annethology
  • Home
    • About Annethology
    • About me >
      • A little more about me
    • About my books
    • Author talks
    • Contact me
    • Forthcoming events
    • World Mental Health Day
    • Privacy
    • Sign up for my newsletter
  • First two novels
    • Sugar and Snails >
      • Acknowledgements
      • Blog tour, Q&A's and feature articles >
        • Birthday blog tour
        • S&S on tour 2022
      • Early endorsements
      • Events >
        • Launch photos
        • Launch party videos
      • in pictures
      • Media
      • If you've read the book
      • Polari
      • Reading group questions
      • Reviews
      • In the media
    • Underneath >
      • Endorsements and reviews
      • Launch party and events
      • Pictures
      • Questions for book groups
      • The stories underneath the novel
  • Matilda Windsor series
    • The accidental series
    • Matilda Windsor >
      • What readers say
      • For book groups
      • Interviews, articles and features
      • Matty on the move
      • Who were you in 1990?
      • Asylum lit
      • Matilda Windsor media
    • Stolen Summers >
      • Stolen Summers reviews
    • Lyrics for the Loved Ones
  • Short stories
    • Somebody’s Daughter
    • Becoming Someone (anthology) >
      • Becoming Someone (video readings)
      • Becoming Someone reviews
      • Becoming Someone online book chat
    • Print and downloads
    • Read it online
    • Quick reads
  • Free ebook
  • Annecdotal
    • Annecdotal blog
    • Annecdotal Press
    • Articles >
      • Print journalism
      • Where psychology meets fiction
    • Fictional therapists
    • Reading and reviews >
      • Reviews A to H
      • Reviews I to M
      • Reviews N to Z
      • Nonfiction
      • Themed quotes
      • Reading around the world
  • Shop
    • Inspired Quill (my publisher)
    • Bookshop.org (affiliate link)
    • Amazon UK
    • Amazon US
    • books2read
  • Main site

Welcome

I started this blog in 2013 to share my reflections on reading, writing and psychology, along with my journey to become a published novelist.​  I soon graduated to about twenty book reviews a month and a weekly 99-word story. Ten years later, I've transferred my writing / publication updates to my new website but will continue here with occasional reviews and flash fiction pieces, and maybe the odd personal post.

ANNE GOODWIN'S WRITING NEWS

Survival is not enough: Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel

10/9/2014

10 Comments

 
Picture
Do you ever ponder your dependence on the modern world and wonder how you’d adapt if it came to an abrupt end? My ability to grow my own food, knock up a functional mortise and tenon joint and navigate across country on foot might provide me a modicum of security, but I’d be useless without my glasses to see where I was going and clueless at working out how to make electricity from scratch. And who knows, until we find ourselves in a situation that demands it, whether we have the mental and physical capacity to kill another human being to save our own skins?

I don’t know if it’s surviving trauma that evokes such apocalyptic philosophising or whether it’s integral to the human condition. There’s certainly an attraction in the theme for writers of fiction; I’ve just counted seven novels on my bookshelves that speculate on the impact on human society of devastating global pandemics or massive climate change. You might have even more, so how do I persuade you that Station Eleven is the one you really must read?

I received my proof copy several months prior to publication and, although I was interested in the premise, I wasn’t in a great hurry to read it, perhaps put off by the hype. It’s described as perfect for fans of Hugh Howey, who I’ve never read, and Margaret Atwood, who I have, a lot. I can detect the similarities to The Blind Assassin and Oryx and Crake, both books I loved, but I’m not a fan of fanfiction. In a fair world, where writing was judged on its merits, Emily St John Mandel wouldn’t need to be compared with the literary greats. She is an excellent writer in her own rights. More fool me for not picking it up sooner.

In the first chapter, Arthur Leander dies of a heart attack during Act Four of King Lear. Meanwhile, the deadly Georgian flu arrives in North America and, within a matter of weeks, civilisation is in tatters with ninety-nine percent of the world’s population dead. The narrative flips back and forth in time as we follow the fortunes of a wide cast of characters as they either succumb to the virus or carve out a place for themselves in the brave new world. We see the achievements and vanities of Western society – some of the rare humour in the novel is reserved for the vacuousness of celebrity, globetrotting executives and the gobbledygook of managementspeak – alongside the dangers and delights of the new world order.

A novel of such wide scope could seem fragmented, but one of its greatest pleasures lies in discovering the interconnections. The novel’s title comes from a comic book depicting another post-apocalyptic world which provided solace for both its creator in the “before” period and a young actress in the “after”. The Shakespeare that opens the novel gets a repeat performance from the band of actors travelling through forests and logjams of rusting cars to entertain the scattered survivors. Furthermore, each of the main characters has some important link with Arthur Leander.

Connections are also essential to the characters’ post-epidemic survival as the company of actors and musicians bring art to the remote settlements that have sprung up around defunct petrol stations and airports, and as they support and protect each other from the dangers of the open road and the machinations of the mysterious “prophet”. Earlier, with communication systems breaking down, the infected struggled to connect with loved ones before the world as they knew it came to an end. The attempted mass exodus from the cities made me think, in its futility, of our vain attempts to escape the unwanted parts of ourselves. An adventure story, science fiction, call it what you will, Station Eleven is a moving and gripping story of the human condition. But if that all seems too much for you, there’s a gentler take on our attempts to recover lost connections in Lucky Us, which I reviewed last week.

Station Eleven is published today. Thanks to Picador books for my advance copy.

Which novels depicting a future dystopia have you enjoyed? How do you think you’d survive such a scenario yourself?
Thanks for reading. I'd love to know what you think. If you've enjoyed this post, you might like to sign up via the sidebar for regular email updates and/or my quarterly Newsletter.
10 Comments
geoff link
11/9/2014 10:23:29 am

Ah what a great read tis sounds. Dystopian fiction is wonderful! I'm not really a JG Ballard fan but he certainly does dystopian. Children of men was good (but I thought the film better - unusually). The Testament of Jessie Lamb by Jane Rogers (she who brought us together) is similar. Iain M Banks (in scifi mode) with the Bridge is sort of dystopian and a great read. And back to my childhood I loved John Wyndham (The day of the Triffids, the Kraken wakes, Chocky) and enjoyed being able to read them to the Lawyer and having him love them too.
But my favourite dystopia is actually a film: Blade Runner. It is extraordinary I think.
How would I survive? Badly. I might as well take a pill.... I'd either be killed or enslaved within hours of government collapsing. One reason why I try and keep reasonably fit.

Reply
Annecdotist
12/9/2014 05:37:11 am

Hi, Geoff, hope you get a chance to read it. There's quite an Twitter buzz about it at #station11 and an interesting piece by the author on why we're drawn to dystopian fiction on Isabel Costello's blog http://isabelcostelloliterarysofa.com/2014/09/10/guest-author-emily-st-john-mandel-on-setting-a-novel-in-the-future/
Great list you've mentioned there, haven't read them all but now you've flagged up The Day of the Triffids, I'm wondering if that was the first of that genre I ever read, or perhaps it was Brave New World.
I reckon it's 5 years ago this week that Jane Rogers was generously sharing with us some of her edits of Jesse Lamb. Wonder if she's ready now for her next one?

Reply
Norah Colvin
14/9/2014 05:28:00 am

Hi Anne, You do make it sound like a compelling read, mentioning many of its positive features. The interconnections of the stories make it sound interesting to me, though I am not a reader of dystopian fiction. I prefer to not think of it as a possible reality (I'd rather put my head in the sand!). I thought immediately of "The Day of the Triffids" but I watched, rather than read, it. I wouldn't be a great survivor if our world collapsed. Like Geoff I'd just have to take that pill. When everyone was preparing for the new century, many of them were storing up supplies of canned food, bottled water, camping equipment, batteries etc, believing our world was going to come crashing down about our ears. Fortunately those measures were unnecessary. I wonder what they think about those preparations today. :)

Reply
Annecdotist
16/9/2014 06:32:59 am

Thanks for your feedback, Norah. Oh yes, I do remember that millennium timebomb nonsense – seems so long ago. The care homes that I was working into at the time were required to stock up on supplies, filling the kitchen cupboards with cans of baked beans etc. (It would probably be ten times worse nowadays when we are much more dependent on technologies.) The weirdness of that time did creep into one of my short stories http://www.amarillobay.org/contents/goodwin-anne/interim.htm

Reply
Terry
16/9/2014 06:21:39 am

Having read this book based on your recommendation, I feel I've wasted my time. I thought it was unoriginal – there are far better post-apocalyptic novels around. The novel lacked focus and narrative tension and I was unconvinced by the survivors' limited use of technology, eg. they could easily have made electricity from diesel (which, unlike petrol, doesn't go off) or used kerosene lamps instead of candles (and strange that, while the ammunition ran out, there was an unlimited supply of these).

Reply
Annecdotist
16/9/2014 06:26:51 am

Thanks for giving this novel a go and sharing your reflections on my blog. We do have very different tastes in books.
Come the apocalypse, I'll stick with you as I'm sure your practical skills will see us through. I hope you'll be willing to tolerate my whinging.

Reply
sarah
3/5/2015 03:20:49 pm

I've heard nothing but great things about this. I've just started it and am having trouble getting into the story (though I love her writing) but will continue to try because too many people I know loved it. Plus, I'm a huge Dystopian fan. Also, your review. ;-)

Reply
Annecdotist
4/5/2015 03:04:15 am

Strange you're not getting into it if you like the writing and the genre. But maybe it's just not for you?

Reply
sarah
5/5/2015 10:09:40 am

It sounds like something I'd love, it just hasn't hooked me. Because I have such limited time to read, I like books that grab me from the first page (which they can't always do). I really think I'll like this one, just wondering if anyone else had a tough time getting into it.

Annecdotist
6/5/2015 08:13:31 am

Well, Terry didn't like it!
I've enjoyed lots of books that didn't grab me right from the beginning but, if my time was more limited, I think I'd just stick with those I enjoy from the first line, of which there are an abundance!


Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Free ebook: click the image to claim yours.
    Picture
    Available now
    Picture
    The poignant prequel to Matilda Windsor Is Coming Home
    Picture
    Find a review
    Picture
    Fictional therapists
    Picture
    Picture
    About Anne Goodwin
    Picture
    My published books
    entertaining fiction about identity, mental health and social justice
    Picture
    My third novel, published May 2021
    Picture
    My debut novel shortlisted for the 2016 Polari First Book Prize
    Picture
    Picture
    My second novel published May 2017.
    Picture
    Short stories on the theme of identity published 2018
    Anne Goodwin's books on Goodreads
    Sugar and Snails Sugar and Snails
    reviews: 32
    ratings: 52 (avg rating 4.21)

    Underneath Underneath
    reviews: 24
    ratings: 60 (avg rating 3.17)

    Becoming Someone Becoming Someone
    reviews: 8
    ratings: 9 (avg rating 4.56)

    GUD: Greatest Uncommon Denominator, Issue 4 GUD: Greatest Uncommon Denominator, Issue 4
    reviews: 4
    ratings: 9 (avg rating 4.44)

    The Best of Fiction on the Web The Best of Fiction on the Web
    reviews: 3
    ratings: 3 (avg rating 4.67)

    2022 Reading Challenge

    2022 Reading Challenge
    Anne has read 2 books toward their goal of 100 books.
    hide
    2 of 100 (2%)
    view books
    Picture
    Annecdotal is where real life brushes up against the fictional.  
    Picture
    Annecdotist is the blogging persona of Anne Goodwin: 
    reader, writer,

    slug-slayer, tramper of moors, 
    recovering psychologist, 
    struggling soprano, 
    author of three fiction books.

    LATEST POSTS HERE
    I don't post to a schedule, but average  around ten reviews a month (see here for an alphabetical list), 
    some linked to a weekly flash fiction, plus posts on my WIPs and published books.  

    Your comments are welcome any time any where.

    Get new posts direct to your inbox ...

    Enter your email address:

    or click here …

    RSS Feed


    Picture

    Tweets by @Annecdotist
    Picture
    New short story, “My Dirty Weekend”
    Picture
    Let’s keep in touch – subscribe to my newsletter
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Popular posts

    • Compassion: something we all need
    • Do spoilers spoil?
    • How to create a convincing fictional therapist
    • Instructions for a novel
    • Looking at difference, embracing diversity
    • Never let me go: the dilemma of lending books
    • On loving, hating and writers’ block
      On Pop, Pirates and Plagiarism
    • READIN' for HER reviews
    • Relishing the cuts
    • The fast first draft
    • The tragedy of obedience
    • Writers and therapy: a love-hate relationship?

    Categories/Tags

    All
    Animals
    Annecdotist Hosts
    Annecdotist On Tour
    Articles
    Attachment Theory
    Author Interviews
    Becoming Someone
    Being A Writer
    Blogging
    Bodies
    Body
    Bookbirthday
    Books For Writers
    Bookshops
    CB Book Group
    Character
    Childhood
    Christmas
    Classics
    Climate Crisis
    Coming Of Age
    Counsellors Cafe
    Creative Writing Industry
    Creativity
    Cumbria
    Debut Novels
    Disability
    Editing
    Emotion
    Ethics
    Ethis
    Family
    Feedback And Critiques
    Fictional Psychologists & Therapists
    Food
    Friendship
    Futuristic
    Gender
    Genre
    Getting Published
    Giveaways
    Good Enough
    Grammar
    Gratitude
    Group/organisational Dynamics
    Hero’s Journey
    History
    Humour
    Identity
    Illness
    Independent Presses
    Institutions
    International Commemorative Day
    Jane Eyre
    Kidney Disease
    Language
    LGBTQ
    Libraries
    Live Events
    Lyrics For The Loved Ones
    Marketing
    Matilda Windsor
    Memoir
    Memory
    Mental Health
    Microfiction
    Motivation
    Music
    MW Prequel
    Names
    Narrative Voice
    Nature / Gardening
    Networking
    Newcastle
    Nonfiction
    Nottingham
    Novels
    Pandemic
    Peak District
    Perfect Match
    Poetry
    Point Of View
    Politics
    Politics Current Affairs
    Presentation
    Privacy
    Prizes
    Psychoanalytic Theory
    Psychology
    Psycholoists Write
    Psychotherapy
    Race
    Racism
    Rants
    Reading
    Real Vs Imaginary
    Religion
    Repetitive Strain Injury
    Research
    Reviewing
    Romance
    Satire
    Second Novels
    Settings
    Sex
    Shakespeare
    Short Stories General
    Short Stories My Published
    Short Stories Others'
    Siblings
    Snowflake
    Somebody's Daughter
    Stolen Summers
    Storytelling
    Structure
    Sugar And Snails
    Technology
    The
    The Guestlist
    Therapy
    TikTok
    TNTB
    Toiletday
    Tourism
    Toxic Positivity
    Transfiction
    Translation
    Trauma
    Unconscious
    Unconscious, The
    Underneath
    Voice Recognition Software
    War
    WaSBihC
    Weather
    Work
    Writing Process
    Writing Technique

    Archives

    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    March 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013

    Picture
    BLOGGING COMMUNITIES
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
Photos from havens.michael34, romana klee, mrsdkrebs, Kyle Taylor, Dream It. Do It., adam & lucy, dluders, Joybot, Hammer51012, jorgempf, Sherif Salama, eyspahn, raniel diaz, E. E. Piphanies, scaredofbabies, Nomadic Lass, paulternate, Tony Fischer Photography, archer10 (Dennis), slightly everything, impbox, jonwick04, country_boy_shane, dok1, Out.of.Focus, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Midwest Region, Elvert Barnes, guillenperez, Richard Perry, jamesnaruke, Juan Carlos Arniz Sanz, El Tuerto, kona99, maveric2003, !anaughty!, Patrick Denker, David Davies, hamilcar_south, idleformat, Dave Goodman, Sharon Mollerus, photosteve101, La Citta Vita, A Girl With Tea, striatic, carlosfpardo, Damork, Elvert Barnes, UNE Photos, jurvetson, quinn.anya, BChristensen93, Joelk75, ashesmonroe, albertogp123, >littleyiye<, mudgalbharat, Swami Stream, Dicemanic, lovelihood, anyjazz65, Tjeerd, albastrica mititica, jimmiehomeschoolmom, joshtasman, tedeytan, striatic, goforchris, torbakhopper, maggibautista, andreboeni, snigl3t, rainy city, frankieleon