Reviews with content warning for Sexual content - Leave the World Behind

Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam

129 reviews

nee_cole's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

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rsiddall's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book kept me on the edge of the seat. It read through the book very fast, anxious to find out the cause of the blackout. However, I was a bit deflated at the end when the book did not expose the source of the blackout or the mysteriously lethal sound. At the end of the day, the book was still very enjoyable!

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genny's review against another edition

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mysterious reflective tense slow-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

4.0

I really enjoyed the tone of this. Quietly scary with a palpable sense of dread. I was freaking out because I couldn't imagine how it would end, and it kind of...doesn't? Don't read this if you don't like open endings or having a lot of things left to the imagination. The story heavily hints at

the beginning of the end of the world

but we're restricted to a very isolated POV. The characters don't know what's going on, we don't know what's going on, but an omniscient narrator occasionally does tell us what's going on...in the outside world, far from the main cast. I thought it was clever, but judging from other reviews, this is a polarizing book. There's really no closure to be had here, yet it worked for me. I'm not sure how but that ending punched me in the gut! Plenty to chew on.

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lavatea's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

Well, it hooks you. That's a positive. But I could've done without the many detailed descriptions of bodily functions and acts, but maybe that's just me. Seems like that sort of graphic display of private matters is shoved into every tv show and movie, so why not books, too? Also,

you never get told what the "event" is

so that's annoying.

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bahamyulala's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted slow-paced

1.75

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juliaaa02's review against another edition

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challenging mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

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corirarrick2's review against another edition

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challenging 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? It's complicated

1.0

The son becomes very ill and vomits bright pink (never explains why), he loses several teeth and he’s taken to the hospital. No explanation is offered, was anything happening at all or just a sick kid. I will give credit where it’s due, the mother’s frantic behavior and fear of her child being sick was spot on. There’s an omniscient narrator, it states that other people killed themselves, fallen ill, but not an explanation for the apocalypse that is taking place or is anything happening at all? I have so many questions. What was the loud sound? Why caused the dad to become disoriented while driving to town? What knocked out the cell service, will it ever be restored? The couple that owns a house and mentions no other people live nearby, but the kids found another nearby property and turn back before exploring it. Did the couple lie? Who lives there? Why did the children turn back?

Underwhelming and overwritten, this novel is all loose ends and feels incomplete, but not in the way that would lead to a sequel. The big mystery is not resolved, and it’s confusing and frustrating to endure. I would not recommend this to someone I actually like.

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ofpetsandpeeves's review against another edition

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dark 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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overeasyreg's review against another edition

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dark tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

lots of worldbuilding + character potential that felt wasted because of the focus on weird tension and flaws between characters, but there wasn’t any actual growth that came from that focus.

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abbytwo's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

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