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A review by kathywadolowski
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I was really enchanted by "Station Eleven," my second book by Emily St. John Mandel. I was a bit underwhelmed by "The Glass Hotel," and was concerned that this novel would leave me similarly unsatisfied (or kind of depressed, given the apocalyptic/pandemic vibe that feels a little too close to home these days).
Instead, I was captivated by the world that she created, the characters that inhabited it, and the hope that somehow pervaded the narrative even amidst a lot of tragedy and horror. I also appreciated the way she weaved such intricate connections between the characters across the timelines, and how the relevance of all the past plot points became clear as we moved to the conclusion.
"Station Eleven" provided a pretty unflinching look at lengths we'll go to to survive, but was able to maintain a level of realism and humanity that kept the book from feeling too dire. I didn't want to put it down—a mark of a book that I'd highly recommend.
Instead, I was captivated by the world that she created, the characters that inhabited it, and the hope that somehow pervaded the narrative even amidst a lot of tragedy and horror. I also appreciated the way she weaved such intricate connections between the characters across the timelines, and how the relevance of all the past plot points became clear as we moved to the conclusion.
"Station Eleven" provided a pretty unflinching look at lengths we'll go to to survive, but was able to maintain a level of realism and humanity that kept the book from feeling too dire. I didn't want to put it down—a mark of a book that I'd highly recommend.