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What Survives
After a devastating global pandemic, the world has gone quiet. She hasn’t seen another living soul for weeks, just the piles of corpses lining the streets. With an enthusiastic dog named Scram, a photo of her wife, and the memory of an old friend at her side, she hikes across Europe to answer one question: has her family survived?
An unsettling presence watches her from the shadows. As she walks through empty cities being reclaimed by nature, she grows less certain that the yellow-eyed creature is just a figment of her imagination.
What Survives takes readers on a gripping journey of grief, resilience, and the relentless pursuit of life.
An unsettling presence watches her from the shadows. As she walks through empty cities being reclaimed by nature, she grows less certain that the yellow-eyed creature is just a figment of her imagination.
What Survives takes readers on a gripping journey of grief, resilience, and the relentless pursuit of life.
308 pages, Paperback
Published August 12, 2023
13 people are currently reading
893 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
August 8, 2023
“I have picked up hitchhikers all over Europe, and now, I’ll leave them behind. I can’t stay”
This was probably one of the most haunting things I’ve read in a while. I’m not a lover of pandemifiction as I call it, but this was really something else.
What hit me when I finished this book is that you never learn her name, along the way she gives everything but herself a name, which is pretty striking.
We follow her pilgrimage from the UK to her parents in Norway after the worlds population has been ravaged. After her wife dies and without being able to contact her family she leaves her home to travel to find her family in hopes they’ve managed to survive like she did.
Along the way she’s kept company by her dog scram and the voices of her dead friends and confidants. The story is a pretty grim look at the fragility of a person once they’ve been stripped of everything they know and care for and how our demons follow us wherever we go.
Parts of the story were really difficult to digest as there’s some pretty dark plot points, rape, miscarriage, murder, death of children. You name it it’s in here but it’s handled really well and kind of drives the pilgrimage onwards.
I was honestly gutted when this book ended, I just needed to know if she made it back to herself after everything.
There aren’t enough words to really do this story justice, it’s just something that will stick with you long after you close the book.
The importance played on all the little items picked up along the way until she’s able to lay them all to rest at the end was just a really beautiful nod on remembering people you found and lost along the way.
This was probably one of the most haunting things I’ve read in a while. I’m not a lover of pandemifiction as I call it, but this was really something else.
What hit me when I finished this book is that you never learn her name, along the way she gives everything but herself a name, which is pretty striking.
We follow her pilgrimage from the UK to her parents in Norway after the worlds population has been ravaged. After her wife dies and without being able to contact her family she leaves her home to travel to find her family in hopes they’ve managed to survive like she did.
Along the way she’s kept company by her dog scram and the voices of her dead friends and confidants. The story is a pretty grim look at the fragility of a person once they’ve been stripped of everything they know and care for and how our demons follow us wherever we go.
Parts of the story were really difficult to digest as there’s some pretty dark plot points, rape, miscarriage, murder, death of children. You name it it’s in here but it’s handled really well and kind of drives the pilgrimage onwards.
I was honestly gutted when this book ended, I just needed to know if she made it back to herself after everything.
There aren’t enough words to really do this story justice, it’s just something that will stick with you long after you close the book.
The importance played on all the little items picked up along the way until she’s able to lay them all to rest at the end was just a really beautiful nod on remembering people you found and lost along the way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 17, 2024
What an absolutely cracking well told story of grief, loss & resilience. I absolutely loved this book.
Pilgrimage to seek inner solace to escape the trauma demons both physical and imagined that haunt and invade our peace of mind and gain perspective that only taking on these personal terrors is well played out in this tale.
The apocalyptic backdrop with its enforced solitude is a perfect macguffin to focus on the inner turmoil of painful memories and the inability unburden them by sharing with another living soul.
Glad the author acknowledged the similarities with "The Road" it gives the story permission to move past it and IMO a more satisfying read.
All in all this is an outstanding piece of work, it has taken a very old premise and infused it with a modern take on guilt, sorrow, loss, the beasts our minds conjure that howl & snarl in our darkest moments and the release that comes when they are finally overcome.
An outstanding book which i would recommend.
Pilgrimage to seek inner solace to escape the trauma demons both physical and imagined that haunt and invade our peace of mind and gain perspective that only taking on these personal terrors is well played out in this tale.
The apocalyptic backdrop with its enforced solitude is a perfect macguffin to focus on the inner turmoil of painful memories and the inability unburden them by sharing with another living soul.
Glad the author acknowledged the similarities with "The Road" it gives the story permission to move past it and IMO a more satisfying read.
All in all this is an outstanding piece of work, it has taken a very old premise and infused it with a modern take on guilt, sorrow, loss, the beasts our minds conjure that howl & snarl in our darkest moments and the release that comes when they are finally overcome.
An outstanding book which i would recommend.
February 16, 2024
What an amazing, thought provoking piece of writing! Thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish and will be for sure recommending this to all my friends and fellow book lovers!
August 21, 2023
I don't think I can really out this book into words. I have read a few books si ce covid that have been centred around pandemics and the effects they have etc, but, this is probably the most haunting one I have read and will probably be in my head forever.
I think this hook was so relatable in a way as I think it was a concern that we all had during the pandemic especially those with family in a different country and so for this reason She and her journey was so relatable.
This is such a hard and heartbreaking read that my soul almost felt destroyed at the end of it but in a good way if that even makes sense. I would highly recommend reading this for a different experience that will stay with you forever.
I should warn you though there are some very dark aspects of this book which could trigger some people such as sexual assault, miscarriage, murder, death including that of children. However it is done very well and is necessary to drive home the importance of her journey.
An absolutely fantastic book and She is a fantastic character.
I think this hook was so relatable in a way as I think it was a concern that we all had during the pandemic especially those with family in a different country and so for this reason She and her journey was so relatable.
This is such a hard and heartbreaking read that my soul almost felt destroyed at the end of it but in a good way if that even makes sense. I would highly recommend reading this for a different experience that will stay with you forever.
I should warn you though there are some very dark aspects of this book which could trigger some people such as sexual assault, miscarriage, murder, death including that of children. However it is done very well and is necessary to drive home the importance of her journey.
An absolutely fantastic book and She is a fantastic character.
June 18, 2024
This novel has banished any lingering aspirations I had of ever writing a book. I am unable to pour as much of myself into anything as the author has done here, and any lesser effort on my part would seem unworthy after this. I must confess to some bias since I know the author, but I honestly think she has summed up a lot of the fears and sorrows our world is left with after the pandemic, and there are some universal (if harsh) lessons here about facing our griefs and pasts.
February 24, 2024
This book delves into loneliness and grief in a unique way during the end of the world, making it a gripping read that captivated me from start to finish.
February 17, 2024
I read this book in like two days which is incredibly quick for me. It was so goddamn good and i loved every second of it. I got it in a reading box (The end of the world reading club) so i got to open these little gifts as i went along and that got me really immersed for some reason?? Like oh she’s using dental floss and i have dental floss! Also i just realised i dont think we learn her name? It is like 12am and i am exhausted so i could be just forgetting it, but i like that. Loved this book so much.
September 3, 2023
My Review:
We all experienced and emerged from the pandemic. But what if the pandemic was the end of the world and only a bunch of us survived?
This book 'What Survives' by @ameliabilities is post-pandemic fiction that grabs your attention from the first paragraph. As we embark on a journey from England to Norway with our main protagonist 'She’ and her furry companion Scram, the readers are transported to a world of multiple emotions that reminds us the power of relationships and companionships. This story is a straight FIVE STARS for me as the author very well captured the essence of the post apocalyptic world and the yearning it would bring if you were the only survivor. The writer has also wonderfully crafted the power of resilience and tolerance a human being can have with her strong character portrayal of ‘SHE’. Scram and Lady are adorable furry companions. In Kobus, we find very thought provoking insights of the human needs and wants. His way of viewing things is brilliantly written by Amelia. Loneliness is a demon and it has been aptly portrayed in the book too.
I must say that this book will definitely stay with me for a long time for its sheer brilliant character progression, the past and the present POVs, the in-depth plot and attention to details. This book takes us on a journey of grief, resilience, hope and relentless pursue of life!
I absolutely recommend this to my friends and fellow booklovers!
Thanks @kellyalacey from @lovebookstours for providing me with the copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.
We all experienced and emerged from the pandemic. But what if the pandemic was the end of the world and only a bunch of us survived?
This book 'What Survives' by @ameliabilities is post-pandemic fiction that grabs your attention from the first paragraph. As we embark on a journey from England to Norway with our main protagonist 'She’ and her furry companion Scram, the readers are transported to a world of multiple emotions that reminds us the power of relationships and companionships. This story is a straight FIVE STARS for me as the author very well captured the essence of the post apocalyptic world and the yearning it would bring if you were the only survivor. The writer has also wonderfully crafted the power of resilience and tolerance a human being can have with her strong character portrayal of ‘SHE’. Scram and Lady are adorable furry companions. In Kobus, we find very thought provoking insights of the human needs and wants. His way of viewing things is brilliantly written by Amelia. Loneliness is a demon and it has been aptly portrayed in the book too.
I must say that this book will definitely stay with me for a long time for its sheer brilliant character progression, the past and the present POVs, the in-depth plot and attention to details. This book takes us on a journey of grief, resilience, hope and relentless pursue of life!
I absolutely recommend this to my friends and fellow booklovers!
Thanks @kellyalacey from @lovebookstours for providing me with the copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.
August 24, 2023
So I'm not sure where to start with this book. I've not read anything quite like this before I haven't read any post pandemic books or anything pertaining to the pandemic so for me this was really out of my wheelhouse, but holy cow I don't think a book will stick with me like this one will.
Wow. I mean this book made me sob. Legit I felt like my heart was breaking my soul was crying. I mean the writing of this book was amazing and everything in it was done so tastefully. I mean I'm so glad I got to read this book. I feel like it was so different than my normal reads. She is such a strong main character I could go on and on but then what would I leave for y'all ?? Do me a favor and get this book but be sure to know this book has many triggers so be sure to check them first.
Wow. I mean this book made me sob. Legit I felt like my heart was breaking my soul was crying. I mean the writing of this book was amazing and everything in it was done so tastefully. I mean I'm so glad I got to read this book. I feel like it was so different than my normal reads. She is such a strong main character I could go on and on but then what would I leave for y'all ?? Do me a favor and get this book but be sure to know this book has many triggers so be sure to check them first.
August 15, 2023
This book was such a hard book to read. She witnesses death every day of her journey from her home in Britain to her parents' house in Norway. She has lost so much just in the first half, and just when you think she can't lose anymore, she does. Her resilience, to her journey, and the sores on her feet from walking god knows how many kilometres. The grief she experiences and the fact that it follows her is to be expected, but her reaction to it being a shadow set on ripping her apart truly shows how desperate she has become. Even though she does find some comfort through her dogs, Scram and Lady. Everyone should read this book, it was so good.
August 25, 2023
I don't think I have ever read a book with more depth. The journey of a lone individual on a planet devastated by a disease that has possibly wiped out all humans. A quest to survive, a quest to find out if any of her family survived by walking to Norway, followed by her internal demons and primeval fears. I could not put this book down. It is scary, full of love and hope and tremendous human spirit.
August 26, 2023
“I loved seeing tracks shooting through forests and woods, seeing paths clearing their way through shrubbery and straw. I loved wooden bridges over streams, stone steps lining a hill, a viewpoint seen from far below. They all called to me, sang to me, told me I should be moving. That I should step into the wild and explore.”
A global pandemic has wiped out the world as we know it. Our nameless narrator hikes through empty towns towards her family remembering the life, and love, she has lost. She comes across death, and struggles to give memory and life to those that have been lost. Her goal is to discover if her family lives as she does, and hopefully to uncover somewhere that she is not alone.
An interesting premise and beautifully written book that celebrates life as we know it, and leads the reader to ask: what would you do if you were this alone?
The Good:
I love dystopian fiction, and this did not disappoint! So beautifully descriptive and realistic in its portrayal. There is a lot of flashing back to alternative timelines so the story never feels like it is dragging, and adds to the loneliness of the narrator, as it helps understand the great loss of her wife.
The Not So Good
The flash backs were within chapters set in present day, and there were some that it wasn’t clear it was a flashback. A great example is when she is walking to her family’s home but keeps flashing back to the start of her walk. Sometimes I got a little confused!
The Verdict:
This reminded me so much of a more lonely version of Station Eleven, which is one of my favourite books!! An amazing read for anyone who loves beautiful descriptive prose, and dystopian fiction!
A global pandemic has wiped out the world as we know it. Our nameless narrator hikes through empty towns towards her family remembering the life, and love, she has lost. She comes across death, and struggles to give memory and life to those that have been lost. Her goal is to discover if her family lives as she does, and hopefully to uncover somewhere that she is not alone.
An interesting premise and beautifully written book that celebrates life as we know it, and leads the reader to ask: what would you do if you were this alone?
The Good:
I love dystopian fiction, and this did not disappoint! So beautifully descriptive and realistic in its portrayal. There is a lot of flashing back to alternative timelines so the story never feels like it is dragging, and adds to the loneliness of the narrator, as it helps understand the great loss of her wife.
The Not So Good
The flash backs were within chapters set in present day, and there were some that it wasn’t clear it was a flashback. A great example is when she is walking to her family’s home but keeps flashing back to the start of her walk. Sometimes I got a little confused!
The Verdict:
This reminded me so much of a more lonely version of Station Eleven, which is one of my favourite books!! An amazing read for anyone who loves beautiful descriptive prose, and dystopian fiction!
March 22, 2024
What a stunning dystopian read that will stay with me for a very long time.
Our narrator finds herself living in the UK when the global pandemic hits. After her wife succumbs to the illness, she expects she will soon follow. When it appears she is immune she decides to take an epic pilgrimage on foot from the UK to her homeland of Norway. Despite the enormity of the trip, she holds hope that her family might also be immune and she wishes to be reunited with them at all costs. To keep herself sane (?) she talks to the ghost of her dead friend (Kobus) and re-plays their conversations in her head. Eventually she is joined on the journey by a dog (Scram) who provides company and comfort. It is bleak especially when the narrator fights her own inner demons but it is beautifully written and powerfully gripping. I’m not giving any spoilers but I did shed a tear or two towards the end. We never find out the narrators name but that doesn’t mean you don’t feel a huge amount of empathy for her and her will to survive.
This will go in my top 5 dystopian recommendations and will definitely be one of my top reads this year.
Our narrator finds herself living in the UK when the global pandemic hits. After her wife succumbs to the illness, she expects she will soon follow. When it appears she is immune she decides to take an epic pilgrimage on foot from the UK to her homeland of Norway. Despite the enormity of the trip, she holds hope that her family might also be immune and she wishes to be reunited with them at all costs. To keep herself sane (?) she talks to the ghost of her dead friend (Kobus) and re-plays their conversations in her head. Eventually she is joined on the journey by a dog (Scram) who provides company and comfort. It is bleak especially when the narrator fights her own inner demons but it is beautifully written and powerfully gripping. I’m not giving any spoilers but I did shed a tear or two towards the end. We never find out the narrators name but that doesn’t mean you don’t feel a huge amount of empathy for her and her will to survive.
This will go in my top 5 dystopian recommendations and will definitely be one of my top reads this year.
February 22, 2024
OMG what a fantastic book. I felt like every step she took, I took; every tear she cried, I cried; every hope she had; I had. I felt the loss of her family as if it were my own
The writing is immersive and you really feel like you are experiencing her journey through Europe and her hopes, dreams, triumphs and hardships.
You never learn the girl's name either and that (for me) helped me 'become' her and see the world through her eyes.
The writing is immersive and you really feel like you are experiencing her journey through Europe and her hopes, dreams, triumphs and hardships.
You never learn the girl's name either and that (for me) helped me 'become' her and see the world through her eyes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 30, 2024
Stunning book. I'm purposefully not adding any spoiler material in here because I just want to encourage as many people as I can to read this. It is so well written and it feels so intimate, so raw, it reads like you're reading a diary belonging to someone - or at least I thought so. I was so drawn in by the characters and her journey. Re-reading it for the 2nd time now, totally forgot to mark it as read!
March 7, 2024
Absolutely superb!
March 28, 2024
What Survives is a moving story of a young woman facing a long and lonely path ahead of her, travelling from the United Kingdom to her birthplace and family home in Norway after the death of her fiancée. Facing grief and the loss of all those who she cared for, she's on a mission to reach home again, to find out whether her family is alive or dead.
Along the way, she collects things, MP3 players of the dead, a way to carry on music and a small piece of that person that she had come across. Only a dog for company and the ghost of a friend long gone, she carries only her grief with her on the journey that is going to take strength and the relentless pursuit of life.
What Survives is a moving dystopian novel set in the aftermath of an unknown pandemic, one that starts with a cough and soon comes fever and then death for whoever is unlucky enough to come down with it.
Along the way, she collects things, MP3 players of the dead, a way to carry on music and a small piece of that person that she had come across. Only a dog for company and the ghost of a friend long gone, she carries only her grief with her on the journey that is going to take strength and the relentless pursuit of life.
What Survives is a moving dystopian novel set in the aftermath of an unknown pandemic, one that starts with a cough and soon comes fever and then death for whoever is unlucky enough to come down with it.
August 29, 2023
This book took me by surprise. I thought I knew what I was going to get from a post-pandemic survival story but this was an interesting and unexpected new version of that topic - and thoroughly enjoyable it was too.
The monsters stalking our main character are not zombies, or modified humans out for blood...they are a much scarier thing to stare down and do battle with.
The author really gets across the utter bleakness and desolation of a world devoid of other people. It feels as though our main character is losing herself - she is never named, which is like a sign of the loss of identify and meaning, why do you need a name if you never have to introduce yourself to anyone ever again?
The writing is almost poetic a lot of the time, vivid descriptions of places and emotions that really hit you between the eyes and deep in your heart. It isn't just a sad story though, there is a real sense of hope in a new day and accepting your life changes rather than fighting them. The main character is unbelievably strong and resilient, but in a relatable way where I could see myself making some of the same decisions as her if I found myself in this situation where everyone I knew was gone and I needed to find a new normal in order to carry on.
A really good read that will stay with me.
The monsters stalking our main character are not zombies, or modified humans out for blood...they are a much scarier thing to stare down and do battle with.
The author really gets across the utter bleakness and desolation of a world devoid of other people. It feels as though our main character is losing herself - she is never named, which is like a sign of the loss of identify and meaning, why do you need a name if you never have to introduce yourself to anyone ever again?
The writing is almost poetic a lot of the time, vivid descriptions of places and emotions that really hit you between the eyes and deep in your heart. It isn't just a sad story though, there is a real sense of hope in a new day and accepting your life changes rather than fighting them. The main character is unbelievably strong and resilient, but in a relatable way where I could see myself making some of the same decisions as her if I found myself in this situation where everyone I knew was gone and I needed to find a new normal in order to carry on.
A really good read that will stay with me.
July 20, 2024
Best book I've read all year. Longer. Brilliant.
Gorgeous, haunting, moving depiction of grief and memory and horror and the fragility of self.
Gorgeous, haunting, moving depiction of grief and memory and horror and the fragility of self.
February 26, 2024
Such a beautiful writing style. It sucked me in and I felt like I was walking along with her. I love it when a book truly makes you feel something, and this had that in spades.
August 19, 2024
The most believable post-apocalyptic story I've read. The grief, the loneliness and the slow descent into depression and madness felt genuine and real. It was very moving and quite unlike most books I've read in this genre. The author's writing style suited the story perfectly. Excellent!
September 21, 2024
What survives by M. Amelia Eikli charts the passage of a female lone survivor of a devastating global pandemic as she crosses the UK and then Europe on foot en route to her family home in Norway.
As she travels she adopts a dog called Scram, so called as this is what she was shouting at him to try and get him to leave her alone and quickly bonds with him.
During the journey she reminisces about her life, recalls her loved ones and tries to memorise what was important to her, and to those she loved.
Dystopian stories are always dark, I guess that’s the point, but this book comes in to its own when nothing is really happening and the narrator reflects upon her life, which is written quite beautifully and sensitively.
Obviously not an uplifting story, not as dark as The Road, but still this is not a book I’d have enjoyed in 2020, but it is one which I confidently give ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ now, not solely because of the way the narrators feelings are brought to life on the page.
As she travels she adopts a dog called Scram, so called as this is what she was shouting at him to try and get him to leave her alone and quickly bonds with him.
During the journey she reminisces about her life, recalls her loved ones and tries to memorise what was important to her, and to those she loved.
Dystopian stories are always dark, I guess that’s the point, but this book comes in to its own when nothing is really happening and the narrator reflects upon her life, which is written quite beautifully and sensitively.
Obviously not an uplifting story, not as dark as The Road, but still this is not a book I’d have enjoyed in 2020, but it is one which I confidently give ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ now, not solely because of the way the narrators feelings are brought to life on the page.
February 21, 2024
A beautifully written, heart-wrenching story that will stay with you long after you finish reading.
March 6, 2025
Just closed the book. The palpable loneliness is gutting me.
August 29, 2023
"I screamed until my mouth filled with blood and my soul called out for death or salvation. There wasn’t a tear left in the sky, and none of the gods were listening. There was no compassion left on Earth, no one to care but me."
This is a sad and beautiful book, and as everything that's beautiful, it's also devastating in a way that life and death are.
What would I have done if I were main character in this book? I certainly wouldn't have survived that long, she's amazing and scary, she's trying to move on and is holding onto hope that her family might have survived, she could see them again if she get there in time.
It's a story of never giving up, there's beautiful sapphic relationship, love and loss.
But as every book with post pandemic setting, there's lots of content warnings, it is not a light read.
It's also not pessimistic in a way, it's actually really optimistic sometimes, and other times delusional.
"What difference does it make, to the world, to my soul, if I split open his guts and roast him over the fire?"
There's themes that I'm really interested in, what would I or anyone do in this kind of world? Would we do anything to survive? Would we take a life to keep living? I know my answer to this, and I got different one from the main character, and I also know what most people around me would say. And yet, I'm also hopeful that we won't ever have to keep ourselves alive by taking another life.
This is a sad and beautiful book, and as everything that's beautiful, it's also devastating in a way that life and death are.
What would I have done if I were main character in this book? I certainly wouldn't have survived that long, she's amazing and scary, she's trying to move on and is holding onto hope that her family might have survived, she could see them again if she get there in time.
It's a story of never giving up, there's beautiful sapphic relationship, love and loss.
But as every book with post pandemic setting, there's lots of content warnings, it is not a light read.
It's also not pessimistic in a way, it's actually really optimistic sometimes, and other times delusional.
"What difference does it make, to the world, to my soul, if I split open his guts and roast him over the fire?"
There's themes that I'm really interested in, what would I or anyone do in this kind of world? Would we do anything to survive? Would we take a life to keep living? I know my answer to this, and I got different one from the main character, and I also know what most people around me would say. And yet, I'm also hopeful that we won't ever have to keep ourselves alive by taking another life.
December 15, 2024
*20+ stars*. Wow. This one is going to haunt me for a long time. Heartbreak, horror, terror, love, memories, humor, and a long road trip to find a family that may or may not be alive. ‘She’ is a survivor of a world-wide devastating pandemic. Her wife, her friends, everyone in England is dead so she leaves to find her family in Norway. Along the way she finds a dog that she names Scram (because, well, she kept telling him to scram) and the horror of being alone with her grief and her guilt and her own mind. This book is beautifully written-it completely immerses you in this empty world and our main protagonist’s pain-but also her humor and her resilience. If you only read one book this year you MUST read “What Survives”. Just incredible, I will not forget it. Favorite & top book of the year, of several years actually.
“After a devastating global pandemic, the world has gone quiet. She hasn’t seen another living soul for weeks, just the piles of corpses lining the streets. With an enthusiastic dog named Scram, a photo of her wife, and the memory of an old friend at her side, she hikes across Europe to answer one question: has her family survived?
An unsettling presence watches her from the shadows. As she walks through empty cities being reclaimed by nature, she grows less certain that the yellow-eyed creature is just a figment of her imagination.
What Survives takes readers on a gripping journey of grief, resilience, and the relentless pursuit of life.”
“After a devastating global pandemic, the world has gone quiet. She hasn’t seen another living soul for weeks, just the piles of corpses lining the streets. With an enthusiastic dog named Scram, a photo of her wife, and the memory of an old friend at her side, she hikes across Europe to answer one question: has her family survived?
An unsettling presence watches her from the shadows. As she walks through empty cities being reclaimed by nature, she grows less certain that the yellow-eyed creature is just a figment of her imagination.
What Survives takes readers on a gripping journey of grief, resilience, and the relentless pursuit of life.”
October 12, 2024
What Survives follows a woman who is walking back to her family home in Norway and is seemingly the last survivor after a wave of pandemics have hit humans. Along the way she is talking to the ghost of her friend and thinking about her past and the pandemic. I thought this was ok, it was not bad but also not amazing.
It is interesting that The Road by Cormac McCarthy is referenced (but not named) as in some ways it is similar where there are people walking after an apocalyptic event, however The Road was much better done. The plots are very different but I think this lacked the atmosphere of The Road so most of the time I was not really feeling anything while I was reading and I did not care all that much about the main character. In parts the writing is good but lots of the plot just tells the reader things which are a bit like filler or just there to develop the character, I think the themes of the book could have been brought out better too. It is also a bit repetitive in parts.
It is interesting that The Road by Cormac McCarthy is referenced (but not named) as in some ways it is similar where there are people walking after an apocalyptic event, however The Road was much better done. The plots are very different but I think this lacked the atmosphere of The Road so most of the time I was not really feeling anything while I was reading and I did not care all that much about the main character. In parts the writing is good but lots of the plot just tells the reader things which are a bit like filler or just there to develop the character, I think the themes of the book could have been brought out better too. It is also a bit repetitive in parts.
December 30, 2024
What Survives.. Me, but barely while reading this slog of a book. If you enjoy too wordy, cheesy and cliche drama with over repetitive and filler dialogues with imaginary friends and being chased by also imaginary creatures you may enjoy this book more than I did. Also why having 2 timelines at same time when the flashbacks add nothing relevant to what's happening afterwards? Why not keep all going straightforward? Predictable ending, there was nothing new here. I've read a lot of better dystopias before by less known authors as this one. 2 stars.
May 25, 2025
This reads like a stream of consciousness. It didn’t work for me there was no plot. I kept reading to see if she made it home but it was very tedious. I think it might make a good short story but this one kept repeating itself, way too long. I like the ending the way she buried her past life in order to get over her losses. It’s a shame because I liked some of her writing and her thoughts. Just needs more plot tension and a plot .
June 22, 2025
What a beautiful, layered, stark story that scratches my post-apocalyptic fascination itch but glimmers with emotional depth. It’s a slow burn in the best way, following a journey plagued by demons and memories, but ultimately hopeful and appreciative of the beauty in life. This one will stay with me.
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