Station Eleven

"...A book that is a delight to read, which provokes thought and ultimately leaves the reader hoping that, despite the chaos and terror, humanity will manage to survive, by returning to what truly matters, finding refuge in true values..."

"...Mandell made me feel more optimistic, whilst, unusually, I found myself putting it aside for a while for fear of reading it too quickly, so as to prolong the joy of anticipation."

– Takis Kampylis, The Greek Report

"...The novel ‘Station Eleven’ manages, in just a few lines, to instil in you both dread and gratitude for all the tangible and intangible things that surround us and make up our daily lives..."

"...I thoroughly enjoyed ‘Station Eleven’; it is a well-written book, free of unnecessary linguistic flourishes, which masterfully handles the themes of time, space and human nature. Emily Mandel is exceptional at character development and presents the central theme—the dashed hopes and dreams of her characters—so tenderly that we almost forget the turmoil surrounding them..."

"...One of the best-crafted, most cleverly structured contemporary works of fiction we have read recently, and at the same time a book that stays with you for days after you finish it — almost preventing you from enjoying any other reading...."

"...I read ‘Station 11’ by the young Emily Mandel in one sitting. I couldn’t put it down and couldn’t wait to reach the last page and see how it would end. It is undoubtedly an exceptional novel that I recommend without a second thought...”

"...‘Station Eleven’ is a particularly well-written book, which ultimately gives the impression of a painting that the author has coloured for the reader stroke by stroke, before presenting it to them in its entirety..."

"...It reads like a manifesto of resistance against our enslavement, as envisaged by a not-so-distant future. Art is gradually elevated to an absolute plan for moral survival. The narrative technique is exemplary. The translation comfortably follows the textual variations of the original.

"...A flu pandemic wipes out humanity and brings about the end of civilisation as we know it today. Reading ‘Station 11’, you cannot help but feel a strange nostalgia even for the small and insignificant moments of everyday life, such as the simple flick of a switch that lights up your home. It is as if you, too, are part of the dystopian universe the author has created, and as you converse with the few survivors, you realise that despite humanity’s myriad evils, our lives are precious and beautiful... "

"...Pay particular attention to the cover, a true work of art from a publishing house where every book is a real gem..."

"...‘Station Eleven’ is a story which, unlike most post-apocalyptic works, does not make you fear the end of the world but rather appreciate the grace of everyday existence..."

"...A brilliant and original dystopia by a young Canadian woman, the best new science fiction novel I’ve read in years..."

"...The book stands out not only for its plot but also for its narrative, which breaks the linearity of time and weaves the various stories together in thoughtful and clever ways..."

"...Emily St. John Mandel’s writing exudes optimism, leaving a glimmer of light, in the fact that people can find new strength in the face of adversity..."

"...Mandel does not dwell on the… future; she does not limit her perspective to a broad display of heart-rending grief for a lost civilisation. The continuous temporal and spatial flashbacks in her narrative also reveal her intention to link the temperate past with the desperate future..."

"...Mandel’s writing is unadorned, without frills, yet hypnotic. The highly talented young author manages to draw the reader into her world and – something almost impossible in dystopian novels – to place them, through her vivid descriptions, in the shoes of her characters..."

"...The futile world of self-realisation through material things has been succeeded by a world of the absolute futility of material things and the search for a more spiritual version of life: Mandel’s proposition is very clear and noteworthy..."

"Station Eleven is a solid and brilliant work, a wonderful novel."

"...This is a nostalgic book, steeped in the melancholy brought about by the complete levelling of the modern way of life. A novel that leads the reader to think outside the box..."

Among the most beautiful book covers of 2016.

"...As long as there is life, there will be culture, and vice versa; this is the message conveyed by this wonderful, nostalgic novel of the highest humanity, written in a magnificent and (often) heart-rending style by an author who shows great promise..."

"...A well-crafted, cleverly structured text in which the characters’ stories ultimately converge. The writing is simple and unadorned; it draws you in and keeps you there until you turn the very last page."

"...An exceptional character-driven novel, but also one that explores the world as we know it, whilst reminding us that nothing can be taken for granted."

"...What concerns Mandel most is the deeper essence of human beings, that which drives us towards art, that which makes us create culture and ultimately sets us apart from the rest of the animal kingdom. And at the same time, recalling all that has been lost twenty years after the catastrophe, an overwhelming love for what we have is awakened within us, along with the paradoxical feeling of nostalgia for our present..."

– Myrto Gkana, The Greek Report

"..on a superficial level, it appears to frame a story of destruction and a constant struggle for survival. On a second level, however, the author, guided by the idea that survival is not enough, draws our attention to the value of friendship, solidarity and the extremely fragile world in which we live..."

"...Emily St. John Mandel from Canada, in her novel Station Eleven, constructs a dystopia of the kind that captivates you from the very first page[...]. The pace and writing style are powerful, Vasia Tzanakari’s translation is meticulous and unadorned, and the book’s cover is magnificent, as is everything Christos Kourtoglou creates for Ikaros Publications’ highly ambitious series of foreign literature..."

"Science fiction, a post-apocalyptic novel with a brilliant concept that works disarmingly well—a travelling theatre troupe in the desert, after the catastrophe, a world that stages Shakespeare or hosts classical music concerts—and with some thoroughly memorable characters. But also with another twist: a truly rare comic that brings together a group of survivors in an incredible way. An amazing book, superbly crafted, with a structure that you can’t help but envy. Even those who, for whatever reason, do not love this great literary genre will appreciate it.”

"...Truly a compelling novel that you simply cannot put down. Vasia Tzanakari’s translation faithfully follows the rhythm of the text and perfectly conveys everything Mandel wishes to say and show..."