Well, this was a slog. I just never connected with the characters and found the whole thing pretty boring. What a letdown.

What a fascinating book. I was impressed by the storyline and the characters were all well written and complex. Where there are complex storylines combined with intriguing characters the reader experience is magnified tremendously. To have a book that is well written as well as entertaining is a delight. Reading is about escaping your world and entering another one. Here I forgot about my own life and was immersed in the world created by the author. I would recommend this book.

Another amazing book by Paul Tremblay. He’s an auto buy author for me. His stories always grab me. He’s just a tremendous talent.

Paul Tremblay’s take on a pandemic is spot on as far as the reaction to it. I normally don’t read dystopian novels but this one looked interesting with the idea of a virus that spreads easily. I heard about this book prepandemic and wanted to read it then, and then the pandemic hit and this was just a little much. Now, that we have a little light at the end of the tunnel I was able to read this for the book that it is. He focuses on the story of Natalie who is pregnant and attacked by a rabies infected person. Her husband is killed during the attack. She knows she has little time to seek treatment and her doctor friend comes to her aide. The two of them try to get to the hospital and so many things go wrong. Along the way though they meet a couple of kids that try to help them. It is a great story about not just pandemic woes but friendship and caring for others.

Thank you Netgalley and William Marrow for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

If there was a time to read this book it was last year or now. The eerie similitudes with the pandemic we're living in and the story on this is uncanny.

Between the virus infecting the victims aggressively, the government impose quarantine, the "it's all a hoax" group and anti vaccine groups , the fear leading to violence, the long lines to get into the hospitals for treatment once people get infected, the craziness and frustration of trying to get tested and treat it. Doesn't all these sound like the crazy reality we live in?

I'm not much of a horror genre reader but this book got me hooked since page one until last page.
I truly recommend this book.

I usually love Paul Tremblay and look forward to his books. Massachusetts has been overrun with a virus that causes people to go mad and attack others, biting them in an attempt to spread the virus before they die from the virus. Natalie is a pregnant women who becomes bitten by her husband. In terror for her unborn child she calls her friend Dr. Ramola "Rams" Sherman, a pediatrician begging for help. This story should have been everything I enjoy. Great author, zombie like violence and a trek through a city filled with dangers. Unfortunately I just couldn't get interested in the main character. I didn't find much to like about her and was disappointed in the ending. Still, if you enjoy Tremblay's work and zombie like horror give this book a try.

I thought I could do it, I reeeeeally thought I could do it but I'm noping out of this so hard. Would definitely like to try again AFTER the pandemic, as Tremblay is an author I like and he writes extremely well.

Definitely recommended for horror fans.

Fast paced, great dialogue, very spooky, definitely worth the read. Tremblay knocks it out of the park again with this insane and delightful read.

I was both really excited for "Survivor Song" because of how good "The Cabin at the End of the World" was and a little nervous because of how bleak "The Cabin at the End of the World" was. Though, they both have a relatively small group of characters that the book stays with the whole time, "Survivor Song" is a very different book. While this (sort of) is a zombie-ish book, keeping the focus on two characters for a relatively short period of time was an interesting way to set it up. Both of the female leads are genuinely likeable and their friendship feels authentic and I thought the alternating point of view chapters was done well. I got wrapped up in their story and the ending was pretty satisfying. So, while this wasn't the gut punch that "The Cabin at the End of the World" was, I was slightly relieved for that. I’m incredibly grateful that I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Survivor Song is not exactly original in its conceit, but it’s told well. And confidently. It takes guts to tell a genre story so… mundanely. And I don’t necessarily mean that in a negative way. Tremblay makes it pretty clear pretty early on that Natalie and Ramola are the stars of this story—not him. Even the plot is secondary to the leading ladies; the outbreak almost becomes background occasionally. Some authors are practically characters unto themselves in their telling of their own stories, but Tremblay is perfectly fine letting the lives of his characters play out. And do so in real time, more or less, is a testament to his skills as a craftsman.

Viral outbreak/zombie stories offer a fairly large canvas for their creators. Paul Tremblay could’ve opened up the scope and written something on a more epic scale. But he went in the opposite direction, and I rather respect that.

An eerily relevant zombie horror novel. A virus is running rampant through the US, and the government is doing way too little, way too late to contain it. And our main characters are running out of time to receive treatment after being infected. The novel is a series of calamities, all of which culminate in disaster and disappointment. It moves quickly, and has just enough creep factor without being exceptionally gory. A great read if you want to imagine how the COVID-19 pandemic could have been much worse.

While certainly fitting for our current times, pandemic, zombies and all -- this is not one of Paul Tremblay's best works. While the story is well written, it lacks the gusto of an original tale, and there is little to foster an emotional connection between reader and character. One of the main characters is unlikeable (although you feel for her plight), and the few that peak genuine interest are lacking in backstory, leaving the reader to wonder, for what purpose. Overall, a decent read, but if you are a constant Paul Tremblay reader, this one may disappoint.

Maybe not the best book to read during a global pandemic, but if you’re like me and love a good disaster, run (don’t walk) to the nearest bookstore to pick this up.
Well written, suspenseful, absolutely shocking and gory while still tugging at the heartstrings, this is Paul Tremblay at his finest.

What a truly haunting and desperate book that resonates so much in the current climate. Paul Tremblay has an uncanny ability to write about things that would make excellent horror movies, but are also eerily similar to real life events. During an outbreak of rabies that cannot be contained by current vaccines, two friends since college race to get to medical treatment before the virus takes over one of them and destroys her and her unborn child. Filled with moments of panic and unease, you will want to keep reading, but also want to throw the book away as you realize how close to real life this can be. Such an excellently done book, and one that all horror fans need to read.

I was very excited to start this book. It started off great and it seemed to pick up about 25% of the book. there was alot of action going on at the hospital but soon deflated once they got in the ambulance. The journey for the female characters became very drawn out and irritating.

So much to unpack here. Reading this during a pandemic was surreal and it may have affected my journey with this one. I may or may not have disassociated a few times because it all felt too real- it made me realize I mostly do read to escape my world for sure. I loved how that yes the villain in this story is a rabies virus, however, at its core is the evil in humanity that escalated everything. Reminds me a lot of what I see in society today as we constantly fight each other on the validity of the pandemic and it’s just...exhausting. Anyways - I overall liked it but Cabin at the End of the World is still my favorite of his apocalyptic novels.

I was hesitant to read this due to the current state of the world but i'm so glad i did. Another superb story from Tremblay. He has a gift for sucking readers in. An amazing writer.

I absolutely hated Natalie but somehow I also understood the protag's determination to save her and her child, which speaks to Tremblay's complex and impressive character building. Absolutely terrifying to read this during an actual pandemic.

Paul Tremblay has done it again! This time he forays into pandemic horror, which turns out is a timely thing. Set in the near future, a rabies-like outbreak that also affects humans is taking over the world. A pregnant woman gets bitten, so she calls her pediatrician friend for help getting to a hospital where she can hopefully get the vaccine and survive her bite, while also saving her baby. This dark story is filled with strong characters and very solid writing. If you're looking for a unique zombie-like story, this is a good one to read. If you want something pandemic-like, this is a good one to read. And if you're just looking for some good horror, look no further. Be sure to check out Survivor Song today!

It all starts with a virus, one that rages out of control. A pandemic aided by poor government response, misinformation, and a good portion of society that thinks it’s all just a hoax. No this isn’t a non-fiction book based on current events. This is Survivor Song by Paul Tremblay. And it’s one helluva ride.

This intense and fast paced tale hits the ground running and never lets up. We follow two women, Ramola and Natalie, bound by friendship and the need to survive. They race against the clock, and the savagery of humankind. Natalie has been bitten. She has just hours to find the treatment that may stop the virus from turning her into a mindless infected zombie and kill her unborn child.

The entire book takes place over the course of a day. Intense isn’t a strong enough word for this book. It’s an experience. A heart-racing, anxiety-filled, scary-as-hell experience. I wonder if Paul Tremblay knew just how close to reality this book would be when it released. Reading this during our current pandemic was eerie and unsettling. Even so, I could not put it down. I read well into the small hours of the morning to finish it in just one sitting. It was brutal, and scary. At times, it was even heartbreaking. Paul Tremblay is a master storyteller and proves it with Survivor Song. He just became an automatic buy for me. Don’t miss this one!