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A review by krys_kilz
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
adventurous
dark
reflective
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
4.0
This book was definitely a page turner. I loved the intersecting timelines and narratives woven through this book. Seeing how all of the characters' lives were connected and crossed paths brought a real richness to the story. It was also compelling that there wasn't an exact date given for when the collapse happened. I found St. John Mandel's writing and the layout of the storylines very beautiful. She really captures how fragile industrial society is.
I wish the comic Station Eleven featured in the book was real. The way St. John Mandel describes it is absolutely haunting and I wish I could see the gorgeous artwork.
The biggest miss for me with this book was the idealization of civilization and the pre-apocalyptic world. I understand that life became much more difficult after collapse, but it felt like life before was largely viewed through rose tinted glasses. There is no mention of the sheer violence of the pre-collapse world under systems of domination and oppression. This along with the brief passages about not being able to call the police for assistance and calling the chaos of collapse anarchy. And the overwhelming desire to return to the way things were before - like an electrical grid being a beacon of hope and progress. This is why dystopian fiction without strong social/political critique really misses the mark for me.
The ending also felt deeply unsatisfying - it was rushed, starkly optimistic, and glaringly revealed how flat The Prophet's character was. I wish the reader got to see more of what transformed Tyler into The Prophet and what inspired people to follow him rather than using him as an oversimplified villain trope. I still enjoyed the book and would recommend it, but I wish it was pushed further than it was.
I wish the comic Station Eleven featured in the book was real. The way St. John Mandel describes it is absolutely haunting and I wish I could see the gorgeous artwork.
The biggest miss for me with this book was the idealization of civilization and the pre-apocalyptic world. I understand that life became much more difficult after collapse, but it felt like life before was largely viewed through rose tinted glasses. There is no mention of the sheer violence of the pre-collapse world under systems of domination and oppression. This along with the brief passages about not being able to call the police for assistance and calling the chaos of collapse anarchy. And the overwhelming desire to return to the way things were before - like an electrical grid being a beacon of hope and progress. This is why dystopian fiction without strong social/political critique really misses the mark for me.
The ending also felt deeply unsatisfying - it was rushed, starkly optimistic, and glaringly revealed how flat The Prophet's character was. I wish the reader got to see more of what transformed Tyler into The Prophet and what inspired people to follow him rather than using him as an oversimplified villain trope. I still enjoyed the book and would recommend it, but I wish it was pushed further than it was.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Gun violence, Murder, and Suicide
Minor: Rape and Adult/minor relationship