Novelist Mandel Predicts Future With Eerie Accuracy

Emily St. John Mandel, known for her novel 'Station Eleven,' which gained prominence for its seemingly predictive themes during the pandemic, is now turning her attention to the future of the United States. Her latest novel, 'Exit Party,' set in 2031, features doppelgangers and disappearing guests, and explores two potential futures for America: one ravaged by civil war, the other a surveillance state.

Mandel expresses concern about the "collapse of consensual reality" in modern democracies, where agreement on basic facts is eroding. Her fascination with alternative realities and "counter-lives" stems from her own improbable career path, moving from homeschooling on a remote Canadian island and training as a dancer to becoming a bestselling author.

Her previous novels, including 'The Glass Hotel' and 'Sea of Tranquility,' also achieved global success. Mandel admits to having a "tiny bit" of clairvoyance, though she stresses it cannot predict major events like pandemics. She uses speculative fiction as a method to "talk about the present by putting it in a sort of speculative cloak," making challenging topics more bearable to write and read.

Mandel's writing process involves slow development, starting with a scene and building the narrative without an outline. She is also expanding her work into screenwriting, including a pilot for a TV adaptation of 'Exit Party.' Recently divorced and remarried in 2025, Mandel finds sweetness in appreciating fleeting moments of joy, even amidst a frightening world.