Emily St John Mandel Can’t Distinguish Between the Real and Surreal Anymore

Emily St John Mandel is a powerhouse of a writer. Like many, I’ve been a fan for the long haul, devouring each of her books as soon as they release. Her writing is unlike any other: utterly original, boundary-pushing, and full of sharp observations. The creativity in her novels is boundless, and I’m always delighted to spend time in her worlds—even the dystopian ones.

I met Mandel over Zoom to talk about her writing life ahead of the release of Exit Party. She was preparing for publication week, which she described as, no exaggeration, “a new city every 24 hours.” We talked about the process of seeing her work adapted for the screen, her love of fashion and dark chocolate, and a shared preference for writing by the window. When I asked her thoughts on realism vs. surrealism, longtime readers of her work will find it no surprise that she expressed feeling like the boundary between the two is becoming harder and harder to distinguish.

I was thrilled to have the chance to speak to Mandel about her process—from finding that firs...