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adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Beautifully and poetically written, this book is a dystopian look at humanity and relationships, as well as the role art plays in our lives. I really enjoyed the descriptions but found the switching back and forth between time periods jarring. It also moved a little too slowly for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence
Moderate: Gun violence, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexual violence
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Medical content, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Infidelity
adventurous
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
This book absolutely lived up to all its hype. In some ways, I feel like the synopsis is misleading; perhaps half of the book follows Kirsten and the post-apocalyptic timeline. A good half of the book delves deeply into the lives that orbited Arthur Leander in the days before the apocalypse, as Kirsten's did. It never feels as though you're reading two different books, though; although the worlds the characters exist in are vastly different, Mandel's humane, empathetic voice ties it all together. The only reason this novel doesn't get an unquestioned five stars is because I thought one important plot point was unclear at the end: Is Jeevan's settlement the one that has recreated electricity? If not, why not? Still, this novel has definitely won a spot on my Favorites shelf.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma
Moderate: Pedophilia, Suicide, Violence, Kidnapping
Minor: Sexual violence
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
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:
No
I could not put this down. I was immersed. I've never experienced an apocalyptic story that came so close to feeling real--how things seem like they would really go if something world-ending came to pass. Aside from Part 7 being too long and unfocused for my taste, I loved it all: the writing, the characters, the relationships, the new world that came to be, the little things people remembered or cherished... Just beautiful. She's captured the little world within a world that each of us builds by way of the people we are connected to; the ones we know our whole lives and the ones we meet indirectly through their art or work or or mutual friends; the ones we meet early and the ones we meet later; the ones we lose for a while and the ones we lose forever; the ones who were part of some milestone and the ones who were a constant.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Violence, Grief
Minor: Animal death, Cursing, Infidelity, Rape, Suicide, Blood, Medical content, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
dark
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Station Eleven is an eerily realistic post-collapse narrative. Most interestingly, Station Eleven's power lies in neither the characters nor the plot. Rather, the strength of this novel relies entirely on the palpable and riveting atmosphere that Mandel has created. By utilizing a nonlinear timeline and multiple points of view, Mandel effortlessly immerses readers in the feeling of collective post-apocalyptic uncertainty.
Despite the very bleak nature of this novel's events, Station Eleven is ultimately a beautiful and hopeful book. It's a novel about chosen families, human resilience, and the power of art.
Station Eleven is such an unforgettable and unique addition to the dystopian genre. I loved Mandel's writing and cannot wait to read more of her work.
Despite the very bleak nature of this novel's events, Station Eleven is ultimately a beautiful and hopeful book. It's a novel about chosen families, human resilience, and the power of art.
Station Eleven is such an unforgettable and unique addition to the dystopian genre. I loved Mandel's writing and cannot wait to read more of her work.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Murder
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, Murder
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Confinement, Drug use, Gun violence, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Medical content, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcohol
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Mental illness, Terminal illness
Minor: Suicide
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
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
Whew, what a book. And what a book to read during a pandemic. I could have maybe skipped reading this book entirely but I was really curious to know what all of the hype was about…and also because I love dystopian novels. The story goes back and forth between pre-pandemic days and the present. The majority of the novel surrounds around the Traveling Symphony who performs Shakesphere and music for the scarce communities of survivors.
Station Eleven is eerie and at some points terrifying as one would expect from a novel like this one. What resonated with me most was a moment in the book in which they speak about alternative universes and question whether there is another reality out there that also experienced a pandemic, but not as destructive as this one…which must mean that Emily St. John Mandel is able to predict the future. It was also super interesting to read reviews written prior to 2020 and note what reviewers thought of this book with no insight into what would happen in just a few years time. Overall, an excellent novel that doesn’t appear as captivating as it may have been perceived prior to our pandemic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Rape, Suicide, Violence, Grief
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Kidnapping
adventurous
challenging
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This book hooked me from the writing alone. The way in which Emily Mandel writes is just so beautiful you feel as though you're there, but you also appreciate how much work she put into setting all the scenes. While I anticipated I might get lost in the various points in time, and the POVs of various groups of characters, I found the way she wrote helped remind me who I was following. I never felt like I left characters too soon, or stayed with them too long. While the overall story is gripping, it's not shocking and can really be an easy read for someone who wants to explore a world in which 95% of the population is gone.
Lastly, the larger issues this story tackles are just beautiful. I find myself thinking back on this book often, and may do a re-read to highlight some of the beautiful passages and experience them again for their life lessons. Emily Mandel's notes after you're finished reading are just awesome.
Lastly, the larger issues this story tackles are just beautiful. I find myself thinking back on this book often, and may do a re-read to highlight some of the beautiful passages and experience them again for their life lessons. Emily Mandel's notes after you're finished reading are just awesome.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Terminal illness, Death of parent