Station Eleven (Review)

Following the parallel stories of an impending pandemic that ends the world as we know it, and a group of traveling actors and musicians 20 years afterward, now was either the absolute best or absolute worst time to read Station Eleven.

This story took a while to capture me, even though it felt more real than even Emily St. John Mandel probably bargained for when writing it in 2014. This book is small, but mighty, and packed full of story and character arcs on every page. 

Mandel clearly has an ability to choose words wisely and creates a story that says everything it needs to in as few sentences as possible, but which still immerses you.

“No one ever thinks they’re awful, even people who really actually are. It’s some sort of survival mechanism.”

The density of all of this,  especially getting to know the many characters some of which are only referred to in terms like ‘the third clarinet,’ was difficult to wrap my head around at first, and it took some time to settle into the several different timelines which each have their own main characters. Getting attached to each character was particularly tricky because, although there are definitely some rich descriptions in other aspects, the ones for characters are exceptionally lacking, and it’s unclear how almost everyone looks. 

But once I did settle in for the ride, it was riveting. Full of interesting commentary on the world it has built, but also brimming with surprising twists and tension. The way the stories wind themselves together over time is marvelous, and almost fully worth the wait of getting there.

“First we only want to be seen, but once we’re seen, that’s not enough anymore. After that, we want to be remembered.”

I honestly don’t think this book is quite as amazing as people give it credit for, and has some weakness that one might not be surprised to find in a debut but that are, nevertheless, flaws. That being said, once the unimportant side characters are weeded out and the immensely character-driven story really begins, this story blooms into something quite beautiful.

Personally, I found the inclusion of the theater elements to be a bit underutilized and underwhelming, although this may partially be because of the expectations other reviewers had set for me and my own investment in those types of elements. Plus, the lack was somewhat made up for with the inclusion of the graphic novel element. 

“’The thing with the new world,’ the tuba had said once, ‘is it’s just horrifically short on elegance.’”

I’d recommend Station Eleven to readers who admire the writing style of books like The Night Circus and the themes and overall tone of books like The Road. 

I rated Station Eleven 4 out of 5 stars.