book 41 – Station Eleven
I really, really enjoyed this book! The book kicks off with the on-stage death of a Shakespearean actor (heart attack), immediately followed by the outbreak of a pandemic that kills over 99% of the population. Aaaannnnnd … it’s 20 years later, and we are suddenly in a dystopian future world, following the exploits of a travelling theatre group who perform Shakespeare plays for communities of survivors. Then, unexpectedly, we are back in the past with the previously deceased actor. The book carries on this way, making unexpected, yet strangely elegant, jumps in time to tell different people’s stories. Eventually, connections start to reveal themselves and, by the end, you sort of get it, and it’s beautiful.
Throughout the book, despite some harrowing encounters and the death of most of the people on earth, there is an optimism that permeates throughout the survivor communities. Maybe because I’ve watched too much Walking Dead and Game of Thrones, I kept expecting the worst. But in the end, a beautiful peace and path to recovery seems to prevail. Simply put, this book made me happy.
Rating: Buy it.
