Book Review: Seven Days by Patrick Senécal
Title: Seven Days
Author: Patrick Senécal
Translated by: Howard Scott & Phyllis Aronoff
Release date: January 1, 2019
As someone born and raised in Canada, my French is horrific. I know a few words and phrases but considering I wrote my French 10 exam in English, I’ve kind of given up hope of mastering the language.
Over the last decade, Patrick Senécal’s name is one I’ve seen a lot up here. Through targeted ads, books in Chapters/Indigo/Coles and even in Costco, he has built an incredible readership and the numbers sold support that. But – all of his books have been in French. Until ‘Seven Days.’ I was still not sure if this book was for me. My friend, Randall Perry suggested I might like it but to understand that the potential for some ‘lost in translation’ could rear its head (I’m looking at you author of HEX). I then saw this blurb;
“A visceral thriller propelled by the seething, heartbreaking passion of revenge. Senécal holds nothing back, which is what makes reading him feel so dangerous.” – Andrew Pyper, bestselling author of The Only Child and The Demonologist.
I said, ‘Hey! I know that guy!’ So, I reached out to Andrew to ask him if he thought I’d dig it, and he said the same thing as Randall. Solid, solid book, but be aware some translation issues might arise.
So, with two ‘solid read’ recommendations from two folks who know the world of dark fiction, I decided to dive in. I have to say – for the few of you who read my reviews – you’ll never believe what I found.
**Trigger warnings ahead here for those who need them – child death/rape/extreme abuse/animal death**
What I liked: ‘Seven Days’ follows the story of surgeon, Dr. Bruno Hamel, whose seven-year-old daughter is found raped and dead near her school. When the suspect is arrested, Bruno decides that the normal justice system isn’t enough and hatches a plan to kidnap the man. He does so and then contacts the police – for seven days he will torture the man and then kill him, and once he does that, he will turn himself in.
So begins a horrifying journey into Bruno’s mind as well as a cat and mouse game between him and the police. They’re on a desperate search to locate him, hoping to prevent Bruno from murdering the man, while also saving the man and bringing him to justice.
Senécal offers us an extreme horror novel with plenty of revenge gore and torture, while also giving us a psychological thriller. At the same time – he offers up some truly deep and troubling questions for the reader to digest. What would you do if you were in this situation? Would you let the police handle everything or would you take the law into your own hands? To the readers benefit, Senécal teases this out throughout the days and even begins to trickle out some spiderwebs as the story grows bigger in the local news. Protestors – for and against – take to the streets, arguing why Hamel should or shouldn’t be doing what he’s doing.
Not lost in all of this is the ramifications of Hamel’s partner, Sylvie. We get to see the change between them as a couple but also in her as she realizes the man she loved no longer exists.
The textures that Senécal paints this story with were top notch and it all leads up to that last and final day when everything comes to a head. The finale is claustrophobic and anxiety-laden and done so very, very well.
What I didn’t like: There were a few odd translated phrases, but it wasn’t anything extreme. What I did notice was a significant amount/reliance on exclamation points – which may be the only way in English to accentuate what was meant in French.
I would add – I didn’t really understand the ‘big psychological’ moment that affected Hamel so deeply. Sure, it was disturbing, but the guy was a surgeon and an ER attending doctor, surely he would’ve experienced far worse trauma. Maybe the point was that his experienced career of trauma finally broke him? Geez, look at me discovering things while writing this review!
Why you should buy this: This was a literary level torture novel. The writing in this was top notch and I think that’s what stands this apart from some of the poorly done ‘shock’ novels that are out there. Senécal worked closely with a physician to ensure what happens is possible and I think that makes it even more disturbing. Additionally, I think the way the bad guy responds and degrades was really well done. No unrealistic fight back or escape.
Senécal has truly delivered a home run with this one. A dark, brooding, introspective piece that also has some horrendously awful brutality and gore.
I see that he’s supposed to have another English release coming – teased at the end of this book – but it might be delayed? Either way, Senécal wormed his way into my psyche with this one. An outstanding and unflinchingly depraved read.
5/5
