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A review by rholbrook
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
5.0
I was hesitant to read this after hearing so many glowing reviews of a genre that has been everywhere recently. This is probably one of the best books I’ve read in 2014 (along with The Goldfinch) and it definitely deserves all of the hype surrounding it.
The book follows Arthur Leander, a famous Hollywood actor who dies onstage in a performance of King Lear. What follows is a flu pandemic known as the Georgia Flu which soon wipes out 99% of the world’s population. The story unfolds before, during and after the pandemic. The non-linear structure was done so well and the book never felt confusing or overwhelming.
Although described as “dystopian”, this wasn’t the kind of dystopian fiction that we have seen so many times already. Mandel actually created such a realistic world that I could definitely see happening in the future. There were no zombies or children with enhanced abilities (which frankly is getting very old). Instead, Mandel seemed to focus on humanity and how we choose to cope in times of need.
The plot wasn’t particularly fast-paced, but I enjoyed following the main characters and seeing how their lives connected with each other. Overall, I’d highly recommend it!
The book follows Arthur Leander, a famous Hollywood actor who dies onstage in a performance of King Lear. What follows is a flu pandemic known as the Georgia Flu which soon wipes out 99% of the world’s population. The story unfolds before, during and after the pandemic. The non-linear structure was done so well and the book never felt confusing or overwhelming.
Although described as “dystopian”, this wasn’t the kind of dystopian fiction that we have seen so many times already. Mandel actually created such a realistic world that I could definitely see happening in the future. There were no zombies or children with enhanced abilities (which frankly is getting very old). Instead, Mandel seemed to focus on humanity and how we choose to cope in times of need.
The plot wasn’t particularly fast-paced, but I enjoyed following the main characters and seeing how their lives connected with each other. Overall, I’d highly recommend it!