Co-curriculars @ University Campus

University Campus Book Club – Even During the Pandemic 

By Avriel Das, University Campus, Year 9

The pandemic has impacted all of our own lives in multiple ways, but it doesn’t have to stop the University Campus Book Club from running – even online!

The University Campus Book Club is run by Mrs Linke, who has generously given us her time and support to ensure the members of the book club : Alex, Selina, Joel, Seb, Jaxon, Matthias, Aslan, Samira, Melina and myself, engage in captivating discussions about the latest book we were tasked to read as a group. We are also extremely grateful to have Aoife Clifford, a published Australian author come to every monthly book club meeting and share her own fascinating view on a book we had read.

Thankfully, the pandemic hasn’t stopped us from meeting online. So far, we’ve had a successful “Zoom” meeting and, Mrs Linke graciously sent us hardcopies of the books we were going to read, to our homes and even attached a brownie recipe. The brownies she normally brings to book club are a highlight for everyone!

Here’s my book review on a novel we have read: Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. I found this story highly engaging and relevant to our current lives.

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

Station Eleven is an apocalyptic novel written by Canadian author Emily St. John Mandel, published in 2014. The plot revolves around a fictitious influenza pandemic called the ‘Georgia Flu’, which quickly kills 99% of the global population in a matter of weeks. The story unfolds through two main character perspectives exploring themes of legacy, modern civilisation, survival, religious extremity and the value of art.

The first protagonist, Arthur Leander, is a famous middle-aged actor whose death marks the beginning of the first Georgia Flu case in North America. The major events of Arthur’s life and the story of his rise to fame, helps the reader visualise the thriving society that existed prior to the deadly pandemic. The second protagonist, pandemic survivor Kirsten Raymonde, is a young actress inspired by Arthur’s career, exploring the post-apocalyptic world. Kirsten joins the ‘Travelling Symphony’ which performs famous plays and songs in each town they visit. Other dominant character experiences explored are: Arthur’s three ex-wives, Jeevan, an aspiring reporter/paparazzi turned doctor and Clark, Arthur’s close friend and creator of the ‘Museum of Civilisation’ in the book.

While the various character timelines may be confusing at times, ‘Station Eleven’ was filled with motivating short tales of how the pandemic lead to ingenuity, courage and created multiple bonds of friendship through hard times. I recommend this book to all young adults, who love a complex read, filled with a rich plot relating closely to contemporary global affairs.