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A review by ojtheviking
Survivor Song by Paul Tremblay
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
My first read in 2025! And we're off to a great start.
This is the second Tremblay story I have read dealing with concepts of the end of the world, but while one was shrouded in mystery and what-ifs, this one feels more plausible, and quite close to home due to recent events in the real world.
In terms of narration, Survivor Song has a different energy than the more subtle, haunting mysteries from his past. It begins more chaotic and fast-paced, and the suspense does stay mostly consistent throughout, albeit with some veritable moments to breathe and build character.
One thing I am please to still see present, is Tremblay's knack for getting to the heart of every scenario, whether it's a full-on horror novel, or if it's a borderline disaster movie-style situation. He is great at taking us out of the moment and shedding some light on the internal life of the characters, and the actual circumstances are more of a background setting for some human exploration to find place. Again, this is still present in Survivor Song, albeit a tad less so to make room for the intensity of the challenges they are faced with.
I also enjoyed how he approached this from a slightly opposite angle than one may have expected. Unlike most zombie or zombie-adjacent stories, the main focus here is the journey of someone who is already infected. The awareness of the inevitable, the moments of grief and panic, and in the middle of it all, a mother's desperation to make sure her child will be safe no matter what. It's an emotional journey, and that's where Tremblay always shines even in his most fantastical stories.
Some things are also very on point. While the actual predicament has more in common with something like the rage virus in 28 Days Later, there are some undeniably intentional parallels to our real-history COVID pandemic. It is especially made clear through some not-so-hidden social and political commentary.
A solid, gripping read!
This is the second Tremblay story I have read dealing with concepts of the end of the world, but while one was shrouded in mystery and what-ifs, this one feels more plausible, and quite close to home due to recent events in the real world.
In terms of narration, Survivor Song has a different energy than the more subtle, haunting mysteries from his past. It begins more chaotic and fast-paced, and the suspense does stay mostly consistent throughout, albeit with some veritable moments to breathe and build character.
One thing I am please to still see present, is Tremblay's knack for getting to the heart of every scenario, whether it's a full-on horror novel, or if it's a borderline disaster movie-style situation. He is great at taking us out of the moment and shedding some light on the internal life of the characters, and the actual circumstances are more of a background setting for some human exploration to find place. Again, this is still present in Survivor Song, albeit a tad less so to make room for the intensity of the challenges they are faced with.
I also enjoyed how he approached this from a slightly opposite angle than one may have expected. Unlike most zombie or zombie-adjacent stories, the main focus here is the journey of someone who is already infected. The awareness of the inevitable, the moments of grief and panic, and in the middle of it all, a mother's desperation to make sure her child will be safe no matter what. It's an emotional journey, and that's where Tremblay always shines even in his most fantastical stories.
Some things are also very on point. While the actual predicament has more in common with something like the rage virus in 28 Days Later, there are some undeniably intentional parallels to our real-history COVID pandemic. It is especially made clear through some not-so-hidden social and political commentary.
A solid, gripping read!