Station Eleven ...

[SurpriseSparDay]

Any takers?

Was unsure whether to post under C. Virus given the subject matter - but it would only scare people more.

Bloody hell though, I can see why this book has been so lauded. And I’ve only read Pt I, and a snippet of Pt II (essentially, the free Amazon sample). It was a diversion from what I should be doing so I won’t read the rest till next week.

Really good book - I read it last year and was gripped. Does take on a different twist reading it in these times though.

A similar one (perhaps less ‘gentle’ but great nonetheless) is “The Girl With All The Gifts” - M R Carey, and perhaps “Never Let Me Go” - Kazuo Ishiguro. I also have Cormac McCarthy’s The Road on my shelf, not yet read.

@Youngatheart00 - I loved both those first books.
But... The Road is just too bleak right now. I read it on a summer vacation and just wanted it all to be over!

Ah right - might save that one for a better time then - still got plenty more on the ‘to read’ shelf

Yes. It's an amazing and beautifully written book, but reading it felt like the way I did after reading the synopsis of 'The Human Centipede'. In other words, it's kind of scars your memory.

@ICouldHaveDancedAllNight (great username btw - love that song) I felt the opposite. Station Eleven is so full of hope and I adore the ending. Full of trust in the best of mankind.

@ellanwood.
Thanks! I love a bit of Audrey.

I think you may be right there! I guess I read it a while ago and remember finding it very melancholy because of what the world had become and how on the brink we are to that happening again. But yes, there was definitely hope.

I've just finished it and thought it was brilliant.

I read it a few years ago and I did enjoy it, although I thought the ending was a bit contrived and rushed. I then read another of her's - Last Night in Montreal - which I thought was even better.

The Girl with all the Gifts haunted me for weeks afterwards - I refuse to watch the film because I found the ending so upsetting

Oh - wrongsideofhistorymyarse - it’s lovely to think of it unfolding in someone elses’s head.

Did the early chapters make you shiver?

Agree The Road is just a bit too hard to re-read at the moment, although so beautifully written. I think if I didn't have DC I could do it, but as a parent it's too distressing now.

I love Station Eleven so much, it's one of the books I have on my kindle as well as the paperback.

Surprise I had chills down my spine. It was good stuff.

I enjoyed the book but read it just before the dreaded virus broke out. I keep thinking of it now and would never recommend it for something to read in self isolation.

That’s interesting. I can see why you feel that, but for me there could never be a better time to read it. It’s made me:

grateful that our own pandemic has not (apparently/yet) rushed upon us with quite such merciless speed.

stoical in relinquishing any vague hope of miraculous rescue.

much less cavalier and dismissive towards the tech I rely on.

Also I need a sequel where Jeevan and Kirsten are reunited!

I have just finished this and absolutely loved it - beautiful writing and human relationships so cleverly observed. The "Hell is other people flutes" graffiti really made me laugh. It definitely made me appreciate having access to the internet in a pandemic!

Anyone interested, it's 99p on Kindle at the moment.

I read it in January. Was brilliant, and I'm glad not as prophetic as I feared when I first heard about Coronavirus!!

Have just re-read Station Eleven after reading it years ago and it’s one of my favourite books ever. Now onto the sequel to The End of the World Running Club by Adrian Walker, which I re-read last week.

Might have to change genre soon!