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krispy_reading's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
All of current life’s simplicities and technology, gone faster than you could process what’s happening to the world. What would you miss the most? What would you bring with you?
Yes, the book is post-apocalyptic but not in a The Walking Dead kind of way. There is more character reflection and adaptation with less violent elements.
There is a broad cast. If you can’t keep track of all Symphony members? It’s fine, just go along for the ride.
There are frequent time jumps in multiple directions. I would have appreciated the chapter titles named after the time period & character name as opposed to basic numerical order.
Ending was ok.
Graphic: Medical trauma, Toxic relationship, Death, Murder, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Grief, Medical content, Suicide, Terminal illness, Stalking, Violence, and Gun violence
Minor: Blood, Physical abuse, Child death, Alcoholism, Death of parent, and Alcohol
bluejay21's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Medical content, Medical trauma, Death, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Child death, Suicide, Religious bigotry, Adult/minor relationship, and Murder
juliahendrickson's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.5
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Child death, Death, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Murder, Suicide, Chronic illness, Death of parent, and Stalking
black_cat_iiix's review
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Suicide
Moderate: Medical trauma, Religious bigotry, Gun violence, and Death
Minor: Child abuse
eleanorvancestan's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Medical trauma, Grief, Terminal illness, Medical content, and Death
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Sexual assault
the whole book centers around a deadly pandemic and the societal collapse that followed. Could hit close to home after Covid 19szuum's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Death, Pedophilia, Religious bigotry, and Violence
Moderate: Grief, Infidelity, Suicide, and Medical trauma
Minor: Child death and Rape
nicoleisalwaysreading's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
This book made me feel a very specific way. It really worried me at first. There was anxiety sitting in my chest. Its virus’s total destruction scared me and reminded me of how I felt in 2020. I think that’s why I rushed to finish the second half. I wanted it to be over. But there were sparks of joy and moments of the beauty of humanity, of the hope of re-starting and of invention that lifted the tone for me. I think Miranda was my favorite character, but just like Sea of Tranquility, I do think this author trades character development for “aha!” moments at the reveals of the connections.
I cannot fathom the difference of reading this book before COVID and now. It’s still almost too much for me. Curious to see how the show will sit with me.
Graphic: Terminal illness, Grief, Medical content, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
naomi_k's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Terminal illness, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Confinement, Violence, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Medical content, and Trafficking
Moderate: Kidnapping, Cursing, Toxic relationship, and Forced institutionalization
Minor: Sexual content and Suicide
kelseak96's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Death, Grief, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Suicide, Violence, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Medical trauma, Murder, and Physical abuse
billyjepma's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
"First we only want to be seen, but once we're seen, that's not enough anymore. After that, we want to be remembered."
Emily St. John Mandel taps into something sublime with Station Eleven, something that manages to speak to a particular moment in time while also capturing something universally timeless about living. The narrative and its characters may not have always resonated with me, but Mandel's beautiful writing and thematics quickly and repeatedly struck a nerve with me.
I usually latch onto the characters in a story, so while I liked the casts Mandel shifts between, I never felt as invested in them as I wanted. For example, I kept waiting for the story to peel back layers on specific characters or ideologies in the "present-day" sections, but those insights never really came. After all of the rich character development and exploration of the "flashback" stories—which, while familiar, are written with aching honesty and vulnerability—the present-day sections felt somewhat lacking.
That's not what's going to stick with me, though. The stories of lonely people discovering and fighting for their found families, the enduring hope they create together, the capacity for art and conviction to be what saves our souls in the end—that's what I'll remember about Station Eleven. I don't think the book even says anything profoundly original, but the unique angles it uses to approach those familiar ideas and genres make them feel new. Or, if not new, then timely and maybe even necessary.
Graphic: Medical trauma, Grief, and Medical content
Moderate: Violence, Adult/minor relationship, and Death
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Death of parent, Torture, Suicide, Abandonment, Child death, and Vomit