August 2023: Emily St. John Mandel

Emily St. John Mandel is a Canadian author who got popular after her 4th novel Station Eleven was published. She manages to be interesting both to genre readers (Station Eleven is post-apocalyptic) and to mainstream readers - which is not so easy to do - especially when it happens with the same novel.

What do you plan to read in August?

My goal is to read Station Eleven. However, school starts on Aug 15.............lol!

Ive read station eleven,glass hotel and sea of tranquility and liked all. not sure which one Ill be reading last night in montreal looks interesting

I read and enjoyed Station Eleven back in the day, and I also have Sea of Tranquillity so will read that.

I have put Station Eleven on hold at the library.

I got The Singers Gun from library the day I requested. Read 15% thus far and it's really good.

ETA:
I completed The Singer's Gun by Emily St. John Mandel This was my first Mandel read. While reading, I felt very distanced from the characters; as a foggy veil between us. Some words that others used to describe this book: noir, suspense, and thriller. I think those words are too strong for this book. Words I might use: interesting, nebulous, cloudy. This is the story of Anton, whose parents buy and sell stolen plumbing and garden supplies and his niece, who smuggles people into the U.S. Anton is not the angel, he got a diploma from Harvard by posing as an ex- student (who had really died). All was going peachy for Anton until a background investigation of all employees at his place of employment discovered that Anton's diploma was not genuine. This discovery sets the course of the book. Mandel wrote chapters that were sometimes twice removed from the previous one in both time and person. This reader had to really focus to determine which person the chapter was focusing on and then determine if the time period was before or after the previous chapter or two. For a person who wants a more linear story, this could be confusing. I was only lost once! The ending of the book reminded me of Tartt's The Goldfinch. According to the reviews of others, I understand this was Mandel's second novel and much improvement has been made. 267 pages 3- stars I would read another book from this author.

I have Station Eleven in my possession now. I’m not starting it right away because I’m already reading a couple of other things.

I also just received The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher and will try to read that before it's got to go back!

ETA...did not realize this is a book of short stories. I'm not a short story fan! I will read the first 2-3 and decide whether to continue or not. There is about a 6-week wait on Station Eleven.

ETA: Wrong author! The author of this book is Hilary Mantel! Sorry!

I just got Sea of tranquility and hope to start this Sunday.

>9 MissWatson: I'll be starting that tomorrow too :)

just got Last night in montreal start reading it tomorrow

I have read Sea of Tranquility which, though I found it initially puzzling, I became gripped by quite quickly. I love novels about time travel, particularly on the anomalies it creates. The novel also explores the simulation hypothesis, the idea that the whole of reality is an illusion which is mind-bending and, of course, not an original SF concept, but handled deftly here and in an engaging way that doesn't overwhelm the story. A very good read.

I have also finished Sea of tranquility and found it not as engaging as I thought I would. Maybe it wasn't the right time or mood for me.

had some trouble with last night in montreal I set it aside coz I think I might try it again. Might have just been my mood