A review by kandicez
Survivor Song by Paul Tremblay
3.0
Tremblay and I have a weird relationship. I think he has the most fantastic ideas and I usually read the first half of his books with a five star review in mind. The guy is inventive and really knows how to set a scene and tighten a stomach with anxiety. But then…he always loses me a little past the halfway mark. I have a list of books that I wish other writers had written. Books where the plot and premise are fantastic, but the follow through leaves something to be desired. Sadly, this one will go on that pile with every other Tremblay I have read. That being said, I will keep reading his books.
A virus that mimics rabies is spreading quickly and killing people at an alarming rate. Regular rabies may take weeks to months for symptoms to occur, people infected with this new virus have an hour at best to receive treatment. The authorities are implementing curfews and restrictions to slow the spread, but really, with an hour incubation period, what chance do they have? Covid anyone?
It was a bit eerie the way this book was so topical. Almost as if the publishing house used the current Covid 19 pandemic as an advertising gimmick. I know that's not true. Tremblay must have written this book almost a year ago, but it lent a certain gravity to the story that I am not sure future readers will feel. That could be a point in it's favor now, but will it hold up?
Someone who is infected breaks into the home of Natalie, who is nine months pregnant, kills her husband and bites her. Natalie leaves to find her best friend Ramola, who is a doctor. She finds Rams and the rest of the book is all about their race to get Natalie the vaccine and save her unborn child.
Tremblay is great at creating a very scary situation and building the world in which it takes place. Apocalyptic worlds, pandemics, and other catastrophes are in every other new book that comes out. Tremblay set up this original premise, with the rabies virus that has mutated, but then relies on every apocalyptic trope to tell the story. People are worse than the disease. The unknown is what gets you killed. People you don’t trust become the good guys. Rams and Nat are easy to like and he writes their relationship in a very realistic way, but still. It doesn’t feel three dimensional to me. Despite liking them and their friendship, I never really felt for them.
I really disliked the epilogue. I won’t spoil anything, but after Ramola has gone through hell and back, she ends up resigned. Unhappily so, in my opinion, and that’s not what I wanted.
A virus that mimics rabies is spreading quickly and killing people at an alarming rate. Regular rabies may take weeks to months for symptoms to occur, people infected with this new virus have an hour at best to receive treatment. The authorities are implementing curfews and restrictions to slow the spread, but really, with an hour incubation period, what chance do they have? Covid anyone?
It was a bit eerie the way this book was so topical. Almost as if the publishing house used the current Covid 19 pandemic as an advertising gimmick. I know that's not true. Tremblay must have written this book almost a year ago, but it lent a certain gravity to the story that I am not sure future readers will feel. That could be a point in it's favor now, but will it hold up?
Someone who is infected breaks into the home of Natalie, who is nine months pregnant, kills her husband and bites her. Natalie leaves to find her best friend Ramola, who is a doctor. She finds Rams and the rest of the book is all about their race to get Natalie the vaccine and save her unborn child.
Tremblay is great at creating a very scary situation and building the world in which it takes place. Apocalyptic worlds, pandemics, and other catastrophes are in every other new book that comes out. Tremblay set up this original premise, with the rabies virus that has mutated, but then relies on every apocalyptic trope to tell the story. People are worse than the disease. The unknown is what gets you killed. People you don’t trust become the good guys. Rams and Nat are easy to like and he writes their relationship in a very realistic way, but still. It doesn’t feel three dimensional to me. Despite liking them and their friendship, I never really felt for them.
I really disliked the epilogue. I won’t spoil anything, but after Ramola has gone through hell and back, she ends up resigned. Unhappily so, in my opinion, and that’s not what I wanted.