Station Eleven
by Emily St. John Mandel
Published June 2, 2015
Vintage Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.
Originally published by Alfred Knopf, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.
Read February 2016
333 Pages

Station Eleven came highly recommended from a trusted reading advisor. Two years later, it is still a book that makes me think and causes me to question what the future of humanity might look like. I don’t want to provide too much description because that is the beauty of this book. It unfolds in ways you don’t expect.

This is one of those books that I think EVERYONE should read. Perfect for middle school through adult and certainly one I plan on re-reading. A debut novel, St. John Mandel knocks it out of the park.

One of the things I love about this book is that it is dystopic without a government overthrow or violent war. It makes it seem so real, like the world event that causes a societal collapse could happen today. This is truly a book that shows just how fragile humans are and how incredibly delicate our everyday life experiences are. Showcasing the interconnectedness we take for granted, this book does a soul touching job of making you understand just how outstanding civilizations are and how quickly they can fall.

I think about this book almost daily. Twenty years from now, what foods would still be viable to eat from the abandon homes? How long would it take to re-learn basic medicine that relies on plants and natural remedies? Why does no one raid the library in “end of the world books” post-apocalypse? How long would the power grid last? What about everyone’s pets? Start down the rabbit hole and this book will give you plenty to think about and question your role in the world.

If you are stuck in a reading rut and want something to give you a kick start, Station Eleven is a book perfect for any mood and any time. You are going to want to own this one and re-read it. This book is on my top 10 favorite reads of all time. I hope you will agree.

Selected quotes:
“Of all of them at the bar that night, the bartender was the one who survived the longest. He died three weeks later on the road out of the city.” Page 15

“People want what was best about the world.” Page 38

“hell is the absence of the people you long for.” Page 144

“What I mean to say is, the more you remember, the more you’ve lost.” Page 195

“She slipped away from them, walking alone for a hundred miles, whispering French to herself because all the horror in her life had transpired in English and she thought switching languages might save her.” Page 266