple perspective novel with over 50 characters?

I recently wrote a novel with 42 distinct characters. I would not have gotten away with it without writing a timeline of events, but one of my beta readers mentioned they got confused and some of the characters. I had about 5 characters for a specific arc, and that arc was drastically cut down because it was not that important to the story. I had to do a lot to get the reader to understand the story, and they made great points about how I could have streamlined the characters and strengthened them with less voices. My friends and I have been beating around the idea of 50 voices for years: a coming of age multiple perspective novel where 50 different characters from different walks of life all tell the story through their eyes in as few words as possible, with the overall theme of what is it like as a young adult. Which I think as a theme is necessary and valuable.<br><br>But if it's necessary and valuable to have 50 multiple voices, you look at one of the most well written novels of all time, "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. His characters have unique and wonderful names, are. written with clarity, and the authors verbosity really make the story. And even in one of the best novels ever written, multiple perspective is a challenge. <br><br>Should it be done? In writing, the theme is always more important than the method. The theme should shine through, and the writing should serve the story, not the other way around. There is a really good saying about writing:<br><br>>“Kill your darlings, kill your darlings, even when it breaks your egocentric little scribbler’s heart, kill your darlings”<br><br>>— Stephen King<br><br>OPINION NEEDED!!! <br><br>Should I attempt to write a novel with 50 characters, where each character. tells the story of coming of age from a different perspective? Would you read it? Would you care? Should I kill my darling?