Book Review of Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

September 1, 2023

In this post, I will be reviewing Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. Station Eleven is a dystopian novel told through multiple points of view in split-time twenty years after a deadly flu decimates the global population and thrusts civilization into a modern dark age.

*Disclaimer: Reviews may contain spoilers. All views are the personal opinions of Chad Pettit. They do not reflect the beliefs or opinions of the author, nor are they endorsements of any beliefs.

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

Station Eleven is a dystopian story told in split time with some really intriguing framing. Everything centers around the death of world-famous actor Author Leander when he suffers a heart attack on stage during a production of King Lear.

In the aftermath of his death, news of a highly contagious and lethal flu precedes the sudden collapse of civilization. The story goes back and forth between three timelines:

twenty years after the flu epidemic
the days, months, and years leading up to the epidemic
the early days of the post-epidemic world

Mixing superbly crafted prose, letters, and interviews, the story follows the lives of characters all impacted by Arthur in some way. A story within the story of Station Eleven, a comic created by Arthur’s ex-wife Miranda Carroll, provides foreshadowing and tension I found extremely satisfying to read.

The Good

I loved that this novel blends genres and utilizes multiple modes of storytelling. Emily St. John Mandel puts a full array of expert writing skills on display, blending the tropes of societal collapse, emerging society, and the rise of cult leaders. All of these are told through an accessible and entertaining literary lens.

As someone used to reading thrillers of the reluctant detective ilk, I tend to get bored easily when there isn’t much action. Station Eleven is not an action story–it’s certainly not a thriller–but Mandel kept me engaged by varying her narrative modes, alternating timelines, and telling the story through multiple point of views.

Multiple Point of View Characters

Experienced writers know how to present readers with unanswered questions that keep them turning the pages to find the answers. Mandel does this right away by starting with Arthur Leander, seemingly presenting him as the protagonist, and immediately killing him off (that’s not a spoiler; it’s in the publisher’s description).

This is even more disorienting given that the POV character isn’t immediately identified, but as the scene unfolds, the reader is transported into the audience to witness it through the eyes of Jeevan Chaudhary. The reader meets some ostensibly side characters while following Jeevan, and then it’s twenty years later, and one of those side characters becomes the protagonist.

I won’t divulge any more detail because I don’t want to tarnish your reading experience, but suffice it to say you will not be allowed to get overly comfortable with one character’s point of view before you’re viewing the story through another set of eyes.

Multiple Storylines

One of the things that made this novel such an enjoyable experience was the way the author unravels so many threads and ties them all together by the end. We get a rich and fulfilling look into the lives of the characters to learn their motivations.

Arthur’s failed marriages juxtaposed with his successful career comes full circle in a way that encourages the reader to stop and reflect on the things that matter in our lives.

Kirsten’s ability to adapt to a new world and find her place is a vivid metaphor for how to navigate trauma and lead a fulfilling life despite the nature of our circumstances.

Each of the characters provide us with a look into regret and desire. They show us how disconnected yet invariably connected we all are. By transporting us back and forth through time, the author shows us the possible consequences for our actions and attitudes, which is a staple of dystopian literature.

“Each of the characters provide us with a look into regret and desire. They show us how disconnected yet invariably connected we all are.”

Varying Modes

If you’re a fan of epistolary fiction, this is for you. If you don’t enjoy epistolary style, this is for you.

Do you enjoy stories told through interviews? What about frame stories (a story within a story)? Yes? Then this is for you.

Have no fear, prose purists. This, as you might have gathered, is for you.

The novel is primarily written in traditional prose, but Mandel breaks things up with letters and interviews dispersed throughout. I enjoyed this, but I understand it might turn some readers away. I mention here as a fair warning and to say that it’s done very well.

The Bad

I have little to nothing negative to say about Station Eleven. Anything I mention here is mostly preference. The book is incredible with masterful storytelling, fantastic world building, and rich, relatable characters.

Climax

As I previously mentioned, I am a person who generally prefers thrillers. That has skewed the way I read other genres. If you introduce a bad guy, which Station Eleven does, I expect there to be a big showdown.

You won’t get that with this novel. There is a climax and resolution, but I’d be lying if I said it didn’t feel a bit anticlimactic. I won’t spoil it for you, and I must emphasize that we all have our preferences. This skews more literary than some other novels. I’m just an action junkie.

Back and Forth

As much as I enjoy multiple point of view stories, Station Eleven does feel disjointed at times. It almost jumps back and forth too much and does get tedious at times. I’m not one to skim or skip while reading fiction, but I was tempted a couple times.

For me, it spends too much time away from the plot to explore characters and their regrets. That caused what felt to me like a rushed climax and resolution.

Editing

Maybe it’s the English teacher in me. It’s probably the English major or the hours I’ve spent teaching grammar and punctuation, but I personally feel this could have been edited more thoroughly.

None of the minor issues I noticed distracted me enough to stop reading or voice a complaint via a negative review, but I did get yanked out of the story on several occasions due to missing commas and a few spots where the proofreaders failed to notice something obvious.

This, ultimately, is not a deal breaker for me. I think we too often get into meaningless arguments over trivial things. Seriously, if you don’t have an editing background, you probably won’t even notice.

The Beautiful

In the post-epidemic timeline, the story follows Kirsten Raymonde and the traveling symphony. A Motley Crue of former thespians and musicians travel a circuit from town to town performing Shakespeare as a means of bringing joy to a dark world.

I love how unique this is. It’s not relying on the typical dystopian tropes of the chosen one or the secret rebel. By exploring the lives of performers, we get a look into how people grapple with and adapt to major changes in their lives.

As someone born in the 1980s, that theme hits home. I’ve watched the world change around me multiple times, and I often find myself thinking about the world that has been lost to time and so-called “advances.”