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Book Review
Jan. 18th, 2016 09:50 pmStation Eleven
by Emily St. John Mandel
Station Eleven deals with the beginning and aftermath of an apocalypse caused by a pandemic flu. The novel follows the stories of several characters from the outbreak of the flu through to about 15 years after. All of the characters are connected by their relationship to Arthur Leander, an actor who dies of a heart attack on stage the night the pandemic began. The narrative slides around from character to character and backwards and forwards in time, but does so elegantly so that the reader is never confused.
The plot focuses most on Kirsten Raymonde, a child actress who is now part of the Traveling Symphony, a band of actors and musicians traveling around the Lake Michigan area performing music and theater for the settlements of survivors. It is through her eyes we see the post-apocalyptic world, sparsely populated and occasionally dangerous. While Kisten doesn't remember the pre-pandemic world very well, she does have a keen sense of what has been lost, what has been saved, and what it takes to live in this new reality.
St. John Mandel creates a rather optimistic post-apocalyptic world, one where people are working and living together, and where there is hope for the future. She focuses on the role of memory and art in the creation and preservation of civilization, and has a lot to say about it without being heavy-handed. It's all very compelling. I'm almost hoping for a sequel because I would like to explore this world further and to know more about the people living in it.
by Emily St. John Mandel
Station Eleven deals with the beginning and aftermath of an apocalypse caused by a pandemic flu. The novel follows the stories of several characters from the outbreak of the flu through to about 15 years after. All of the characters are connected by their relationship to Arthur Leander, an actor who dies of a heart attack on stage the night the pandemic began. The narrative slides around from character to character and backwards and forwards in time, but does so elegantly so that the reader is never confused.
The plot focuses most on Kirsten Raymonde, a child actress who is now part of the Traveling Symphony, a band of actors and musicians traveling around the Lake Michigan area performing music and theater for the settlements of survivors. It is through her eyes we see the post-apocalyptic world, sparsely populated and occasionally dangerous. While Kisten doesn't remember the pre-pandemic world very well, she does have a keen sense of what has been lost, what has been saved, and what it takes to live in this new reality.
St. John Mandel creates a rather optimistic post-apocalyptic world, one where people are working and living together, and where there is hope for the future. She focuses on the role of memory and art in the creation and preservation of civilization, and has a lot to say about it without being heavy-handed. It's all very compelling. I'm almost hoping for a sequel because I would like to explore this world further and to know more about the people living in it.
