4.5/5 stars 
 After seeing so much praise and enthusiasm for this book on bookstagram and booktube, I was worried it wouldn't live up to the hype. 
 Alas: it was even better than I expected. 
 What a rare work. Quietly haunting imagery, a compelling plot, lyrical writing that is consistently beautiful but never verges on being florid or "purple." Though it has been categorized as post-apocalyptic and speculative fiction, it reads like a relatable contemporary novel, with characters and scenes so real, it feels like you could step in to their world tomorrow. 
 This is a book about humanity, with all its contradictions, its art and its violence, its decency and its savagery. It's about the tiny irritations that make people unbearable, and about the wonderful affections that make them necessary. Somehow Station Eleven manages to do all of this without feeling lofty or dense. 
 For its approachability, its subtlety, its beauty, and its undeniable intrigue, this is the book I'll be recommending to everyone for a long time to come. 
 Minus .5 star for some loose ends that could have easily been tied up but weren't. A few things were missing in the end.