Book Reviews

So You Survived the End of the World: 1

W.A. Stanleyby
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Earth may be a nightmarish landscape, but that's no reason to stop the music. Post-apocalyptic life ain’t all doom and gloom for Sebastian Yun. The eighteen-year-old lives for broadcasting his music to the end-of-world-weary masses from behind the wheel of his sweeeeet, double-decker ride. But when making a pit stop at a small, dusty town, the self-made radio DJ runs into a shady old nemesis who totally kills his good vibes. This seasoned flimflam woman claims she can send the bloodthirsty creatures that prey on mankind back to hell. When Sebastian’s completely-not-selfish attempts to unmask the phony hit the wrong note, the very real danger is cranked all the way up to 11. Will Sebastian live to share more of his dope tunes, or will it be dead air from here on out? If you like charismatic characters, offbeat humor, and killer monsters, then you’ll love this YA twist on a post-apocalyptic future perfect for fans of Zombieland.

So You Survived the End of the World: 1
Written by K.C. Cordell

If there was ever a book that needed a Spotify playlist, K.C. Cordell’s So You Survived the End of the World: 1 is it. Admittedly, that may also hold true of the second and third books in the series, but at the time of writing, I haven’t read those yet (rest assured, though, I’ll have those reviews to you throughout the week). As important as the book’s post-apocalyptic setting is, perhaps more importantly—at least to its protagonist—is music from the days before humanity was ravaged by monsters.

Mad Max, this post-apocalyptic future is not, nor is it Zombieland, despite its comedy and the book’s marketing. At just 64 pages in paperback (or an estimated 66 pages on your favourite eReader)—or as the Amazon listing handily informs us, 15,000 words—this is a book only fits a barely-there plot. So You Survived the End of the World: 1  feels like a day in the life of its protagonist, who comes across his nemesis, Chancy, a conwoman who claims she can send the monsters ravaging Earth back to from where they came. It’s a light-hearted romp aimed at young adult readers that can be consumed in a single sitting, like a sugary snack that hypes you up for a little while, but provides no real sustenance.

Sustenance isn’t always necessary to enjoy your snack, and the insulin hit can be exactly what you want, or even need. Your enjoyment of So You Survived the End of the World: 1 will depend on how you find the humour, the characters, and most importantly, its attitude. The book’s attitude encompasses the entire story, with its humour rooted in it, and it matching the cynical nature of its protagonist, eighteen-year-old Sebastian. While the story doesn’t move at a particularly quick pace, the writing captures a frenetic energy, with rapid-fire smartarse remarks.

At the centre is Sebastian, a lover of music who runs a pirate radio show. He has an acerbic demeanour, which he uses in all his interactions. He has a nihilistic streak; rather than seeing hope for the future of humanity, he has apparently made his peace with the post-apocalyptic state of things, determining that these struggles are the natural state for humankind. Through this, he appears to have an attachment to the “Old World”—through both his love of music, and knowledge about trivia from our times—however, the book doesn’t dedicate any space to expanding upon this, and how much of a front his acerbic nature may or may not be. This nature feels a little too over the top, with the character’s actions sometimes verging on bullying. Sebastian is the least likable character in the book, yet the writing feels as though it’s enamoured with him, rather than acknowledging the inappropriateness of his behaviour. His sidekick, Meza, and nemesis, Chancy, both fare better. They’re incredibly fun characters who are a joy to follow, even if the book doesn’t flesh them out into three-dimensional characters.

The dialogue captures the characters well, with each one sounding distinct from the rest, and the characters—for better or worse—having their own unique voice. So You Survived the End of the World: 1 features a lot of dialogue, with the characters bouncing back and forth, bantering and bickering. The conversations and barbs flow well, and the dialogue matches the frenetic energy of the prose.

The energy the prose brings captures the attitude of the characters and the story. It bounces along rhythmically, guiding the reader through a bizarre story. The writing is fluid, ensuring the reader can read it quickly and easily. Given the young adult demographic, this ensures the target audience can read it and absorb the book’s energy. It accomplishes this while maintaining a high level of quality; for as free as it feels, the reader can tell that great care has been taken during the writing and editing processes to ensure it rolls together well. This is particularly important as the book doesn’t include chapters, or even scene breaks. What feels almost like a stream-of-consciousness moves from point A to point B with precision.

Maintaining the frenetic energy, So You Survived the End of the World: 1’s humour extends to the characters, the prose, and the situations. It unleashes its jokes on the reader in rapid succession. While some jokes work and others don’t, the overall end result is a book that will bring a smile to most reader’s faces, even though it will vibe with some more than others. I imagine younger readers will appreciate the humour, which, while largely appropriate, conveys an anti-authority sensibility.

As mentioned at the beginning of this review, and as the ‘1’ in its title suggests, So You Survived the End of the World: 1 is the first book in a series. While not included on the cover image I’m using for this review (it’s the only cover image I could find with a decent resolution), the cover has been updated to signify it’s the first in the series, and it’s also mentioned on the Amazon listing. If you’re wary of starting a new series, don’t be; this novelette stands entirely on its own, with the story perfectly self-contained. While I imagine the sequels will add more information about the world and its happenings, this book includes enough information to follow along.

So You Survived the End of the World: 1 is a brisk read that prizes attitude over its characters and plot. It’s an enjoyable read that’s expertly written, but the overall experience feels hollow. While it doesn’t explore the characters and world in any great depth, the next two books are substantially longer, and I hope they provide an experience with a little more to it. With that said, I’m not part of the young adult demographic the book is courting, and they will likely get more value from the attitude than I did.

Favourite Passage

It’s not his favourite song by Destiny’s Child, but whenever and wherever he blasts “Survivor,” it’s like the sun breaking through a sky clogged with gray.

When he first discovered the song and started playing it on his show, he wouldn’t have guessed that a song about a pop group hemorrhaging would become THE anthem for this era. But music is what people make of it.

So You Survived the End of the World: 1

So You Survived the End of the World: 1 was provided by BookSirens for the purpose of an honest review.

So You Survived the End of the World: 1 is available in paperback eBook from retailers, including—but not limited to—Amazon.

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So You Survived the End of the World: 1

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