Though I've been keenly aware of Paul Tremblay for years, this is his first book I actually read. It's his first premise that simply demanded to be read by me, specifically. Despite the stressful parallels with the real world, I still like an outbreak story. Also, the tight focus on a few characters with very specific journeys/goals is always something that grabs me. And though the setting isn't super important to general readers, I grew up in the exact area of Massachusetts where the book takes place, so I felt ready to visualize everything in vivid detail (and did). Finally, as a relatively new parent, I tend to devour fiction about how to carry on with a family while the world around us falls apart. All of this is to say that I finally read a Tremblay book and he's great! His writing is efficient and lean and powerful. There's just one little Tremblay writing quirk that I found weirdly lazy and overused, especially considering how sharp his prose is otherwise. He propulsively drives the plot forward but knows when to take a beat for more thoughtful character moments. The overall result is a breathless thriller that also has some depth and vision beyond just scaring the crap out of readers. Definitely looking forward to more of Tremblay's work and, time permitting, may dive into his back catalog as well.

I love Paul Tremblay, but I am particularly terrified of zombies. So I had mixed reactions to this book. The writing is gorgeous and lyrical; the content is disturbing. More so when read in our current climate. I can't decide if Tremblay can predict the future, or if he's just incredibly lucky. I will say he picked one heck of a time to write a novel about a horrific pandemic that forces the country in quarantine. Survivor Song, read while in the grip of the COVID-19 pandemic, will either astonish or terrify. Probably both. Read this one inside, with your doors and windows locked.

This is a truly addictive story! I'm not sure what it says about me that I devoured an ARC of this book during an actual pandemic...I was hooked from the first page till the very end. The characters are wonderfully written I became fully invested in them.
Tremblay brilliantly has some parallels with government response in the story to our current status which was quite creepy.
If you're a fan of the author this is a must read for you! This was my first time reading a Paul Tremblay book, I am now an official fan myself who needs to read more of his books ASAP.

Slow moving story that takes place over a few hours during a rabies epidemic that turns animals and people into zombie like monsters. Alternating first person chapters don't do much to further the plot.

I will leave a review on Amazon or B&N on July 7th

Survivor Song by Paul Temblay is not my typical read, but sometimes it is good to mix things up. I am not sure if it was so much the book, or it is the Pandemic that we now find our self in that I never really could get into this book. I see so many awesome reviews for this book, but for me it just didn't click. Having said that I always suggest to others to read the book for them self and make their own decisions on the book.

I received an ARC of the book from NetGalley and the publisher, and this is my fair and honest review.

Very creepy book, especially in the midst of a pandemic! I liked it. It was well written and held my attention throughout. I really liked Natalie, and I was sad about Paul. 4 stars!

This is one helluva scary, tension filled ride!
An aggressive rabies virus is turning all mammals into drooling, angry zombie like beings once bitten. The transition to full on cray-cray from getting bit is within an hour or two.
Nats is pregnant and gets bit.
Rams is Nats best friend and a Doctor.
This fast paced story takes place over a short period of time as the two desperately seek a hospital that will deliver Nats baby. The action and suspense start at the get-go and ramp up to a hair raising, heart pounding conclusion that doesn't disappoint. The timing of the books release is apropos to the current pandemic that makes it that much more scary and real. I loved this one and highly recommend it to those who enjoy a story that 'almost' parallels current events.

I’ll begin this with the admission that I wasn’t a big fan of Paul’s most popular novel, A Head Full of Ghosts. However, there were genius moments in that novel that made me want to check this new book out. The publishing world is slow, so when the author actually wrote this book he was merely speculating on a long-distance future. However, months into a global pandemic and the future that Tremblay describes in his book is suddenly our reality.

In the novel, a new form of rabies virus has made the jump from animals to humans and the effect is devastating. Since the onset of rabies plays much like flu-like symptoms, this feels very eerily similar to what we’re dealing with right now with COVID-19.

The reader can automatically assume which President the author had in mind when he wrote the following: “A president unwilling and woefully unequipped to make the rational science-based decisions necessary.” Especially given the fact of how our current President has managed the pandemic we’re living.

The novel is very fast-paced as all the events take place within the same day, much like how horror movies do. If you wish to read a fast-paced horror with strong female bonds, then this book is for you.

*Thank you so much to NetGalley and William Murrow for the digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Well, if you’re in the mood for a scifi thriller that involves everything we’re seeing today (“Where’s your mask?” “This virus spreads faster than anything we’ve ever seen!”), then this book is for you.

I will say that other reviews, and a rave blurb from Stephen King, made me think this was going to be extremely scary and violent, and while those elements are there, this book actually focuses more on a mother and her friend who are doing everything to make sure the mother gives birth before succumbing as so many have already to a virus that’s spreading through animals and turning humans into zombies.

This is the first book I’ve read by Paul Tremblay, so I can’t speak for his other novels, but I can say I’ve honestly read scarier and worse by Stephen King – which is not a bad thing.

Nowadays, there’s a sensitivity that has to take place with novels like these, so Tremblay keeps up the suspense without making it seem so totally immersive you can't see your way out as a reader.

If you enjoyed “Bird Box”, this book follows along a similar path though is a lot more hopeful than that novel. Natalie, the mother-to-be, has to leave her house following the death of her husband (who in quarantine had to go out quickly to get groceries and come back home – sound familiar?) at the hands of an infected.

Her longtime friend Dr. “Rams” is helping her give birth - after Natalie is exposed to the virus too after her husband's killer bit her. Both women start a journey to protect the mother and her unborn child as the virus spreads and harm comes at them from every corner.

I will say I had an odd sense of not even being surprised by some things (people’s unwillingness to believe in the virus’ severity for example or the use of masks) since we’re in the state of the world as in the book which was written before anything started. But, that didn’t take away from the suspense of Natalie, who records short messages to her unborn child, as she faces an unknown survival in this gripping tale.

Not as intense as other reviews have made it seem (that's a good thing), but a thriller nonetheless.

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for early access to this title due July 7th.

Not just another apocalyptic zombie book, Survivor Song is exactly the read you didn't know you needed while on lockdown during a global pandemic. Tremblay wastes no time setting the stage. Immediate agoraphobic anxiety is created as Natalie waits and worries for her husband to get home. The tension is palpable then and for the entirety of the novel as ticking time-bomb Natalie and friend "Rams" are put through one nail-biting moment after another. The pacing is cutting and well-schemed, leaving you breathlessly waiting for the next blow.

An eerie credible likeness of 2020's COVID-19 woes—from the lack of PPE to the Presidental underreaction—is painted as the protagonists face this new rabid reality and set off on their own. Woefully bleak, Survivor Song is emotional and visceral with characters you immediately can find relatable. Tremblay's ability to convey human emotion sometimes even overshadows the plot. From the difficult decisions to the heartbreak, it's hard not to become emotionally invested in these characters, knowing it will just gut you when it all goes pear-shaped. Even then, it's not all doom and gloom. While the overall storyline is dark, ultimately the undercurrent is humanity, friendship, and standing with someone through it all.

This book wasn't for me. I did not find it fast paced at all. The chapters are too long and I just didn't find the story interesting. I didn't care for the two main characters either. I think this story would make a better movie than book. The entire book takes place over a few hours, which I have decided is not my jam. Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this title.

I have been reading Paul Tremblay since Head Full of Ghosts, and as all have been great reads, Survivor Song is my new favorite. Small girl's road trip through hell. Following the emotional up and downs between the women (and the two boys, but in a smaller manner), kept me reading to see what happened next.

Wow! A story about two friends navigating a world where a rabies like illness spread in the population. One of the friends get bitten when attacked by an infected. This is their journey and story in an attempt to get the medical care they need. This is my second Paul Tremblay book that I have read. His writing gives a sense of isolation and pure fear and desperation of his characters. Some scenes are very vivid for those with sensitive stomachs. I enjoyed being pulled into the world he created. Thank you to the publishers for giving me a free copy.

Summary: A virulent, rabies-like virus is spreading across New England, turning both animals and humans into mindless, roving killers. Natalie, at nine months pregnant, is in a race against time after her and her husband are violently attacked by a neighbor, leaving him dead and her infected. As the pandemic begins to surge, Natalie and her college friend Dr. Ramola “Rams” Sherman must navigate the changing world, desperately searching for a doctor who can perform a cesarean section before Natalie falls victim to the disease, putting her child at risk. The path ahead of them will not be easy, but with the help of a few “randos” along the way, they will do whatever it takes to survive.

There is no doubt that this compelling ode to the not-zombie genre is set to release at an opportune time, conveniently poking at the heaping pile of anxieties that are now being shared by people all across the world. With many of it’s less speculative themes—from lines at the grocery store all the way to Reddit rabble-rousers—landing eerily close to home, the average reader may find themselves left with an enduring sense of terror that has little or nothing to do with the number of bloodthirsty infected out roaming the streets. While that alone is captivating, what makes Paul Tremblay’s Survivor Song stand out as more than just the right book at the right time is its near perfect balance of metahumor and suspenseful, nail-biting horror. This fast-paced narrative accomplishes, in only a couple, in-story hours, what few others can do with the entirety of an apocalyptic (or post-apocalyptic) timeline at their disposal.

With a pair of believable, cheer-worthy protagonists backing this watertight formula, the reader gets not only a terrifying thrillride, but a whole lot of heart to back it up, creating stakes that go far beyond the usual fight for survival formula that’s been seen time and time again. From Natalie’s journal recordings for her unborn child, to Ramola’s steadfast bravery and dedication to her friend, Survivor Song offers a depth of character that is all too often lacking in modern horror. Add to this a team of familiar, teenage vanquishers stampeding there way through the fourth wall and the trifecta of suspense, drama, and humor is complete, producing a page-turning read that has the ability to find a home on just about anybody’s bookshelf—not that you would expect any less from a Paul Tremblay novel.

Verdict:

Whether you consider yourself a zombie aficionado or, like many others, are tired of seeing the same old song and dance played out time and time again, Paul Tremblay’s Survivor Song is for you. With convincing characters, fast-paced action, heartbreaking horror, and enough self-awareness to keep even the most fussy of the meta-generation ironically engaged, there is little doubt that this is one ride you’ll want to stand in line for.

See more at www.blindcornermagazine.com

Frightening. Moving. Tremblay at his best. I've enjoyed most of his other titles, but found this one particularly compelling. Readers will enjoy this story and find the characters compelling. The timing of this plague novel will either be good or bad for it, but it is going to ring a little bit true based on the current state of everything. It is a fast paced thriller that is sure to captivate readers. Head Full of ghosts remains my favorite, but this is up there with that title. Happy reading!

I'm honestly not sure I breathed at all while reading this! What a journey, goodness. This book was made to be a movie, and it reads like it. Hardly a chapter went by where there wasn't a feeling of dread, yet I couldn't stop reading. Did Paul Tremblay write this before the onset of Covid-19? Because it feels like this could be happening literally anywhere in the world at this exact moment, which made it even more terrifying.

Bottom line: 100% would recommend.

Thank you again for the advanced copy. Much appreciated.

Despite this hitting a little too close to home right now it just wasn't a good read. I don't think its a good idea to publish a book about a pandemic like this in the time of COVID, but that's just me.


SPOILERS BELOW







Aside from the poorly chosen time to publish this book the characters were just abysmal. Rams is a sorry excuse for a doctor. What kind of doctor puts their friend first over everyone else trying to stay away from the infection and trying to be treated at the emergency room? Never mind that as a pediatrician what kind of pediatrician takes her knowingly infected and infectious friend on a bus full of other pregnant women and newborns to try to facilitate care for her friend that she knows is already infected and therefore dying. Terrible person.

Nats herself was not worth saving, let's be real. Why did she even go to Rams in the first place if she could have driven to the hospital herself? Just leave Rams out of it. Why would you purposefully go when you know you could infect your friend?? And why was Nats adamant about saving her baby over herself when she admits more than once in the book that she told her husband to save her over the baby if something should happen. Yet now the baby is the most important thing in the world to her, so let's waste time making rambling rabies induced nonsense recordings so the poor kid has some craziness to remember her mother by in the future.

Just nothing here worked for me. How was Nats able to fight off the infected man but her husband was not? How could you calmly walk out of a house where your husband is lying dead? Why would a head dr in a hospital full of infected patients put priority on a likely infect patient to get a c-section?

Seriously none of this book made sense to me. Luis and Josh were interesting and the fate they endured was not fair to them.

Just a rambling misguided story in my opinion. Sorry, it wasn't for me.

QUICK TAKE: I read this before the Covid-19 pandemic really took off, and it was f*cking scary then, I can't even imagine what it would be like to read right now. The opening alone is worth the price of admission if you enjoy horror stories, it's TERRIFYING. The rest of the book is a road trip story about two friends- a doctor and her best friend who happens to be infected...and pregnant- who must get to the hospital to deliver said baby before the infection fully takes over. It's classic Tremblay and I'm here for it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

I've seen Paul Tremblay's books before, but have always been a bit creeped out from the synopsis. I thought it was finally time to give one of his books a try. Of course the one I pick to read is about a pandemic during our pandemic. The disease is rabies-like virus that is spread by saliva, but has a short incubation period of an hour or less. Those infected quickly lose their minds and are driven to bite and infect as many others as they can before they inevitably succumb. The main characters, Natalie and her friend Ramola, are trying to get to a clinic that is treating pregnant women and new mothers after the rabies-like virus hits. I really enjoyed this fast paced read and will definitely be reading the author's backlist.

Definitely an interesting book to read during a pandemic. A book about a rabies-type outbreak that feels like a zombie apocalypse because people are a huge threat to one another. Two women are in a race against the virus to obtain a C-section while medical care is scarce. The dual POV works well, and Rams describes the action while Nats records her thoughts/feelings for her unborn child. This book feels very immediate and is definitely heart-wrenching in spots, and it also provides plenty of gory and horrific moments.