H O M E .      A B O U T .      C O N T A C T .      T U M B L R .      T H E   B O O K   J O U R N A L .      sailorjennie [at] gmail [dot] com

Tuesday, 13 January 2015

First Book Of 2015!

I knew that I wanted my first book of the new year to be one that I had a good feeling about. I'm not particularly sure why, but I guess I just wanted to get my reading year off to a good start. 2015 is only going to be my second year of reading a lot since my childhood (my teens are now referred to as 'the lost reading years') so I still feel like I have a lot of catching up to do. Starting the year off with a book that I thought I would like somehow just felt right and Emily St. John Mandel was there to fill that spot.

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel | £8.50
"On day one the Georgia Flu spreads rapidly throughout the world. It has a 99.9% mortality rate. By week two civilisation has crumbled. In year twenty a band of actors and musicians called The Traveling Symphony move throughout different settlements performing concerts and Shakespeare. Life feels relatively safe but now a new danger looms, with the potential to threaten the hopeful world every survivor has tried to rebuild"

I don't really want to say too much more because this is one where knowing too much will probably spoil it. But it's not 'just another post-apocalyptic novel'. It's not simply about survival, it's also about family, friendship, community, humanity and the power of art. Mandel's writing is wonderful; not too ornate or elaborate, but very authentic and considered. There's no heavy moral, allowing each reader to take from the novel whatever they want. And the end is very fitting. It's satisfying and, well, quite perfect really.

I'd love to know what your first read of 2015 was/is going to be!

Jennie
xoxo


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56 comments:

  1. Beccy13 January 2015 at 09:34

    This sounds brilliant Jennie! My first read of 2015 was Us by David Nicholls which I really did enjoy. However, I'm reading a great book at the moment called Prisoner of Night and Fog, which is set in Germany before World War Two. I am really enjoying it!

    Beccy || Bluebell & Bumpkin

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    1. jennie21 January 2015 at 23:08

      Ohh that sounds like fascinating read! xo

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  2. char13 January 2015 at 10:02

    Oh, I would love to give that a go. My first read of 2015 was A Place for Us by Harriet Evans. It was lovely.

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  3. whatiknownow13 January 2015 at 10:04

    Ah in the best way possible, I wish I didn't follow your blog! You write so well and now I want to read this too - it's really not good for my bank balance haha xx
    Sam | Samantha Betteridge

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    1. jennie21 January 2015 at 23:09

      Haha ahh I'm sorry, but not really because books are the best! ;) xx

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  4. Telina13 January 2015 at 10:27

    That book sounds really interesting! I think my next read will be "We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves" by Karen Joy Fowler as I've heard really good things about it! x

    Telina | Love, Telina

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  5. Rebekka13 January 2015 at 10:43

    May have to add this to my "to-read" list ;) Xx

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  6. ChrissyLilly13 January 2015 at 11:12

    ohhh I have to add this to my list of books to read! You should start an online book club!! I would totally be into that! Would make you actually stick to reading more and could open up great discussions! I'd love to collaborate on it, if you're interested!

    Chrissy x
    www.chrissylilly.com

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  7. emily123413 January 2015 at 11:34

    I'm currently reading The Rosie Project, which is a really enjoyable and easy read. I'd love to branch out and read less girly chick lit, so maybe I'll give this one a go! xx

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    1. Minty13 January 2015 at 22:23

      I really really enjoyed that.. Laugh out loud funny x

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    2. Minty13 January 2015 at 22:25

      My first read of 2015 was "murder bag" by Tony Parsons. Couldn't put it down, one of those books you keep saying "just one more page" and then one more before sleep .

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    3. jennie21 January 2015 at 23:11

      @ Emily - I've heard good things about that one!
      @ Minty - They're the best kind of books!

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  8. Megan13 January 2015 at 11:45

    This sounds really good! Definitely picking this up once my uni reading is done :) x

    Megan / pixiecrop.com

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  9. Unknown13 January 2015 at 13:09

    Your description sounds interesting and the cover looks great too. A tempting read.

    http://blogolgasia.blogspot.ro/

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  10. Debi13 January 2015 at 13:40

    This sounds intriguing! My first read of 2015 was The Good Girl by Mary Kubica which was pretty good. I've written and scheduled a review for next week! I'm trying really hard to read more this year as I used to love it so much and now I get too easily distracted by everything else!
    Debi x

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    1. jennie21 January 2015 at 23:12

      Making time for reading is always a good thing, I think <3

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  11. Kathryn13 January 2015 at 14:40

    This sounds really good!! I'm so proud of myself - I've already read 2 books this year. The first was The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver which was amazing and I would highly recommend. The second was called The Book of Unknown Americans and it was ... okay. Definitely not my favorite.

    I'm slowly getting together a list of things that I want to read in 2015, and I think I'll have to add Station Eleven to it!

    xx Kathryn
    http://www.throughthethicket.ca

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  12. laura13 January 2015 at 16:18

    Adding this one to my Amazon wish list! x

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  13. Bethan13 January 2015 at 16:33

    This has been on my to read list for a while! Need to get round to it, once I finish all my other books...

    Bethan Likes

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  14. heartxgirl13 January 2015 at 16:34

    I'm intrigued, definitely going to check this out. I've just finished reading Just One Year by Gayle Forman xx

    Ioanna | Hearting.co.uk

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  15. Erin13 January 2015 at 17:13

    Definitely need to pick this up! x

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  16. Beth13 January 2015 at 19:14

    My first read of 2015 was Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld. It wasn't the most auspicious starts if I'm honest, but it was a quick, easy read that takes me one step closer to reaching my 100 books in 2015 goal!
    Beth x

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  17. Unknown13 January 2015 at 20:29

    Just put this on my 'To Read List' your review is vey convincing :)
    Jojo
    xx

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  18. LillianZahra13 January 2015 at 20:36

    This is going on my to-read list! My first book of 2015 was MaddAddam by Margaret Atwood. x

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  19. Marissa13 January 2015 at 21:06

    That book sounds good, defo going to give it a try :)
    Marissa Jamie | Faithfully Marissa ♡

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  20. Unknown13 January 2015 at 23:30

    This book sounds right up my street, and I am on a bit of a non committal reading challenge this year!

    Annabel ♥
    Mascara & Maltesers

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    1. jennie21 January 2015 at 23:17

      Sometimes they're the best challenges <3

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  21. Unknown13 January 2015 at 23:45

    That's being added to my Audible wishlist then (and I'm taking inspiration from all the other comments too!). I just finished my first book post - been meaning to write one for ages so there may be some on there that you like... although I warn you I like the biggest chunkiest epics! Just finished Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell which was a lovely read - I am actually missing the characters now that I've finished it! xo
    www.lovedbylaura.com

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  22. Unknown14 January 2015 at 00:53

    The premise sounds intriguing and I can understand why you'd pick it as your first book for 2015. Although I'm not a big fan of "The Night Circus" and Morgenstern's blurb on the cover won't win me over on its own, I think your description is great, and I'm definitely adding "Station Eleven" to my list. I'm currently getting through Flynn's "Dark Places". All the best x Emilia / www.emilialeigh.com

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    1. jennie21 January 2015 at 23:20

      I haven't read The Night Circus either, the blurbs on the front rarely entice me xo

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  23. Monika14 January 2015 at 06:53

    II really want to read this book! My first book is Drood by Dan Simmons. I actually started reading it last year but I got distracted and started reading something else but this time I'll finish it :)

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  24. Unknown15 January 2015 at 21:38

    Oh it sounds really interesting! My first leisure, fiction read is Elizabeth Is Missing by Emma Healy. It's good so far but I'm only one chapter in
    Megan x
    London Callings

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    1. jennie21 January 2015 at 23:21

      I've been hearing really good things about it! xo

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  25. Jess | The Indigo Hours16 January 2015 at 10:04

    I'll have to look out for this, it sounds like a good read! My first book of 2015 was The Humans by Matt Haig, I'd definitely recommend it if you've not read it already :)

    Jess xo
    http://just-jesss.blogspot.co.uk

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  26. Unknown16 January 2015 at 22:07

    So excited to read this one! As soon as I've demolished my leftover TBR pile from 2014, this is going to be the first book I buy :) so glad you liked it Jennie! xx

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  27. Jordan21 January 2015 at 20:52

    Oooh I might have to add this to my to-read list. I'm trying to read 21 books this year!

    hellomissjordan.blogspot.co.uk xx

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