I read Station Eleven just as the pandemic was beginning to pick up, and that book rocked me to my very core. This novel did not seem to have the same gravitas in general. I enjoyed a few of the stories, especially the interwoven family and financial dynamics. However, the entire premise of the book did not grasp my heart and pull me into a world of collapse and interpersonal struggles the way Station Eleven did. Perhaps I am falling victim to comparing two books read at two very different periods of my life, but this was not my favorite read this year.