Station Eleven

Did you read this yet? Yes, you. I'm talking to you. You should read this. You'll enjoy it. It's all about CIVILIZATION, but in an entirely localized, personalized, entirely relatable, "what would I do in that situation" kind of way. It's about adventure and about relationships (all kinds of relationships, not only romantic) and about what is and is not culturally valuable, and it's well written and well plotted and just all around good. I deducted one star because there's one plot element that seems just a hair too convenient and is clearly there to make the reader go "whoa!" and felt a little manipulative. But, regardless, a lot of fun to read for almost any kind of reader.

EDIT: Re-read in October 2018 for the Wichita Public Library Big Read, and for #ReadICT category 12, Author Visiting Wichita. ( )

I've seen mixed reviews for this book, but personally, I thought it was gorgeous. There are some heavy handed bits, though nothing more than the crazy coincidences that happen in real life that, were they to occur in fiction, would be discounted as too on the nose, such as much of the Prophet's arc. There are other bits, bits about life before and life in space— on Station Eleven looking down— bits about ghosts and things lost that are haunting in their ubiquity, in the way they exist around us every day, just in life and not written on a page.

While it seems like a downer from afar, there's such a focus on humanity and hope that the book, tear-jerking as it is, is rather sweet. Many of the characters have lost their families, so seeing them build new lives, afterlives, together, seeing them rebuild the world and choose what to prioritize and what to leave in the past is something like drinking hot chocolate with your forehead pressed against a cold window.

The whole book is lovely, it's kind, it's pretty— it's an extended character study of not only the characters within, but the setting, allowing it to function as an observation on humankind, on people in the larger, gentler sense. St. John Mandel's prose is exquisite and for all that the story follows a nonlinear timeline, it's easy to follow.

I would say more, maybe share some of my favorite quotes, but for once I think this book is a journey that's best left unspoiled. Read it, but be prepared to cry. ( )

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Keep thinking what if....... ( )

I expected to love this but.....something about it just missed the mark for me. I'll have more thoughts later ( )

in first 80 pages didn't find anything truly interesting about the post-apocalyptic setting - tried again May 2020 and failed again to get interested in it ( )