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

dark reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

This story was unconventional and felt like a sci-fi speculative fiction mostly. It's crazy reading this post COVID-19 since it hits so close to home. The main premise is the exploration of various character's lives after a pandemic decimates about 99% of the human population. It's crazy seeing how much people's lives change when there is no one to run the internet, airplanes, news channels, etc. It also explores how extreme situations can push people to believe in things they may have never believed in otherwise.
I think at the time this book was published it would have probably been a bit crazier to think that people would join a cult in response to a pandemic. However, after seeing the way so many people responded to the idea of a vaccine for a pandemic that was killing thousands of people post-2020, the pipeline isn't that hard to fall into, clearly
. 

 Arthur, the character that dies in the beginning, is the most recurring. Although, as you keep reading the book you realize that the story is not about one single character, but more of a slow analysis of human nature through the experience of many different people both pre/post pandemic. This isn't a book I would recommend for everyone. If you want something plot heavy and super engaging, this may not be for you. I think it's a story that required patience and appreciation for the themes explored. Otherwise, you may find it boring because not much happens for a while until everything comes to a head as you learn more about each of the characters explored. It was a very interesting exploration of humanity and I think it worked well as a break from more fast paced stories.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings