Station Eleven

by Emily St. John Mandel

Some people I respect really liked this book. And one friend read it right before covid hit, which I can imagine would give it special weight. Overall, I was not that drawn into it. Technically, there is some action, but it rarely feels like it. When I was 40 pages from the end, it still seemed like not much had happened. The tone reminds me of A Gentleman in Moscow for some reason, which is weird for a post-apocalyptic story. The symphony and acting troupe is a neat idea, but it’s hardly even described.

At one point, a minor character starts a newspaper, and several of his interviews are transcribed. That’s exciting, but it immediately dies out. Reminds me of The Postman.

The Prophet, an important and interesting character, dies unceremoniously when the author needs to get rid of him. The only real tragedy that happens in the book is Dieter’s death, and that’s off screen. Weird to have a post-apocalyptic story where everything basically works out.

Jeevan, who shows up prominently in the backstory, is … 1000 miles away on p. 312? Does he have NO further connection to the story? Indeed, he does not. In most books, the characters come together and you learn how they were connected all along. Jeevan’s connection is brief, at the very beginning, and never again! Yet we still follow his progress for some reason.

Station Eleven is the name of a graphic novel that is a passion project for Miranda, one of Arthur’s wives. Arthur is an actor who dies on stage at the beginning of the book, right before the pandemic hits. Jeeven was there when it happened, and it made him realize he wants to be a paramedic. Which seems like it might be important, but since the pandemic hit, he never really learned, so why is that realization part of the story?

I’ve heard the HBO mini-series is better…