Book Review: “A Song for the End” by Kit Power
A Song for the End will be released on 30th October
When Bill and the rest of his band The Fallen listen to their latest creation, they have no idea the hell they’re about to unleash on the world. By the time Bill gets to work as a supply teacher the next day, the deaths have started, and he slowly pieces together what’s actually happening. Bill enters a race against time to stop the spread of the song, and prevent the world from falling apart.
This is a novella about a song, and the truth, and lies and consequences. It’s tense, funny, and moving, with some absolutely fantastic lines that really underscore the overall themes. With this book, Power has unleashed something honestly intelligent and warm and horrific and brutal.
The story is told in first person, but unfolds in such a way we still see what’s happening away from Bill. It’s a difficult technique to pull off, but one Power handles skilfully here, giving hints and suggestions as to how Bill knows about the exact people to die and how they died, and at no point does it feel like the dreaded head-hopping.
Bill, as a character and voice, is engaging, fun to read, and flawed. His reactions remain realistic, and it’s that trait that becomes important, drawing the reader in and allowing for full suspension of disbelief. The story revolves around the idea of telling the truth, and it feels very timely. It’s set in the UK, but should still be accessible to a wider, international audience, and the characters Bill encounters – like Bill himself – feel real. The idea of truth and lies, of fake news versus reality, really underscore the whole thing.
Without going into spoilers, I want to touch briefly on the ending. Much of the story is the race against time, the attempt to save the world, and the ending is brilliantly satisfactory. It very naturally wraps things up, as well as giving the reader an idea as to how Bill knows all those small events that happened along the way.
It's a short read, but a solid one, and the toughest choice you’ll have to make will be whether to devour it quickly or savour it. Kit Power is a great writer, and I wouldn’t recommend skipping this one.
Grade: A
Review by Elle Turpitt
@elleturpitt
I received this e-book from the author for review consideration.