Ups and downs.
Very interesting and effective narrative structure, first of all the everyday objects linking the scattered stories of all the characters before and after the disaster; a deep love and understanding for humanity and its weakness and strenght; no interest for the bad guys/good guys dychotomy.
On the other hand, some superficiality in describing the post-disaster world: how the suddenly neglected nuclear power plants didn't change the world into a wasteland? Also, on the "downs" front lie a flatness in characters' personality (which is partially amended in the course of the narrative), and an overall lack of depth.
I don't even mention the style. Most of contemporary novels are written as if they were a high school report. Maybe it's all that "ceative writing" education, anyway it nearly made me abandon the reading. I have to say, anyway, that in the end I did not only finished the book, but I also finished it in a night. I could say that of many brain-chewingum books I read, but I have to admit (begrudgingly) that there is something more to this one. ( )

If you want to read a great post-virus/apocalyptic scenario book... The 5th Wave is fantastic. It handles the flashbacks better; it is written at a faster pace, with engaging characters.

This book introduces you to interesting characters and then does little with it, letting each of them peter out to an unsatisfying, awkward ending. Though this book is much more socio-political than The 5th Wave, yet it is only observational, with a long narrative structure and no real conclusions to be drawn. ( )

An audacious, darkly glittering novel set in the eerie days of civilization’s collapse—the spellbinding story of a Hollywood star, his would-be savior, and a nomadic group of actors roaming the scattered outposts of the Great Lakes region, risking everything for art and humanity.

Kirsten Raymonde will never forget the night Arthur Leander, the famous Hollywood actor, had a heart attack on stage during a production of King Lear. That was the night when a devastating flu pandemic arrived in the city, and within weeks, civilization as we know it came to an end.

Twenty years later, Kirsten moves between the settlements of the altered world with a small troupe of actors and musicians. They call themselves The Traveling Symphony, and they have dedicated themselves to keeping the remnants of art and humanity alive. But when they arrive in St. Deborah by the Water, they encounter a violent prophet who will threaten the tiny band’s existence. And as the story takes off, moving back and forth in time, and vividly depicting life before and after the pandemic, the strange twist of fate that connects them all will be revealed.

This book was originally published in 2014 and given events since, it becomes even more relevant and moving. Beautifully written, it sparkles with imagination and is a thoroughly enjoyable read. Poignant without being melancholy, it skillfully mixes hope with despair.
https://quizlit.org/5-dark-dystopian-novels-for-the-21st-century
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I just finished Station Eleven and I tried to pick up another book to read but I couldn’t. I really enjoyed this book and now I need some time to process and let the book swirl in my mind and in my heart for a bit. To me that is a sign of a great book. It doesn’t happen often.

I usually shy away from post-apocalyptic stories as they can be too depressing but this book didn’t do that. There were times that were dark and times that were light. They balanced each other out

One of the things I really enjoyed about the telling of this story is the way the different people, different places and different times wove throughout the book. It was like a master weaver was telling the story. Each thread was in place and in harmony with the others. Some threads were more important to the story but the rest were also needed to hold the story in place. I like how the story ended with it still on the loom. More could still be woven and I wanted to see how the pattern continued to develop.

I really want to see and enjoy the Station Eleven comic book. I want to read the story and see the pictures.
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I am forever changed
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