Book: Emily St. John Mandel's "Station Eleven"

The nineteenth book of the year for me was Emily St. John Mandel's "Station Eleven".  This was a delightful book and I'm really not sure why.

The book is a post-apocalyptic story about the north eastern United States and Canada after a virulent flu wipes out the world population.  In a matter of a few months all civilization is ruined.  No more electricity.  No running water.  No fuel for vehicles. All after a flu with a 99% lethality rate sweeps around the globe.

The story bounces from present day (i.e. 15 years after the devastation) to just a week or so before the flu strikes.  The characters lives are interwoven in a complex and interesting way.  In the end, almost everyone we have followed closely in the pages of this book are connected to a famous actor and a graphic novel illustrated and written by one of his ex-wives..

I liked this book a lot.  I'm not sure why since the action is rather muted but this is appropriate in a world where nearly everyone is gone and you can go for days without seeing other living people.  I was sorry to see the book end and I wonder what will happen next.

I gave this book five stars of Goodreads.  Sometime simplicity and understatedness is just what I need from a good story.