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jhbandcats's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Wow, what an extraordinary novel. Time travel novels seem really hard to do without glaring anomalies in the timeline. I’m in awe of people who even try to come up with such complex stories. (The Time Traveler’s Wife is a successful one.)
The feel of the book is like Mandel’s Station Eleven - so many tiny revelations of connection and meaning. The format is like David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas where the first and last sections are the same story, the second and next-to-last are the same story, and so on, finally meeting in the middle. It’s a fascinating way to tell a tale - there are so many subtle intricacies.
I enjoyed Mandel’s sardonic humor in her references to what clearly had been her own experience: being queried at readings in 2020-2021 about her prescient pandemic storyline in Station Eleven, her bewilderment that her first books passed under the radar till Station Eleven hit it big and she was suddenly famous.
I think this book is just fabulous. It’s a beautiful story about humanity across the centuries.
The feel of the book is like Mandel’s Station Eleven - so many tiny revelations of connection and meaning. The format is like David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas where the first and last sections are the same story, the second and next-to-last are the same story, and so on, finally meeting in the middle. It’s a fascinating way to tell a tale - there are so many subtle intricacies.
I enjoyed Mandel’s sardonic humor in her references to what clearly had been her own experience: being queried at readings in 2020-2021 about her prescient pandemic storyline in Station Eleven, her bewilderment that her first books passed under the radar till Station Eleven hit it big and she was suddenly famous.
I think this book is just fabulous. It’s a beautiful story about humanity across the centuries.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Confinement, Colonisation, Grief, and Pandemic/Epidemic
quinnyquinnquinn's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Colonisation
Minor: War, Gun violence, and Suicide
locoemsky's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Suicide, War, and Colonisation
maelikesbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I don’t usually like time travel stories, but this was a perfect one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Deportation, Death of parent, Misogyny, Terminal illness, Colonisation, and Death
Minor: Child abuse
adventurouspotato's review against another edition
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Colonisation
pearlisarobot's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Classism, Sexism, Xenophobia, Gun violence, Confinement, Alcohol, Forced institutionalization, and Pandemic/Epidemic
ceruleanseas's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Colonisation and Murder
Minor: Death of parent, Grief, and Death
americattt's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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
5.0
“I’ve had the opportunity to speak with a great many people about post apocalyptic literature. I’ve heard a great many theories about why there’s such an interest in the genre…Perhaps we believe on some level that if the world were to end and be remade, if some unthinkable catastrophe were to occur, then perhaps we may be remade too, perhaps into better, more heroic, more honorable people.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic and Death
Moderate: Colonisation
Minor: War
theverycraftyvegan's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-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
5.0
I would give this book 10/5 if I could. It’s so beautifully written that “perfect” is the best way to describe it. This is science fiction that is so deeply based on reality that it is 100% believable. This could be our future. This might *need* to be our future. It was a little confusing at the start, because we spend only a little time with each character, but by the half way point I was enthralled. I loved how all the characters tied in together and the ending was *chef’s kiss*.
I will definitely be reading more of Emily St John Mandel.
I will definitely be reading more of Emily St John Mandel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Confinement, Alcohol, Colonisation, and War
Minor: Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Death, Gun violence, and Mental illness
stailysh1's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
fast-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? It's complicated
5.0
This book, to me, has a quiet and mysterious atmosphere. The feel drew me in and it was a quick read. I think it is a helpful read post-pandemic because although it often feels like the world is ending, this book reminds me that there will always be more life to come. It was reassuring and an interesting read that had me trying to unravel the mystery until the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Colonisation
Minor: War, Death, and Genocide