Reviews with content warning for Child death - Das Licht der letzten Tage

Big thank you to my sister-in-law for gifting me this book! 😘 It’s almost hard to believe this was written pre-pandemic; it’s so on the nose. At times it almost hit a little too close to home and made me sad for the things we’ve lost, but I also gained some perspective. In no way would I minimize the effects of COVID, but at least we still have electricity and running water. I guess things could always be worse? The most important perspective though is the importance of art (in ALL its forms) during crisis. As a creative outlet, as a distraction, as a social setting, and as a message to the future of how life felt at the moment of its creation, art is extremely powerful. I love the connection drawn between our modern pandemic times and Shakespeare’s plague era. There were moments all the disparate storylines felt confusing, but I do think St. John Mandel is a talented writer, if based on nothing else but that stellar opening chapter.

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lauhiggs's review against another edition

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adventurous dark reflective medium-paced

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

2.75

Station Eleven is set in a post-apocalyptic Canada and America. A virus has swept through the world, taking people’s lives at an alarming rate. The world starts shutting down, electricity goes, phone signal goes. It swaps between pre and post pandemic life. Following a cast of characters who’s lives dramatically change from the life they once knew.

I raced through the beginning of this book. I loved the sections about Arthur and Miranda’s relationship. Miranda, an introverted artist who just wants to create. She doesn’t care if her work is seen it sold by anyone but herself. Arthur is your typical “successful actor”, several relationships with multiple wives, lots of money, lavish lifestyle. The parts I liked the most of this book were the parts before the pandemic.

The book also focuses on a travelling Shakespearean theatre group, navigating their new world and bringing plays and music they love to audiences all over Canada and America. I think these sections of the book could’ve been a lot more compelling. It felt like nothing was happening then something happened and it was wrapped up too quickly.

This book was hugely out of my comfort zone, so maybe it just wasn’t for me.

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grace_p's review against another edition

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dark mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

I never really understood nor truly appreciated the common phrase “don’t take life for granted” until I read Station Eleven. The intricate backstories behind each character’s regrets, joys, disappointments, and comforts in both their old and new world really exemplify why we should live life to its fullest. The characters were given just enough detail to pull you in and empathize, and I am impressed at how the author managed to intricately weave the plot around seemingly unrelated characters. The entire book made me think about the butterfly effect; one small action can determine a million of other actions.

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amiereads's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Overall a really solid post-apocalyptic book. It’s focused on character development and change as well as the tension of holding onto the past or moving into the future and the divisions it causes. I enjoyed the timeline shifts and weaving of station eleven throughout. There was some unique locations for survival I haven’t seen before, ie the airport, plus the traveling symphony. I wish Jeevan’s was a little more interconnected with the future timeline. The prophet could have been flushed out more and I felt his storyline conclusion was a bit anticlimactic.

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esgilbert's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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amandabcook's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious reflective 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? No

4.5

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maddiebusick's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark hopeful tense medium-paced

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

3.75

I liked it overall, I wish the ending was stronger for the characters in year 20. It felt really tense and suspenseful for most of the book but the final scene with the prophet just didn’t do it for me for whatever reason, I think maybe it was slightly rushed.

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