Survivor Song by Paul Tremblay (Review by Caitlin Winkler)

Rating: 4/5 stars

I am not scientist, but typically when you hear the term Rabies you probably think of a slower to progress virus that is transmitted by a bite from a rabid animal. It typically takes years, with a lack of vaccine, to reach the 100% fatal level of this disease and is completely treatable, when treated early, in its present form. Now picture a new type of rabies that has an unusually short incubation period while still having a 100% fatality rate and you have the pandemic at the heart of Survivor Song by Paul Tremblay. This book makes it very clear early on that “this is not a fairytale” and that you should not be expecting very happy endings.

Dr. Ramola “Rams” received a frantic phone-call from her best friend Natalie “Nats” who is 8 months pregnant. Nats reports that a rabid man has just killed her husband and that Nats herself has been bitten. So starts the race against the clock to treat the pregnant Nats and attempt to save both her and her baby. All told within about 3 hours, this is pure suspense for a reader. Raomla and Natalie are forced to contend with what they are witnessing while fighting for survival in a society crippled by disease.

If you are looking for a happy book to take your mind off the global pandemic this is not the book for you. If, however, you are looking for a book that is fast-paced, keeps your emotions pumping the entire time, and is literally about a different type of pandemic then this is absolutely the book for you!