A review by beaucoupmich
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

I always have soft spot for post-apocalyptic themed book, but this one is just not it. The blurb sold me big deal, reminding me of the group of underground scholars in Fahrenheit 451 who memorize books to preserve knowledge since books were burned, which I believe loosely inspired the Traveling Symphony. "Risking everything for art and humanity", who isn't intrigued by that?

I'll rip the bandage: this is just plain boring. I'm so, so sorry. Especially the first half. It was painfully slow, much less with the past and present narratives, and I couldn't care less about some of the characters. Some major reveals were predictable from the start, and I honestly see no point of telling some of the characters' lives after. Thank god the book isn't too long.

I read some of the reviews here and I'm glad many people love it, and totally get why. I just wish I had the same joy.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings