Reviews tagging 'Pandemic/Epidemic'

Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam

14 reviews

franklola's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0


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jessikalange's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I struggled to finish this book and the end is so.... I get what it was trying to do but... šŸ˜’

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scarlettreadsbooks's review against another edition

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dark mysterious sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.0


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ifoundcallie's review against another edition

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dark reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I feel like if you read this book as a literacy fiction novel with a lens towards social commentary in America, it is stunning. The layers and layers of metaphor on discomfort and humanityā€”so good! The authorā€™s craft leads readers through a sociological exercise where they is forced to grapple with what it means to be part of the human race, particularly in the context of individualism in Western culture. The fact that the author took ALL OF THAT, and weaved it within the unraveling of a literal apocalypse (of which specifics are vastly unknown)ā€¦.So. Damn. Good. I had chills multiple times and ran out of ink in my highlighter. 

Very reminiscent of Stephen King, particularly ā€œUnder the Domeā€. If you liked that, youā€™ll love this. For people SOLELY looking for a thriller or commentary on race/social class, turn elsewhereā€¦this book intentionally subverts the expectations of those genres. 

I love how the omniscient narrator stingily portioned out information, which shamefully left me feeling the same desperate NEED for information that the book was critiquing! 

There are a few times in this book where the writing could use some trimming/adjusting towards purposeā€”the heavy emphasis on certain carnal images felt self-righteous and cheap for the rest of the story. Honestly, this is the only thing that keeps this book from being a ā€œperfectā€ book for me. This pitfall is reminiscent of Stephen Kingā€™s writing, again, which makes sense knowing that the author reread Pet Semetary while editing this book. I can only read so many descriptions of bored and worn out married couples ā€œtumbling into the only comfort: of flesh smacking against fleshā€ or teenage male characters and their detailed descriptions of ā€œspit-in-hand, spurting releaseā€, or adult men who are dumbstruck by their unexpected ā€œlarge load of vitality and youth long goneā€. I felt disappointed every time the book swung back to these tropes, faithfully. Yawn.

There are many passages/chapters in this novel that blew me away and can easily stand on their own as brilliant pieces of art. I would love to sit and analyze some of the turn-of-phrase, allusions, and imagery handpicked by this intelligent author. I was giddy with annotation, and this book rewards you for paying attention to these nuances of craft. Overall, Iā€™m so glad I was recommended this book. It itched an ā€œam I spiraling and paranoid or is the world endingā€ scratch that is often not done well. 

Bravo, Rumaan Alam.

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mlewis's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

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manuelte's review against another edition

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dark emotional tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This feels like a very divisive book, with a 3 star average. I loved it, however I can totally see why it may not land with others as it may well depend on your mood when you read it. Spoilers ahead:
The book is wholly centered on the internal monologues and feelings of each character, shedding light as to how each reacts to not knowing what is actually happening but feeling dread the whole time. There is no resolution, no happy ending, no clear explanation as to what is happening beyond glimpses provided by an omniscient narrator that is not bound to the linear story the characters are in.
Bottom line: come to this book expecting insight into "the human condition", not a plot-driven story.

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eve81's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0


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shehyuz's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0


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kaylanoellesims's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

3.75 ā­ļø - intriguing and definitely gets you thinking - personally would have like more of a tied up ending but I guess thatā€™s is also against the point of the book 

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kelleywithanextrae's review against another edition

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dark mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character

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