Emma reviews Station Eleven, a character-driven and lyrical look at post-apocalytic life, written by Emily St. John Mandel.

Station Eleven
Written by Emily St. John Mandel
Published by Picador

"Survival is insufficient." This book is an amalgamated tale about: a travelling troupe of symphony musicians and theatre performers in a world ravaged by a pandemic that killed 99% of the population 20 years prior; a Hollywood actor, his coincidental death the eve the pandemic started, and the events of his life that led him to the stage that night; and a host of characters and events that link the two.

The story bounces around the times before, during, and after the period the pandemic was raging. The main characters of each section are linked over the the 20 year period but it's not immediately clear how. This works interestingly to create a suspenseful and engaging page turner. I often find that books that have flashback portions can get a bit stale in a 'get back to the action' kind of way, but St. John Mandel does an amazing job of adding layers to an increasingly complex story with each chapter, without making it tedious or difficult to follow.

I would classify it as an easy read because of how smooth the narrative is, but this in no way detracts from the exploration of emotions, relationships between the fantastically interesting cast of characters, and the very definition of survival. The post apocalyptic world that is shown seems almost disturbingly likely if we were to encounter a pandemic that killed people within hours of contraction, but does not steal the show in terms of theme.

Even if you are not traditionally a fan of sci-fi, I would strongly encourage giving this book a read. The focus is definitely more on the characters and their personal struggles, and this book seems to have a little something in it for everyone.

To find out more about DPL's collection and membership offerings, visit https://www.dunedinlibraries.govt.nz.

You can also check out Station Eleven in the DPL catalogue.