Station Eleven is an apocalypse novel of a world-wide devastating plague by Emily St. John Mandel, which operates on two levels. Most of the action seems to concern a combined orchestra/acting troupe, who give concerts and perform Shakespeare. Yet, the thrust of the story revolves around an aging actor named Arthur Leander, who dies of a heart attack during a performance of King Lear the day the plague begins.
Through current time and flashbacks, and through multiple perspectives, we learn about this man’s life and the influence he had on a host of other people, directly or indirectly. One such person in Kristen Raymonde, a member of the troupe, who met Arthur during the ill-fated production of King Lear. Twenty years later, she has learned how to survive in the new world that exists after the fall of civilization.
This book is different from other apocalypse novels I have read. Mandel is an excellent writer, setting the mood of each scene with well-chosen words, and driving the book more through character than plot. While each character is striving to a certain goal, the goal itself is less important than the journey, and the real goal is not safety or warmth or sustenance, but rather character development and the creation of a sense about this world and the effect it has on people.
I enjoyed reading Station Eleven and found it strangely uplifting in spite of the harsh environment in which it is set. It will give you something to think about.