Review: Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

Station Eleven is a book set in a post-apocalyptic world where civilization has collapsed, fossil fuel has gone stale, and electricity and any form of modern travel is gone. The book opens with the death of aging and troubled Hollywood star Arthur Leander, who suffered from a heart attack when playing King Lear in the Elgin Theater, Toronto. From him, we pan out to a host of characters that's connected to him in some way, from his ex-wife to the would-be paramedic who tries to save his life when he collapsed on the stage.

After the end, humanity is scattered into pocket pieces in the wilderness, since big cities are completely decimated due to the highly infectious and deadly Georgia Flu. With not enough people to effectively man the airports, power generators, etc, civilization as we know it collapses. The world plunges into darkness as electricity ceases to exist. Any form of travel is obsolete. Ships are moored in ports and airplanes are left to rust in hangars. One of the characters is part of traveling theater troupe and on their first caravan is etched a quote from Star Trek: "survival is insufficient."

This book is hard to review, because it's non-linear and frequently changes perspectives and time periods.  It is roughly divided into three "main" time periods: the years before the flu, during and immediately after the flu, and the years after the flu. Things are slowly revealed to us with each parts and each chapters and the experience of watching it all unfolds and connect is the main reason why I love this book. One of the overarching themes present are alienation from your own home. Georgia Flu has transformed Earth so much that it becomes like an alien planet, but even before the flu, people have grown distant and restless in their perceived home and life.

I wish I could tell you more about why I love this book, but it would be too deep into spoiler territory. What I could tell you instead is that you have to read this book. Immediately.