Matt and Elle grew up together and fell in love as teenagers. It took them a while to find their way back to each other but they found their way back, married and hoped to start a family. After a series of miscarriages and a stillbirth, Matt told Elle they would no longer try. When he was called into the emergency room because Elle had an accident, he wasn’t expecting to see her on life support and declared brain dead. Elle was adamant that she not be kept alive by machines. She watched her mother suffer from cancer and vowed not to have the same circumstance. Matt knew he had to make a decision, and his decision was made until he found out she was pregnant. If he kept her on life support, the baby had a chance to live. His mother loved Elle like a daughter and couldn’t support Matt on his decision. She threatens to take him to court and fight to take Elle off life support.

Sisters, Beena and Sadhana grew up in a loving home with parents of different cultural backgrounds. Their mother was born in North America and travelled the world, she was very much a free spirit while their father came from a conservative family in India. Their father owned and operated a bagel shop in Montreal, while their Uncle managed the day to day tasks. When their father suddenly passes away, the three of them are left to grieve and learn to cope. A few short years later, their mother tragically passes away and the teenage girls are suddenly orphaned and left under the guardianship of their strict, single Uncle.  The family never approved of their mother and Beena and Sadhana had no other relatives they knew nearby. Tragedy and grief seemed to always be around the corner for these sisters. Beena unexpectedly becomes pregnant at sixteen and Sadhana develops anorexia.

Station Eleven is a post-apocalyptic book, and the story starts out really strong and believable. Jeevan Chaudhary attends a play featuring, a famous actor named Arthur Leander. During the middle of the play, Arthur has a heart attack and dies. Jeevan leaves the theatre and heads home, and then he receives a phone call from his friend that he needs to get out of town, fast.  A plague has hit North America and within hours, those who are symptomatic are dead. Station Eleven tells the story of Arthur, Jeevan and a group of actors who roam around the ruins of this post-apocalyptic world.