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cmhartjes's review against another edition
dark
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Sexual content, and Vomit
talkbookswithangela's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Blood, and Vomit
davidbythebay's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Let me begin with a few things. First, I do believe that the overall themes of race and gender were and are important topics to explore. Second, the audiobook was well done.
Now, why only 2 stars. The narration was disjointed and abrupt, switching between perspectives and a general omniscience - all while being a 3rd personal narration - that just left a feeling of being jerked around a bit. The theme of race and gender (I do see some gendered items in there though it is clear the race is the majority of the message) is just a bit too heavy handed and lacks subtlety and nuance. It was very much, mostly the white wife, going: “racist comment, oh was that racist? I didn’t mean to be racist.”
The story itself had good bones but should have been severely edited down and made into a short story. I don’t care that the daughter was watching a particular episode of a particular show. It added nothing to the story. Nor did the lists! Lists of what the white lady bought when they arrived at their vacation rental/Airbnb-type set up. You bought cheese! Fantastic. So happy for you. Overall, it was overwritten with copious descriptions and a clear love of a thesaurus as well as some obscure knowledge of words and references that have no bearing on the story but also are sudden blips like a skipping record. A bit repetitive and dangerously SLOW at times, I’m glad I could listen to the audiobook at 1.5 speed to move it along and still get the story.
One other pet peeve of the narration and writing is the interjection of what is happening elsewhere or will happen elsewhere or in the future at odd moments. “She didn’t know that Gary was going to kill April. She didn’t know that right then Jack was lying on his back in the middle of the sidewalk having slipped on a banana peal after leaving the cream pie store and, covered in pie, is slowly being eaten by the corpse stripping ants from elsewhere that are suddenly migrating here. She didn’t know...” and I don’t care anymore. (This was all made up by me to illustrate the point.)
And finally, I’m not a prude but I don’t need to hear how a hard penis looks like it’s in a yoga pose greeting the sun. And I don’t need to hear about kid (16 year old male) masturbation.
This was largely “The Happening” meets “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf” with a dash of clawingly whining characters and two children who are so spoiled and obnoxious I could have left them in the woods. (I’d never really do that.) But it lacks the punc of “Who’s Afraid” and the rationale behind the story’s events which, even though it was stunningly bad, at least “The Happening” had. I read this to find out the hype. I’m glad it was short and I only borrowed it from the library. 2 stars for subject matter with a lot of deductions for execution.
Now, why only 2 stars. The narration was disjointed and abrupt, switching between perspectives and a general omniscience - all while being a 3rd personal narration - that just left a feeling of being jerked around a bit. The theme of race and gender (I do see some gendered items in there though it is clear the race is the majority of the message) is just a bit too heavy handed and lacks subtlety and nuance. It was very much, mostly the white wife, going: “racist comment, oh was that racist? I didn’t mean to be racist.”
The story itself had good bones but should have been severely edited down and made into a short story. I don’t care that the daughter was watching a particular episode of a particular show. It added nothing to the story. Nor did the lists! Lists of what the white lady bought when they arrived at their vacation rental/Airbnb-type set up. You bought cheese! Fantastic. So happy for you. Overall, it was overwritten with copious descriptions and a clear love of a thesaurus as well as some obscure knowledge of words and references that have no bearing on the story but also are sudden blips like a skipping record. A bit repetitive and dangerously SLOW at times, I’m glad I could listen to the audiobook at 1.5 speed to move it along and still get the story.
One other pet peeve of the narration and writing is the interjection of what is happening elsewhere or will happen elsewhere or in the future at odd moments. “She didn’t know that Gary was going to kill April. She didn’t know that right then Jack was lying on his back in the middle of the sidewalk having slipped on a banana peal after leaving the cream pie store and, covered in pie, is slowly being eaten by the corpse stripping ants from elsewhere that are suddenly migrating here. She didn’t know...” and I don’t care anymore. (This was all made up by me to illustrate the point.)
And finally, I’m not a prude but I don’t need to hear how a hard penis looks like it’s in a yoga pose greeting the sun. And I don’t need to hear about kid (16 year old male) masturbation.
This was largely “The Happening” meets “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf” with a dash of clawingly whining characters and two children who are so spoiled and obnoxious I could have left them in the woods. (I’d never really do that.) But it lacks the punc of “Who’s Afraid” and the rationale behind the story’s events which, even though it was stunningly bad, at least “The Happening” had. I read this to find out the hype. I’m glad it was short and I only borrowed it from the library. 2 stars for subject matter with a lot of deductions for execution.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Sexual content, and Vomit
Minor: Death and Terminal illness
cereads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
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? Yes
1.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gore, Vomit, and Medical content
pinkberryoasis's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror and Vomit
sorcha's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror and Confinement
Moderate: Death
Minor: Cancer, Cursing, Racism, Excrement, and Vomit
kbergsten's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Vomit and Medical trauma
Moderate: Gore, Racism, and Medical content
hmatt's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
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
2.0
Ummmm yeah I'm not sure what this was but it was not great. It's trying to be too literary, and there's a weird omniscient narrator and constantly switching perspectives, and then it just ends before you get any answers???
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, and Vomit
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Death and Murder
sarahasyouwish's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
If you like your thrillers with a more literary bend or you regularly read literary fiction but want something with a bit more tension, than this could be a great pick for you. Alam does an amazing job of maintaining a looming sense of dread throughout this apocalyptic novel. The book certainly had me on the edge of my seat with anticipation as to what was happening and how it would all unfold. This constant threat of a looming disaster is heightened by the tensions of racism and classism that are examined as themes in this book. If you’re not ok with open-endings and unanswered questions, then you might want to skip this one. I thought the ending was in keeping with the rest of the story and only added to the sense of unease.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Vomit
rorikae's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
'Leave the World Behind' by Rumaan Alam is a character study that delves into how people react when an unknown disaster strikes.
The story centers on a white family that takes a weekend away to the countryside from their lives in New York City. They are relaxing into the calm of life in the countryside when the Black family that owns the house they are renting shows up on their doorstep. There has been a mysterious disaster, the power has gone out, and Ruth and G.H. are seeking comfort in their home outside of the city. As the two families spend time together in the house and the realization that something big has happened in the city, tensions mount between all involved.
Alam does a really great job of slowly cranking up the tension. We never fully know what has happened but he gives just enough hints for it to be clear that something big is at hand. He utilizes small details to explore the tension between the different characters and how they interact with each other. His writing is overwrought at times but it fits with the characters and how they see themselves and their situation. I was itching to know more about what was happening and to hear other people's experiences with this cataclysmic event though I do understand that that isn't the point of this story. It was a little bit too lit fic for me but that's a personal preference and I am sure that many people will love this story. It does thoughtfully accomplishes what it sets out to do, leaving you haunted as you consider the breakdown of society and the minutiae of what happens when the world falls apart.
The story centers on a white family that takes a weekend away to the countryside from their lives in New York City. They are relaxing into the calm of life in the countryside when the Black family that owns the house they are renting shows up on their doorstep. There has been a mysterious disaster, the power has gone out, and Ruth and G.H. are seeking comfort in their home outside of the city. As the two families spend time together in the house and the realization that something big has happened in the city, tensions mount between all involved.
Alam does a really great job of slowly cranking up the tension. We never fully know what has happened but he gives just enough hints for it to be clear that something big is at hand. He utilizes small details to explore the tension between the different characters and how they interact with each other. His writing is overwrought at times but it fits with the characters and how they see themselves and their situation. I was itching to know more about what was happening and to hear other people's experiences with this cataclysmic event though I do understand that that isn't the point of this story. It was a little bit too lit fic for me but that's a personal preference and I am sure that many people will love this story. It does thoughtfully accomplishes what it sets out to do, leaving you haunted as you consider the breakdown of society and the minutiae of what happens when the world falls apart.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Vomit
Moderate: Racism