Published by Titan in 2020, Paul Tremblay's 'Survivor Song' has an eerie sense of foreshadowing when reading it in covid-times, a virus spread from infected animals to humans which makes them into zombie-esque creatures.

A couple of years ago, the notion of a world-wide sense of fear, repeated lockdowns, and scenes of unforgettable horror on the news , all add a layer of desperate sadness, for this reader, even thought the only people foaming at the mouth are the anti-vaxxers.

I was in there from the start, the sense of this being an epistolary novel being told, piecemeal, alternating between Natalie and Rams gives a sense of connection with both the female leads. You are introduced to Natalie , late in pregnancy, awaiting her husband , Paul's, return from what should have been at worst, an annoying supermarket trip. The queues, bad tempers and so forth are what Natalie is imagining. What Paul experiences, however, is far worse.

It must be some kind of alchemy that I can become teary eyed whilst reading the initial scenes of what happens when Paul returns home and we get our first glimpses of the infected humans.

Natalie becomes your priority, her baby is not only her focus it is also ours, as readers, because it represents hope. And the future potential of a surviving baby from a bitten parent.

From Ram's perspective, her personal and professional identities are clashing in the worst possible way and it becomes a race against time to save what remains of her friend , before it is too late.

And so a journey fraught with peril and danger begins, and you are  both completely immersed and invested in their survival.

I am in awe of how many emotions can be wrung from you whilst reading one of Paul's novels-it never feels like you are being cynically manipulated into false emotions, it really exemplifies a writer who is a master of his art.

This novel is an odyssey, a voyage of survival, two women at the edge of a crumbling society who may just have the key to keeping things going. And offering hope.

I worked in a hospital through the pandemic and the very real, and palpable sense of rising fear clashing with your professional responsibilities towards patients who were possibly as scared as you yet looking at you for reassurance and support is not an easy path to navigate. Walking down empty hospital corridors, seeing the army in the canteen, having a news blackout on communication, going home and shouting at your family not to go near you till you stripped and put your entire scrubs, outdoor clothes, shoes and under things into a bag, anti- bacc-ing your entire body and praying you did not bring this home to your loved ones was a theme which was way too close to home.

It's all depicted so realistically, the sense of danger, fear, emotions all over ridden by the need to do the right thing and keep calm when inside you are screaming, the feeling of hopelessness and loss are so pertinent. And what redeems it all is hope. It's the little things which keep you going, the relationships you maintain with your friends , all of it just the beating heart of this novel. The idea of zombies, a creature which does not respond to logic, reasoning or any negotiations is so relatable. There are people walking amongst us completely oblivious of the massive issues going on, all around the world, the highlighted inequality of wealth and lack of perception of overriding privilege are so neatly encapsulate. Those who have would take, rip, tear and destroy without any real understanding of why. 

This is what makes Paul Tremblay such a phenomenal artist, his depictions of humanity in all its forms (and out of them) are spot on.

This is very much a story along the lines of The Electric Kingdom or Station Eleven , in the sense that this is a pandemic story with a focus on the relationships and survival instincts of human characters. I am realising that this just isn't something I would willingly reach for.

Survivor Song follows Rams as she tries to save her heavily pregnant friend Natalie after she becomes infected by a rabies virus that is turning those infected into "zombies". The whole book follows this journey. And while it is riddled with people and animals trying to chew the faces off our main characters it felt incredibly slow-paced.

I felt that everything that happens along the way is pretty standard and predictable, with the only engaging aspect being will Natalie get to give birth to a baby that isn't zombified? Beyond that, this book seemed to lack much to keep the reader engaged. I enjoyed the writing and the character exploration but it felt very basic as far as story-telling goes.

A fine book, but there are others in the genre that provide so much more.

Paul Tremblay have become one of the horror writers to count on, and I have bought all his books. In this book, published during the pandemic, a rabies-like virus is spreading in Massachusetts, and turning people into a kind of zombies. The characters must fight for their survival in a landscape that seems eerily similar to what the world have been going through now. That made this book way more scary, and I had to take breaks whilst reading it.

Moving and well written, this book is a must read for every fan of Paul Tremblay´s writing. Readers who love a good horror story should also check it out. I ended up buying a copy of the book, so I can keep it on my shelf and read it another time.

Although this reviewer has been a fan of Paul Tremblay’s since his breakout hit ‘A Head Full of Ghosts’ I have to admit to not loving his recent output.

Short stories anthology Growing Things has its moments but is very inconsistent whereas I found a sense of detachment from The Cabin at the End of the World.

So I was little cautious when starting his latest output, Survivor Song. Thankfully I was rewarded with what could be his finest story to date.

Survivor Song feels oddly timely given it is set around a worldwide pandemic and the paranoia and false information this can involve. It almost feels like it was written yesterday given the echoes of real-life (especially here in the UK) with some considering the whole thing to be a hoax and others battering down the hatches as lockdowns are imposed.

Tremblay like Stephen King, thrives on focusing on small pockets of characters plus he really knows how to write from a female perspective. This may sound odd, but some male authors cannot assume the female point of view, but Tremblay manages it with ease.

We focus on young nurse Ramola and her heavily pregnant friend Nat who must negotiate a rabies-like virus which is spreading amongst humans and animals in New England.

Survivor Song begins at a breakneck pace with not a chapter wasted to get us into the thick of the chaos before levelling out with rich characterisation of our protagonists.

This is ideal for fans of a short read too, clocking in at just over 200 pages.

Assured and adept, Survivor Song is a tune worth listening to.

Well hold the mother-fucking door! Allow me to go on record and declare that there will never be a better time to read Paul Tremblay’s Survivor Song than 2020, and I managed it by the arse of my pants! Tremblay is a decorated horror novelist that I am ashamed to say have never read, until now. The guy has a huge responsibility on his shoulders, but he is still swimming, still telling stories that stay with the reader. This story is going to be one that I will remember and hold in regard to the year 2020.

I’m waffling (not unlike the victims of the super rabies that have taken hold).

Let’s play the Survivor Song. Can you remember where you were when you heard a particular song? Where were you when you read Survivor Song? In a cruel twist of fate, I was in lockdown. I’m one of these twisted individuals that just love reading about pandemics IN a pandemic. So, lock those damn doors, have a weapon close by and never, ever, leave a door open.

A grieving wife, pregnant with their first child. A shock virus is spreading within Massachusetts. A strong, super contagious mega-rabies is spreading from animals to humans. Its contracted by saliva and as a result the entire state goes into lockdown (sound familiar?) The hospitals can’t cope, the emergency services are overrun, and no residents can leave the state. Dr Ramola Sherman, a paediatrician is being drafted in as second tier support and no-one is more shocked than her at how quickly things have gotten out of control. However, a plea for help from her best friend, Natalie turns both their worlds upside down. Natalie’s husband has been killed by an infected neighbour and she has sustained a bite that could be infected with the mutant rabies.

Survivor Song is a tale of love and hope, believe it or not. Natalie is a deep character that is dealing with hope, loss, and fear. She is a strong and capable character but in her vulnerability is where you see her immovable need to put someone else first, her unborn baby. The virus trope is a an old one, but Tremblay does more than rehash an old script. He examines the fear and the mental strain pandemics place upon the human psyche. The vulnerability etches a bullseye for everyone to see and just how that world reacts to it was just perfection. Natalie’s struggle was hard to read, I was mesmerised by her plight and Tremblay has played a blinder with this one.

Dr Ramona and Natalie are against the clock. Natalie needs immediate medical care and Ramona believes she has the sway needed to get her it. The way Tremblay wrote an incredibly fractious situation through a potentially infected character was so spot on, I was floored. You could feel the fear and love for her unborn child. We seek something when our worlds are falling apart…a connection, help, understanding.

Releasing this book at this moment in time? Mind-blowing!

Survivor Song at the hands of a deft magician delivered pain and anguish whilst in freefall. A cautionary tale about the things that could just be around the corner.

Survivor Song
Paul Tremblay
Publisher: Titan Books
Page count: 336pp.
Release date: 7th July 2020


It's often been said that writers are almost psychic when it comes to the horrors they imagine, and have predicted remarkable inventions, wars, discoveres or in this case, viruses.
I'm writing this review amidst lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic 2020. Rather ironic then, that this novel, first talked about by the publisher well overa year ago, brings us on a journey with Paul and Natalie during a virus curfew. Natalie is heavily pregnant and reliant on best friend Ramola, a doctor, to ensure she gets support for the impending birth.
Though the people in the journey might change, swap over or start other stories, it is the connections between them and the sense of growth that pervades throughout the novel.


Epistolary in nature and set/written in real time - think the Keifer Sutherland show '24' - it includes social media comments, which reflect the innate stupidity of some people, with risque jokes - if this were real, but in the context of fiction they are actually light relief - anti-vaxxer commentary, real human concerns and a great sense of humanity. Much like now, we are aware of a virus but at first that belongs to other people.
The worries start with quiet rumbles.
Via a group message between paediatrician Ramola and her group she says "I realise it’s an emergency but we should have proper PPE regardless as a safeguard."


Scattered dialogue or comments on social media are scarily prescient;


“—the quarantine will help get the spread of the illness under control—”
“—and it fucking dove right at my front tire.”
“—everyone will be all right as long as we don’t . . .”


I don't know to what extent, if at all, Tremblay edited in aspects of the current pandemic, but it contributes to the escalating horror. Amidst that though, and some very visceral scenes, are the poignant and harrowing moments that are beautifully written.
"After shared, restrained laughter, they drive in silence, passing through this new ghost town, where the ghosts are reflections of what was and projections of what might never be again."
This, more than anything, encapsulates the burgeoning tension that Ramola and Natalie experience as they're on their road trip to help Nat give birth safely. Terrifyingly, it also feels very much like 'now'; the now of the pandemic, the feeling of fear mixed with cold shock at the drastic changes to the world we live in.
Without spoiling the end, it is a good ending in so far as it can be, in a fictional world of a vicious strain of rabies.


It's not always an easy read, but it's timely, poetic and brilliant.

I actually read this book way back in July. Because what's better than reading about a deadly pandemic in the midst of lockdown?
This was actually pretty different from a lot of other pandemic novels. Okay, it was about a zombie virus (even if it's not officially acknowledged as that) but it was so *realistic*. The lockdown, the overrun hospitals, the lack of PPE... It was really similar to what I'd heard and experienced in the height of our own lockdown. It was weird but it shows just how plausible and well-thought-out the book actually was.
So the outbreak in this book refers to a new strain of rabies that infects humans and causes changes in behaviour - especially increased violence. And in the middle of it all is Natalie. Natalie is pregnant, due to give birth any day. But then her husband is killed in their own home, and Natalie herself is bitten by a rabid madman. If she's infected, the clock is ticking.
Natalie tries desperately to get to a hospital to be cared for and try the experimental vaccine. She does eventually make it into a hospital and is due to have a C-section performed. But then things start happening in the hospital and she's sent to another - but the ambulance doesn't make it. So with the help of her friend, a doctor, Natalie tries to get herself and her baby to safety before her time runs out.
This had one of those bittersweet endings that I really appreciate. I won't spoil it, but it's... different. I kind of had my suspicions about this conclusion from quite early in the book, but it didn't feel overly predictable or anything. It was well-written and gripping.
Overall, this was a really good book. There was a good level of emotion, and lot of anticipation and excitement. A strong 4 stars!

I've had Paul Tremblay on my 'must-read authors' list for a long while, and so I was full of excitement and anticipation when I received an advanced copy of his latest book.

Survivor Song is kind-of(?) a zombie book, although it didn't really read that way in essence. Sure, there are some typical zombie tropes sprinkled conservatively throughout the book, but the horror and tension is actually fairly hard to come by in this novel. Surprisingly, it read to me more like a character-driven story about friendship (but, like, in an ocassionally gruesome way).

Normally, I don't mind a character driven novel - in fact, I often prefer them - but this felt so out of place in the narrative that I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this book. The two female leads were great, multi-dimensioned, interesting. The relationships felt real, full of history and emotion. The concept was promising, and there were genuine moments of tension.

However, most of the book felt flat and directionless, and almost at a remove from the apocalyptic events occuring all around. Plot points were predictable and the ending was a bit of a flop for me, sadly.

If you like novels about people rather than a fast-paced plot, this one may be for you. A slower paced zombie book that isn't changing the game in any way, but resonates with the politics and pandemic of today.

Over the past few years Paul G Tremblay has steadily built an impressive reputation as a writer of dark fiction, with such acclaimed novels as A Head Full of Ghosts, Disappearance at Devil’s Rock and The Cabin at the End of the World. I’ve long been a fan of his short fiction but until now his longer work has evaded me. So I thought it was about time I rectified that.

Survivor Song, his latest publication, tells the story of pregnant Natalie, and her struggle to stay safe in the wake of an extremely virulent outbreak of a rabies-like virus that has decimated Massachusetts (and maybe beyond). She makes contact with her old friend, Dr Ramola ‘Rams’ Sherman, a paediatrician at a local hospital, and together they embark on an anxious journey to save Natalie and protect the life of her unborn child.

The story is eerily prescient – in terms of the societal impact during a pandemic – and at times makes for uncomfortable reading, due to the all-too familiar nature of the proceedings – things like road-blocks, self isolation, supermarket stockpiling, societal panic, etc. The novel takes place over just a few hours, and is fast-paced and well-written, with a beautifully controlled prose. What I most liked about the story was that Tremblay largely ignores the wider impact of the pandemic, and instead focuses on the characters and its direct effect on them, which in turn offers us glimpses of the wider world as a secondary strand. It’s a technique that works well, never letting us forget that these are not merely puppets who have devastation thrown at them in an effort to see how they cope, but instead are very real characters who behave in a believable manner.

There’s a stark inevitability to the plot, and Tremblay should be applauded for his integrity on delivering on the developments that he sets up as the story progresses. The characters of the two central women are nicely balanced and varied, and while I didn’t particularly care for the two teenagers that they come across, the story still felt natural and uncontrived.

The author makes a clear effort to distance the plot from that of a ‘zombie’ novel – even going so far as to have one of the characters dismiss the word outright – but this book works equally as well as a zombie novel as it does any kind of genre thriller involving engaging characters and an over-reaching threat. The science feels authentic, and is subtle enough to be believable, especially with the comparisons against life in COVID-19 2020 adding an extra level of verisimilitude. I’ll definitely be keen to check out more of Tremblay’s novels. I really had a great time reading Survivor Song and I have no hesitation in recommending it widely.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

I am a big fan of Paul Tremblay and consider him to be one of the best contemporary horror writers out there, so I was highly anticipating his latest, which coincidentally takes place during a pandemic.

Natalie is 38 weeks pregnant when her husband is viciously attacked by an infected neighbour and killed. Nursing a bite on her arm, Natalie flees to her best friend Dr Ramola Sherman and the two women set out on an epic quest to find safety somewhere in the rabies-ravaged landscape that has become of Massachusetts.

I recently tuned into a (virtual) in conversation event with Paul Tremblay, where he talked about his inspirations behind Survivor Song. Of course, with the unpredictable, very recent virus, I knew that COVID-19 couldn’t possibly have been the trigger for it. Paul said that the book was actually born from his sister’s experiences as a nurse through the Ebola outbreak in 2014 and his own interest in the spread of misinformation. However, due to the state of the world, of course, this book will now never be read outside of the Coronavirus context.

The structure and rhythm of Survivor Song mirrors that of a folk rock song. The highs and lows flow in the same way that the quiet verses and dramatic choruses follow each other. I grew to expect the return of chaotic tragedy during the lull of the heartfelt tender moments. I love this way of writing and I love being able to notice it even more!

The last time we see teenage boys Josh and Luis is a fantastic example of how Tremblay incorporates fairy tales into this horrendous narrative. We know that original fairy and folk tales are incredibly dark and there’s something that is both somehow unsettling but weirdly fitting about inserting them back into a relatable, contemporary horror story. I can’t decide how much of this heartbreaking but somewhat beautiful scene is what really happened to Josh and Luis or whether it’s an allegory for the transition to adulthood. This uncertainty fires all sorts of shots in my brain pathways and it’s this smart writing that makes me think that it really could hold either or both of these meanings.

Ramola has a text exchange with some of her medical friends towards the beginning of the book and it really hammers home how ill-prepared health systems are for crises. It also illustrates how medical staff are treated by the frightened and uninformed, which we’ve all now seen firsthand over the last few months. Naturally, this ups the scare factor and lets us know how alone and unprotected the virus survivors are.

Natalie spends some time recording messages for her unborn child to listen to, as she knows in her heart that she won’t survive her infection. She talks in such candid detail and it’s heartbreaking that she’s doing it under the fear that she will never get to meet her baby but is desperate for her child to know her in some way -a whole other kind of horror.

Ramola is a fantastically strong character and I’d love to have an ounce of her courage. I get the impression that she’s the kind of woman that some would find aloof and ‘unusual’ due to the fact that she lives a mostly solitary life, dedicated to her career. She makes all of the tough but necessary decisions but Tremblay still manages to give her a tremendous warmth that becomes essential at the end. Ramola is by no means a typical male-written Mary Sue horror heroine and I found this super refreshing.

Survivor Song is a suspenseful, tearjerking thriller that will undoubtedly haunt you in a unique powerful manner. It is a zombie book of sorts but there are so many layers and nuances that I could never accurately describe it as that. Tremblay is a master at evoking impending terror, creating characters that you really care about and at tapping into real human fears and this latest novel embodies all of that.

This is the third Paul Tremblay book I've read and it just confirms what a great horror writer he is. To be honest this was a tough read, purely because of the timing. Reading about a virus moving through the population, panic buying at supermarkets and PPE shortages at hospitals was just a little too much to read about in June 2020. But that just underlines how great the book is. Tense and terrifying.

Survivor Song by Paul Tremblay was a strikingly realistic and emotional novel with so much feeling and heart, it moved me immeasurably and I’m not afraid to say that I shed a tear or two when it came to its subtle yet powerful end. It’s not about zombies but it is about figuring out a way to survive amongst the chaos of a virus wreaking havoc amongst the people. It’s about friendship and trust, of having faith in the people we love, and knowing that even if the worst happens, we will live on further than the days we are allowed. Action-packed, chilling and incredibly eye-opening, this was a such a gripping and exciting novel, I thoroughly enjoyed it and I already know that I’ll be returning to this author for more in the future.

In Survivor Song by Paul Tremblay readers meet pregnant and recently-widowed Natalie, and paediatrician, Ramola Sherman. Having been friends for years, it’s up to Ramola to deliver Natalie safely to a hospital, in order for Natalie to have her child delivered safely. It’s a race against time, a battle against the infected, and a war in itself, to bring a healthy new-born into the world amongst such danger and chaos.

Paul Tremblay sets the tone of Survivor Song instantly. Within the first couple of chapters, we discover that Natalie is pregnant, and we also witness her husband be attacked by a sick and infected man who smashes his way into their home and sinks his teeth deep into Natalie’s husbands’ neck. Unable to save him, this was a devastating scene and my heart hurt for Natalie and the loss of her unborn babies’ father. It’s dark, shocking and, I think, the perfect way to begin this story, because the truth is, it is brutal. This scene delivers a simple message, and that is that those who are infected do not care about who they take a bite out of. The infected don’t have feelings or thoughts, they don’t have compassion, and they really don’t care if they’re tearing apart families as they make their moves. The virus not only spreads through people, but through animals also, meaning there’s even more to be scared of when outside in the streets. There’s a threat around every corner, and the author captures the fear and confusion so beautifully, it’s almost impossible to not feel ones’ breath alter while reading.

I’ll admit that at first glance, I assumed that this was going to read just like many of the other thousands of zombie novels out there, but it was just so different. Rather than focusing on gore and horror (though there was still a fair amount of this included), this story really focuses on emotion and friendship, and those two themes contrasted so fantastically with the horrific setting, it really stood out to me and seemed so brave in its boldness. Even despite the terrifying circumstances, Paul still manages to write with a certain tenderness that touched my heart but scared me at the same time. It’s this beautiful dance between emotion and fear that drew me into this story. It absolutely took my breath away and held me captive throughout.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It held my attention throughout and ensured I remained keen to know what would happen next. It’s the emotion that Tremblay evoked which caught my attention above all else. To mix terror with tenderness is such a skill and it really captured my imagination. The characters, the situations they face and the end result was fantastically achieved and I am so eager to read more from this author.

With thanks to the publisher for the advanced reading copy of this book, that of which has no reflection on me providing a fair and honest review.

I'm grateful to Titan for a free advance e-copy of Survivor Song via Netgalley.

In an alternative USA, a deadly virus spreads, overwhelming the hospitals, bringing normal life to a halt and prompting bizarre conspiracy and origin theories...

No, this isn't covid-19, although Tremblay's timing is spooky. Rather it's an aggressive mutation of rabies. Aggressive both in being super-contagious, and very quick to take hold. Within hours of being bitten or otherwise exposed, victims becomes irrational, frenzied and dangerous. Essentially the story follows several hours in the lives of two women as they struggle to make their way though a familiar city that's suddenly become a post-apocalyptic landscape.

The comparison with the current pandemic is the most obvious point to make about this book, and Tremblay is definitely on the knuckle here. Witness his portrayal of doctors and nurses struggling to respond without adequate PPE and without knowing exactly how the virus behaves or what it may or may not do, unclear rules ('last night there was confusion as to whether turning off the light was a recommendation or if it was a requirement in accordance with the government-mandated curfew'), the behaviour of 'doubters, naysayers and the most cynical political opportunists' - and a 'Jackass president'.

However, that would only be the most superficial analysis. There's a lot more happening here. The bulk of the story is about two amazing young women, paediatrician Ramola Sherman and her eight-months pregnant friend Natalie - who needs to get to hospital fast. "Rams" is British, born in South Shields with a mother who emigrated from Mumbai as a child and a white father - she is therefore an object of double suspicion to the paranoid militias which have taken to the streets. "Nats", her college friend, is in deep trouble - her husband lost to the virus, her child coming along and about to be born in a world that's all gone to pieces. The relationship between the two is well drawn, funny but also moving and - at times - downright heartbreaking.

Tremblay is matter-of-fact about the fact that Nats is suffering mood swings: 'The earlier muting of her personality has swung one hundred eighty degrees into manic levels of Natalie. is this how she is coping?' - the question being, or is it something else? Ramola is fearless and resourceful, whether begging help from strangers, working the medical system or figuring out what to do next in an increasingly constrained series of desperate moves through a landscape gone to Hell where humans, animals, the authorities may all be a threat (Natalie's so short on time that a traffic jam blocking the way to a besieged hospital may be enough to cause a fatal delay).

It's a story heavy on action, a chase from one danger and into another as hospitals fail, roads are blocked and law breaks down. But it's told with delicacy and even moments of beauty - leaves fall '...whirling in invisible eddies... until they land, as they must, and join the autumnal mob usurping the shoulders of the road'; a young police officer stands 'as tall as a folktale' and Nats and Rams odyssey intersects with other sad lives, in particular giving a deeply affecting portrayal of two young men, Josh and Luis, living their lives on the margins, who believe, perhaps, that the outbreak is their time to shine, to be the heroes of the movie. They're wrong ('Luis thinks that the dimming or leaking away of who you are is the worst thing that can happen to anyone') and indeed, one of the ideas examined mercilessly here is the tendency in real life to see events such as this through the lens of a film or TV miniseries or, indeed, a fairytale. Nevertheless, the two get a moment that is 'them at their best' and an opportunity to do the right thing.

This is not, Tremblay tells us several times, a fairytale, and his roundup of what happens after ('The virus doesn't herald the end of the world... [but] emergency services... will be stretched to their breaking points, exacerbated by the wily antagonists of fear, panic, misinformation... a president unwilling and woefully unequipped to make the rational, science-based decisions necessary...') may perhaps be taken as a description of the real world, as much as of a story, at least in an optimistic case.

It's a totally gripping novel, actually taking place over the course of a few hours and best read in one go, allowing the reader to be taken over by the sense of urgency and peril here. A horror story where the general setup may feel familiar from fiction but the detail is painfully credible and true to life. I'd recommend.

Thank you to Titan Books and Net Galley for this #gifted copy.

Other than having a knack for reading apocalyptic-viral outbreak related fiction these past few days (looking at you, Station Eleven), can I just say, WOW? "Survivor Song" was my first foray into Paul Tremblay's works, and as a big horror fan, I was not disappointed. The first half of the novel made me crawl under the covers (after having made sure that all the windows and doors were locked from potential rabid and infected individuals trying to break in). Alternating perspectives between protagonist Ramala, her pregnant friend Natalie, and briefly Luis, a heroic teenager, Tremblay narrates a world in the not-so-distant suddenly hit by a rabies-like virus that most definitely does NOT create zombies.

After inhaling about two - thirds of the novel in one sitting, I realised that the "horror" aspect stopped halfway, and gave way to a lingering sense of despair that is so commonly the hallmark of post-apocalyptic novels. "Will they survive?" "Will they make it?" "Will Natalie and her baby be okay?" So, upon finishing the book, I was left with a sense of melancholy - and a reminder to not become too invested in characters, at the risk of being emotionally scarred. Although the plot felt somewhat undeveloped (mostly due to ambiguity on the virus' origins, and the greater world response), the characterisation was impeccable, making "Survivor Song" essentially a human story of resilience, grit and tacit acceptance of an unavoidable fate. A must-read.

Waaah! This is a book where my jaw was dropped in fear, trepidation and horror throughout the duration!

Survivor Song is about a rapid onset of an animal-spread super strain of Rabies in New England, where those infected can show horrific symptoms within an hour of being exposed to the virus.

Natalie is eight months pregnant and infected from a bite from a carrier who has just brutally killed her husband. She runs to her best friend Ramola (Rams) a doctor, and together, they try and make their way to a hospital to get help for Natalie.

The race to stop Natalie’s infection and safely deliver her unborn child is terrifying and relentless in its obstacles. The city is in chaos, traffic heading to the hospitals are in gridlock and the hospitals themselves are overwhelmed and under attack.
The main part of the story covers a period of just over a couple of hours and because it’s almost in real-time with read time, you really feel like you’re on that nightmare trip with Nats and Rams.

Is this a Zombie book? No, not really, but as Natalie says, “They’re sick people and they turn delusional and violent and they bite, but it’s easier to say zombie than “a person infected with a super rabies virus and no longer capable of making good decisions.”
So we’ll stick with ‘Zombies’.

Reading this during a global pandemic gave the book that extra touch of creepiness. Not that we’ve witnessed mobs of violent, rabid Zombies (unless you count the loo-roll hoarders from the early days) but there was a degree of WTF recognition.

The mention of quarantine, chaos in hospitals, lack of PPE, conspiracy theories and a President “unwilling and woefully unequipped to make the rational, science-based decisions necessary”, is all a bit too close to the bone and makes for uneasy reading.

I don’t often read horror, but I’d happily add more Paul Tremblay to my TBR pile.

Thanks to Titan Books and Netgalley for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for a copy of Survivor Song.

I was feeling pretty apprehensive about that one. I'd heard many good things about Paul Tremblay, but the first book of his I read strongly disappointed me. You might have guessed it, I'm talking about Cabin at the End of the World, which had a really exciting promise but just ended up very meh and frustrating.

And yet here I was, requesting a copy of Survivor Song.
What's the verdict, then?

Well, I liked it quite a whole lot more than Cabin!
For once, the ending is pretty clear (and not too disappointing).

There's also the fact that the book is really gripping. The whole story in those few hundred pages happen in not even a day – just a few hours when everything goes to absolute sh*t. This makes for a very interesting read even in the best of times.
And that was not the best of times, because, as you just MIGHT have heard, there's the tiny matter of a worldwide pandemic which had us all freaked out.

I can't even imagine how stressful it must have been to read that book in the midst of the pandemic, when it wasn't perfectly clear how dangerous the virus was. At that time, everything seemed impossible – and that includes a virus transforming people into zombies-but-not-really-zombies.

Finally, the set of characters was really interesting. The main character being British made for a lot of funny dialogue, and both of the characters were really funny and touching as a whole. I actually felt sorry for them, which happens quite rarely – not that I'm heartless, mind, but I usually take a bit of a step back.

So, yes, this made me want to read other Tremblay's books, which is a pretty good achievement seeing how much Cabin let me down!

Definitely do recommend if you're looking for a zombie novel with a twist, or for a bit of gore that, scarily, doesn't seem too far-fetched.

This is a book that couldn’t be read at a better time.

A book about the world going through a lockdown for a deadly virus, while we are also on lockdown for a deadly virus? It’s like Tremblay knew what was up...

My friend absolutely loves Tremblay’s books, so I had to give this a go. He’s well known in the horror genre, and yet I never gave him a chance until now. I’ll have to rectify that soon, because this was awesome!

Rabies is terrifying on its own, but add Tremblay’s flare for horror and make it zombie rabies and you have a recipe for an apocalypse. But it’s the people we focus on and their struggle to survive in this hell hole, especially when your best friend has been infected with the virus that takes an hour to infect the person, and add the conflict of said person being pregnant, and it’s enough to leave you on the edge of your seat.

I adored the friendship between Ramola and Natalie, how their camaraderie was shown during their most stressful times, even during the bleakness of their situation. It can show how difficult times can bring people closer together, or the alternative where humans become animals even when not infected.

The writing was great. It had an easy flow, but built up the atmosphere and anticipation. I felt anxious when things got intense, and was hooked until the last page. I can’t wait to read his other books.

I don't know if I was more scared by the plot or the descriptions of pandemic when there's one.
It's brutal, creepy, moving and gripping. I was terrified and couldn't put it down.
The author is a talented storyteller, the world building is crude and realistic, the characters are interesting.
It's the first book I read by this author and won't surely be the last.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

The state of New England is in lockdown, a virulent new strain of plague having swept the land. Hospitals can’t cope and society is teetering on collapse. Amidst all this carnage, a pregnant woman, Natalie, is bitten and her husband killed. Natalie flees her house and calls her closest friend, English-born paediatrician Ramola Sherman. So begins a road trip across the pandemic inflicted landscape.

Survivor song is billed as both a pandemic novel and the author’s take on the zombie genre. The rabies virus in this book is virulent, affecting people within hours. Then becoming delusional and aggressive, the victims act like zombies from the movies.

From my experience readers are torn at the moment when it comes to reading pandemic-set fiction. Some are shunning it, wanting escapism from the Covid-19 lockdowns of reality. Others are embracing it. There’s clearly still a market, with Contagion being one of the most-watched films on Netflix and a number of such titles flying from the bookshelves. Personally, I have to admit to being in the former camp and so was a little wary of reading this. But Paul Tremblay is an author who I’ve heard much about and I’ve been reading quite a bit of horror recently, so I dived in.

I have to say that I’m glad I did, because this is a brilliant book, possibly my book of the year so far. In part it’s because it’s not a pandemic novel as such and it’s not really a book about zombies. Both these elements are there of course, but really this is a book about friendship. Two women, who are close friends, who have to navigate the aftermath of a disastrous event.

There are touches of social commentary: a President ill-suited to confronting the crisis and unwilling to take control; the peddlers of conspiracy theory and the racism, xenophobia and militias they stoke; two young teenagers who view everything through the prism of video games and Hollywood movies. It all works well, but at heart, this is a simple tale of two friends' reliance on each other and their attempts to get through in one piece. It’s in its telling of this simple truth which makes this book excel.

Horror fiction is having a bit of a resurgence at the moment and Paul Tremblay is one of the new breed of authors leading the charge. Survivor Song is the first novel by him that I’ve read, but on the basis of this, I’ve already bought one of his earlier titles, The Cabin at the End of the Woods. His publisher, Titan Books, is on a run too. Not only do they publish Tremblay, but they also publish Tim Lebbon, who’s novel Eden was excellent, and I’m looking forward to The Only Good Indians, by Stephen Graham Jones.

Survivor Song is truly an excellent novel and a great addition to the Titan Books canon. I can't recommend this book enough.

Thanks to NetGalley and to Titan Books for providing me an ARC copy of this novel that I freely chose to review.
I have read a number of glowing reviews of Tremblay’s novels and being a horror fan, I was eager to read one of his books. When I found this one was available for request and read the description, I requested it although wondering if, in the current situation, I’d dare to read it. Then I read a review of it by one of the reviewers of horror I trust and decided to take the plunge. I’m pleased to report it was the right decision.
The description does justice to the plot. This is one of those novels that seem to start with a big “What If” , and we have a clock ticking to ramp up the tension. The fact that the situation has become familiar and requires far less suspension of disbelief than it might have when it was written adds nuance to the story and also increases the chill factor. Yes, the details are different (there is a virus, but it is a variety of the rabies virus rather than a coronavirus, and therefore the illnesses are very different, thankfully), but the background situation and the consequences of the health emergency are eerily similar (lack of resources, lack of PPE, confusion, hospitals overwhelmed, lack of coordination, fake news, conspiracy theories, nay-sayers, heads of governments ignoring scientific advice…). Rather than going large, the author bring the crisis to a personal level, focusing on the story of two women, one British who emigrated and studied Medicine in the US, Ramola, or Rams, and the other, her best friend, Natalie, Nats, married and in the late stages of pregnancy. They shared an apartment while they were students, and although their lives have changed, they’ve kept in touch. Things go wrong very quickly, and Ramola is soon forced to make decisions that place her professional duty in the balance against her friendship. Would you put your duty to society before your friendship or your love for your family? This is a question many of us have probably wondered about, and many have been force to face for real in recent times.
The story turns into a nightmarish road trip where almost everything is against the protagonists. There are infected animals (and people) on their way, roadblocks and rogue patrols wondering the streets, and every time they seem to get a break, a new obstacle or delay makes survival more and more difficult. And, of course, we have the illness itself, which turns humans (and animals) into raging wild beasts.
I have mentioned some of the themes, and although this is a dystopian story that feels like reality at the moment (unfortunately, reality is looking grimmer than this novel’s scenario), and it does have much in common with zombie stories (no matter how insistent Rams is that the infected are not zombies, and, of course, they are not dead but ill, their behaviour is quite similar), it is also a story about friendship and the families we create. We have not only Ramola and Nathalie, who are like sisters, but also other characters (especially a couple of teenage boys, Luis and Josh, who are like brothers, share a dark secret, and whose story is given space as well). There is no lack of social commentary either: there is a strong indictment of the lack of training, of PPE, and of resources in general that hospitals and health providers have to contend with, and also support for the usefulness (indeed need) of vaccines and vaccination campaigns. (Tremblay explains at the end that his sister works at a small hospital and she gave him a lot of information. They make a great team). Although none of it is original, it does work well, and the focus on only a few characters makes it very compelling.
The story is written in the present tense (for the most part), in the third person, although the chapters alternate between the points of view of Natalie and Remola in the three main parts of the novel. There are also a prelude, and interlude, and a postlude, which are told from a seemingly omniscient viewpoint, where the narrator provides a frame and a commentary on the story itself (we are told this is not a fairy tale, it is a song, and we are also given information about the larger scale of things, and even told about the future). My experience with present tense narration has not always been good, but I felt it worked well here, as it makes readers feel as if the story was taking place right now, and as the main narrative develops over a few hours, it does bring home the relativity of time, how two minutes can feel like two hours, or vice versa. The book has some lyrical passages, and it’s particularly strong when reflecting the way our minds can wander even at the most inconvenient moments, and how we all have our own protective mechanisms (telling ourselves stories, taking refuge on events from the past, fairy tales…). The author writes fluidly and he makes good use of the alternating points of view, and of other devices, like Facebook chat pages, the video diary Natalie is keeping for her child… This also provides variety and a bit of a break from the tension of the story.
I’ve read some reviews where people didn’t like the book because they didn’t like the main characters. It is true that because of the way the story is told, if you don’t connect with the two protagonists, I don’t think the story will work. We don’t know everything about the two characters straight away, as much is revealed through the novel, as they think about the past, about shared experiences, and also about the future. For me, the relationship between the two characters felt real. They often knew what the other person was thinking, they cared for each other and it was like reading or witnessing the interaction between two close friends, where not everything needs to be said, and there is a lot of background to the relationship that will not be evident to strangers. Being a doctor, I probably felt closer to Ramola and her difficult situation, but I enjoyed the story and I also got to like Luis and Josh (and some of the minor characters as well).
The ending… Well, if there wasn’t a postlude, the ending would be ambiguous but the postlude makes up for it, and we get a satisfying ending (if not particularly surprising). I confess I’m not a fan of happy endings for horror novels (or films), but this is not standard horror, and despite the warnings about this not being a fairy tale, I do think it reads like a fairy tale for adults (or a scary tale). And perhaps the ending is right for the times we are living. Let’s hope…
So, yes, I recommend this novel to fans of Tremblay, and to readers of horror or dystopian fiction in general. I’d advise readers to check a sample, in case the present tense narration doesn’t work for them, and if you prefer your stories big and your disasters of world proportions, this is not that kind of story. Although the focus is on a couple of characters (mostly), there is plenty of violence, blood and guts, so I wouldn’t recommend it to those who prefer their thrills to be subtle and understated. Also, if you are concerned about reading this story right in the middle of a pandemic and are very anxious about the news, I’d recommend waiting for a while before reading it, because it does hit very close to home. I look forward to reading more novels by this author.