Exit Party by Emily St. John Mandel- tidbits from the book launch
I got this book at Emily St. John Mandel's book launch party in Brooklyn, and had her sign it. It was amazing, and one of the main things she said in her Q&A afterwards was that she thought it would be interesting to see a character who realizes they devoted their life to the wrong thing (Ibari). She spoke of how she herself was a contemporary dancer in Canada and after she moved to America she tried out writing instead, and how she knows she had two very different lives and that there could be even more. She has premonitions, like the scissors premonition in the book, which happened to her. I think she's just remarkable.
At the launch party, people were taking our pictures on polaroid cameras and giving us the photos. When I asked why, a girl who worked with the publisher and had read the book said to keep in mind the idea of a polaroid, of seeing something that may not necessarily be true, or something like that. Still thinking about how that fits this book. Most importantly, I got a postcard of the painting "Swan Dive". I asked Emily if she had an image in her mind as she was writing and she said she did exactly, just as she did of the Station 11 comic. She said the publisher got a great artist to work with her on all the details of the painting and she kept sending it back with notes until it was just as she wanted it. I thought that was very cool. I asked why this and Station 11 both had a piece of fine art in it as the crux and she said she likes to have a physical thing tying different people and related stories together, that it's a good literary device.
For someone who writes so poetically, she really seems to put a lot of work and technicality into writing. For instance, when someone said it seems like magic how little things and clues all come together to make her story, she said she's glad it looks like that because actually it's just a lot of rewriting- getting later into a story and thinking "oh, it would be good if I dropped this in earlier as a clue/connection" etc.
As for my review of the book, first I'm left in awe of the beautiful ending. I had hoped for more resolution, a little more happiness, but I guess that wasn't ever going to happen. I think there's hope here, that maybe getting the painting back meant that Nico could come back through? I was waiting to get to that point and am so sad it didn't happen. I thought it was interesting how Nico and Kareem would've been amazing together, but Nico was with Fayed, who sucked, and Kareem was with Gloria, who didn't suck, but did become a terrible mother. So each of their kids were taken care of by the better parent from another dimension. It fits nicely, and that kind of neatness in putting things together is what made me think there would be more resolution at the end. I would absolutely read a sequel but I'm pretty sure we'll never get that because resolution is not the point. But I wish it was. What a sad state of affairs America was in. I was more depressed by the climate change fallout than the fall of our civilization, though, since I already see the climate happening, but the revolution seems more unrealistic (I hope).
Would love to talk more about it. If reddit lets me I'll post a picture of the official "Swan Dive" as a comment
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u/spauldingd 6h ago
I went to a signing a few years ago for her last book. I’ve read everything she has written. She took time to talk with each of us and inscribed my book. So happy she wrote another book but I finished it too quickly so I need to wait a bit and reread. Now the wait for the next…
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u/alexdau 6h ago
https://www.reddit.com/r/StationEleven/s/uiGmdWhd58 here's a link to where I posted Swan Dive- not sure why it won't let me post an image here
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u/SomeKindoflove27 6h ago
I wanted to know what happens with Sebastian and wish things had been tied up more! I think i have a love hate relationship with her books, when i get towards the endings I slow down because I dont want the feeling to end.
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u/HeronExtension5245 6h ago
She is such a gifted author. Great post - thank you for sharing that experience.
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u/history_nerd_1111 4h ago
I finished the book a few days ago and I'm still thinking about it! How cool to meet her! Thanks for posting a picture of the painting. It is pretty much how I imagined it.
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u/thedespotcat 4h ago
I'm so jealous! I read The Singer's Fun and then re-read Glass Hotel and Sea of Tranquility before starting Exit Party (I'm still not too far). It's been so lovely to immerse myself in a large number of her books in a row (at the same time sometimes between audio and physical). She's such a fantastic author.
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u/kitsune1029 44m ago
It was a fantastic read! The surveillance state of Nico's dimension hit a little too close to home for me in the current political hellscape that is the united states 😩 Thus, there was a low hum of anxiety for me throughout the book that kept me on edge while a read--I'm still not sure if that made me like the book more or less 🤔 Regardless, ESJM's books are always an entertaining and thought-provoking read and I'm always happy for the journey when I'm finished.
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u/reallynicedog 5h ago
I absolutely loved this book. The best of her work so far I think, and my best read of the year. She's one of the greats. I read The Singer's Gun before this came out in preparation, and while that was also great, her growth in terms of craft is remarkable. I hope she continues writing for a long time.
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u/Own_Appointment_1050 5h ago
I just got Exit Party on Libby and started reading today! I'm attempting to savor this book because St. John Mandel's writing deserves it. I love her writing style and the way she weaves words and stories!
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u/donuts1031 5h ago
I found her books years ago, before Station 11 got made into a series and all that. When I’ve talked about her books to other people, I can never quite explain what they’re about! But I always say they are so beautifully written, I can’t find words to explain that any better. Her storytelling style is just beautiful. I have read and reread all her novels so many times, and there are precious few books I’ve read more than once. When I found out she had a new book coming out last month, I was telling anyone who’d listen!
I’m so envious of your opportunity to see her in person. I’m emotional just imagining being in this woman’s presence. Her ‘voice’ has been so lovely in my life, and it’s nice to know you had such a positive experience at the book signing; it’s reassuring to hear she’s a lovely human who puts so much care and effort into her stories.