• About Jess and the Dogs
  • The Books I Write
  • Contact Me
Books and dogs

Books and Dogs

A blog about books and dogs

  • Book Blog
  • In The Stacks
  • About Jess and the Dogs
You are here: Home / Science Fiction / A Look at the Post-Apocalyptic Novel, Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

A Look at the Post-Apocalyptic Novel, Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

Science Fiction

I like post apocalyptic fiction because I think about the apocalypse a lot. I know that’s strange, but my husband is a type 1 diabetic. He needs a synthetic substance injected into him from a battery-powered device in order to live. He could do it manually with a syringe, so maybe the batteries could run out. But who knows how to make insulin? This is what I think about.

So I thought Station Eleven, a post apocalyptic fiction book by Emily St. John Mandel would be right up my alley, but then it decided to make me uncomfortable. And you know how I like a book that makes me uncomfortable.

Why I Was Uncomfortable

Books are meant to make us think, and Station Eleven did just that by positing this question –

What is the point if we are only surviving?

The author often delivers this quote: Survival is insufficient. As a child of the arts, both as a writer and a pianist, I know the arts are important. Piano lessons taught me the importance of reliability, time management, and accountability. Writing taught me to think deeper before making a choice, exploring the possibilities and impact a word may have, because words are the most powerful tools given to us.

But with a husband with type 1 diabetes, my brain is solely focused on survival should the apocalypse come. To be forced to examine the question of when survival is insufficient really left me rattled.

This gets to the why of survival.

The Why of Survival

Why are we running around trying to get food and shelter if there’s nothing to enjoy and appreciate?

This is an uncomfortable question, because it’s a very good point. Yes, we have food and water and shelter, but then what?

What about discovery and expression?

Discovery and expression and thus art take different forms in Station Eleven.

The traveling symphony is the center of the story, bringing both music and Shakespeare. Kirsten carries the paperweight with her even though it adds unnecessary weight because she thinks it’s beautiful. Clark has his museum of civilization, and he lovingly cares for the artifacts. Jeevan has the art of healing.

What Art Means

But just as art is splintered into various ways, the pockets of survivors represent what each of those bits of art propel. For example, there are rumors that the South is troublesome and dangerous. But Jeevan is there with his art of healing and cares for a man’s wife bringing order and healing.

Kirsten witnessing the return of electricity at the very end. Someone somewhere carried the need for discovery, and this got the lights turned back on although we never see what it was that drove this.

But it’s Station Eleven and Miranda that is the epitome of this question. Station Eleven, the graphic novel Miranda is creating in the book, is about a post-apocalyptic society and yet it is art. Miranda is trapped in a corporate world for survival and yet she thrives because she continues to work on Station Eleven.

The Sum of Its Parts

While we may see art as separate from survival it really isn’t. Just as Station Eleven the graphic novel is a series of interconnected pockets of civilization, the story that unfolds in this post apocalyptic fiction book reinforces this interconnection. Between the lives of the characters and how one pocket of civilization uses a piece of art to move civilization forward that may differ from another pocket.

I love when art informs real life, and I smiled when I discovered this survivalist bent on a reading event in Joshua Tree, California based on the book Station Eleven. This again speaks to the symbiotic relationship of survival and art.

But instead of asking what is the point of survival without art, I would instead ask how we can survive without art.

Emily St. John Mandel lives in New York City and has a new book coming out, The Glass Hotel, in spring 2020. This book will definitely be on my list. Meanwhile, the TV rights were recently purchased for Station Eleven and will likely come to the WarnerMedia streaming service.

Have You Read Station Eleven?

Tell us what you thought in the comments below, but please – no spoilers.

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
Share
Pin2
Tweet
2 Shares

October 1, 2019 ·

Disclosure of Material Connection

Some of the links in the page above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Previous Post: « A Look at The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Next Post: Books From My School Years: Reflecting on the Stories that Shaped my Love of Reading »

Primary Sidebar

Welcome to the blog about books and dogs.

I'm Jess and these are the dogs. Come on in, and let's find your next favorite read. Read More…

Browse by Category

Subscribe to Books & Dogs via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Search

Let’s connect.

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube

Find Your New Favorite Author

a.g. riddle abby jimenez alex michaelides alex north beatriz williams camilla sten charlotte bronte christina lauren daisy prescott deanna raybourn diana gabaldon elle cosimano elly griffiths erica ridley j. ryan stradal jane austen jerry seinfeld joanna schaffhausen julia quinn karen odden karen white kate bateman katherine center kendra adachi laura dave laura zigman lauren willig liane moriarty lisa kleypas loretta chase lucy foley lynn kurland matt haig mike rowe nedra glover tawwab orson scott card rick riordan ruth ware sally thorne sarah maclean sarah pinborough shari lapena simone st. james teri wilson tessa dare
  • Privacy Policy
  • Copyright Policy
  • Disclosures and Disclaimers
BOOK RECOMMENDATION I read Sue Black’s All That BOOK RECOMMENDATION

I read Sue Black’s All That Remains for a project that I’m working on that has a lot to do with dead bodies. (This is a normal thing for an author to say. Trust me. 😂) So while I picked up this book for the science, I’m recommending it for the humanity. 

Dame Sue Black is a forensic anthropologist. And she says while pathologists focus on the cause of death, anthropologists try to piece together a person’s life. She shares many stories from her work and how she has dealt with grief and sorrow throughout a varied and challenging career. This book MOVED me and made me see death and dying in a whole new light.

If you’re struggling with the grief of losing a loved one, I highly recommend this book. Or if you’re just interested in dead bodies, she shares a lot of helpful science and fascinating stories of the life of a forensics anthropologist.

#bookstagram #bookrecommendations #forensic #anthropology
📚 The Duke She Married is a Kindle Daily Deal o 📚 The Duke She Married is a Kindle Daily Deal on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca! 📚⁣
⁣
The Duke She Married is the first book in the Atwood Sisters series and is a scarred hero historical romance.⁣
⁣
Be sure to grab your copy at the link in my bio!⁣
⁣
(Also I don't have control of these. Amazon selects Kindle Deals, and I guess they just chose to feature the second book in this series first? 🤷‍♀️)⁣
⁣
#romancebooks #ebook #kindle #booksale
The Duke and the Lass audiobook is on sale for onl The Duke and the Lass audiobook is on sale for only $2.99 for a limited time in select markets!⁣
⁣
The Duke and the Lass is the final book in the Unwanted Dukes series and is a wallflower/marriage of convenience historical romance. ⁣
⁣
Be sure to download your copy today at the link in my bio!
📚 The Marquess She Loved is a Kindle Daily Deal 📚 The Marquess She Loved is a Kindle Daily Deal on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca! 📚⁣
⁣
This is the second book in the Atwood Sisters series and a friends to lovers historical romance.⁣
⁣
Be sure to get your copy at the link in my bio! ⁣
⁣
#historicalromance #ebooksale #kindle #kindledailydeal
📚BOOK RECOMMENDATION 📚 I resisted reading t 📚BOOK RECOMMENDATION 📚

I resisted reading this book for the longest time. The incomparable @karenwhitewrite is an auto-buy author for me, and her Tradd Street series is one of my top 5 favorite of all time. (And I’ve read a lot of books so that’s saying something.) So when she announced this Tradd Street spin off series, you know the emotional roller coaster I went on.

Excitement. Fear. Elation. Dread. Joy. Terror.

Could there ever be a series to live up to Tradd Street? What would she do to my beloved characters in this spin off? How could she possibly recapture the magic of Tradd Street?

Y’all, I didn’t need to worry. This is freaking Karen White. She’s got this.

I’ve already pre-ordered the next book in this series. I think that tells you everything you need to know. This series is about Nola and Beau. (Nola is the daughter of the main characters in the Tradd Street series.) It takes place in New Orleans, and it involves house renovation, rich historical detail, romance, and mystery. Oh and the best part - GHOSTS. 👻

I do encourage you to check out both of these series. I’ve never read such beautiful prose as that of Karen White. You are really in for a treat.

#mysterybooks #womensfiction #bookrecommendations
Can we talk about this gorgeous package from @foxt Can we talk about this gorgeous package from @foxtale_book_shoppe for a second?

I always preorder for my auto-buy authors from them because it is an EXPERIENCE. I mean look at this. This was a JOY to open on a cold, dreary March day. 

Do yourself a favor and order your next book from them. You deserve this kind of pampering in your life.

#bookstagram #bookshop #bookstore
Time is running out!⁣ ⁣ The first party email Time is running out!⁣
⁣
The first party email launches on March 9! ⁣
⁣
Have you joined my Readers Club yet? I'll be celebrating 10 years of publishing all month long with my amazing Readers Club members, so be sure to join today.⁣
⁣
I'll be revealing behind the scenes secrets, giving away prizes, and did I mention there are some freebies just for Readers Club members?⁣
⁣
Join now at the link in my bio!⁣
⁣
#newsletter #romancereaders #freebies #amreading #romancebooks
It's a month-long party in my Readers Club!⁣ ⁣ It's a month-long party in my Readers Club!⁣
⁣
I'm going to be dishing all the dirt about 10 years in publishing! I'm fully prepared to share some pretty cringe-worthy stuff about my early days in publishing, so you don't want to miss this. Also there are giveaways and prizes. Did I mention that?⁣
⁣
Join the party at the link in my bio so you don't miss out!⁣
⁣
#books #publishing #writinglife
🎉 It's time to celebrate! 🎉⁣ ⁣ On March 🎉 It's time to celebrate! 🎉⁣
⁣
On March 22, 2013, I founded my publishing company, Someday Lady Publishing LLC. That's ten years of literally living my dream, and I want to celebrate with you!⁣
⁣
Join my Readers Club for a month-long celebration of ten years of romance and adventure. This party is exclusively for my Readers Club members, so be sure to join today!⁣
⁣
Link in my bio!⁣
⁣
#letsparty #readers #books

Disclosure of Material Connection

Some of the links in the page above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Amazon Affiliate Disclosure

Books & Dogs is a participant in the Amazon Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and its affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2023 · Anchored Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in