Image Text (I don't know why my image is so blurry. I made it 8.5" x 11" in Canva. If anyone knows how many pixels / what size it should be to avoid this, I'd appreciate the help!):
Author: Emily
St. John Mandel
Title:
Station Eleven
Genre: Science
Fiction
Publication
Date: 2014
Number
of Pages: 333
Geographical
Setting: Toronto, Ontario (Canada), Michigan (United States)
Time
Period: Future
Series: Standalone
Plot
Summary
Station
Eleven is set during a post-apocalyptic world where most of
the population has died from a flu pandemic. The story jumps around in time,
alternating between the early days of the pandemic and 15-20 years later when
there are few survivors roaming the earth. The book follows the lives of
several survivors, tracing how their lives connect through a troupe of
traveling musicians and actors. Throughout the book we find out how a famous
Hollywood actor, who died in the first chapter, is the thread that connects
them and has influenced all of their lives.
Subject
Headings: fiction, science fiction, literary fiction, adult,
apocalyptic
Appeal
Story
Line
Science
fiction centers around questions like “what if…” In science fiction, authors
raise difficult ideas and explore them in a future time or another world. Station
Eleven explores the question of what would happen if a flu pandemic wiped
out most of the population.
Frame
Science
fiction is typically very visual so that the author is able to describe to
readers the new world he or she created. This book has the same dark atmosphere
a lot of science fiction novels carry. It uses details to explain how the world
as we know it collapsed and how the remaining population had to adjust to try
to survive.
Characterization
Science
fiction tends to focus on the worlds the author created and the moral and
philosophical questions they raised more than the characters. Station Eleven
includes a lot of characters to show the different ways these moral and
philosophical questions are handled, with the storyline of this new,
apocalyptic world, being at the center of the story.
Pacing
Science
fiction can either be fast-paced, with a lot of action, or slower and more
engrossing, with details and speculation about questions raised. Station
Eleven has more emphasis on the questions and speculation about this new
world, which creates a slower pace.
Similar
Authors and Works
- Wanderers
by Chuck Wendig
In this book a different type of pandemic has taken over society. Like Station Eleven, it follows a group of survivors wandering through the shattered world in which they now live.
-The Dog Stars by Peter Heller
If
you are looking for another book about a flu pandemic, The Dog Stars
follows a man who somehow survived the virus and lives in an abandoned airport
(which parts of Station Eleven also took place in). His hope that
another human survived propels him on a journey.
-
The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker
If
you are looking instead for the female voice Kirstin gives Station Eleven
and a book that explores many of the same ideas as Mandel’s novel, but doesn’t
center around a virus, try out The Age of Miracles.
I love pandemic stories! They certainly ring true with the events of today. It might be a little to "real" for some readers, but I enjoy the note of realistic danger. It's just scary enough to read, but not so scary that I can't take it. I feel like a story that jumps around, following different storylines throughout time would be super interesting. I put this on my "read later" list as soon as I finished reading your annotation. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteHello, Emily.
ReplyDeleteThis is an interesting choice for your annotation. I have never heard of it, but it sounds as though it might appeal to readers who are avid-fans of either post-apocalyptic stories or stories that ask deep philosophical questions. I'm conflicted as to whether I would be interested, but the vivid detail does interest me. (If it were vague and all philosophy, I would not likely be interested). On another note, I think the Walking Dead graphic novels would be perfect for your list of related-readings, as that, too, deals with an ongoing pandemic.
Keep up the good work.
James
Hello Christina,
ReplyDeleteFirst off, I love that you are using Canva! I don't know much about it, but my library just started having the librarians use it for our displays and they all look so beautiful! I need to try to mess with it -- I'm stuck in the ways of still using Word Art on Microsoft Word. And your annotation looks so cute!
Your synopsis and appeals definitely make me want to read this book. I like the sci-fi genre, but it's definitely one of the genres that I read the fewest amount of books in throughout the year (new reading goal!) Your storyline appeal -- the "what if.." question and the exploration of difficult themes, especially an unknown, I feel is what drew me to your annotation. I feel like that is what makes me love Horror/Adrenaline genres the most, but sci-fi can illicit the same thought of "what comes next?" or "what more can really happen to those poor people?"
Thank you so much for sharing and again, really great job on your annotation!
Hi Christina,
ReplyDeleteI was curious about this novel when I saw it on the shelf at my library. There has been a real appeal lately for readers to borrow materials on post apocalyptic stories. It is interesting how this novel and many others can relate to our current times. I will have to check out your selection for Science Fiction. I have never been a big fan of reading it, but I did enjoy my book selection and I think yours would be appealing too.
We use Canva a lot to create flyers at my library. I think there is an option to change the size of the template in inches or they give you options on sizing you might want to check.
Excellent annotation - I listened to the audiobook of this years ago and I LOVED it - it's a very unique post-pandemic novel. Great job - I just started using canva myself - the graphics look amazing!
ReplyDelete