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A review by justinkhchen
Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam
5.0
5 stars
If you enjoy an unconventional, artful take on human drama involving catastrophic events, this one is quite excellent. Leave the World Behind is intentionally vague on the 'incident', but this absence of an appointed 'enemy' adds convincing realism to the fear and confusion experienced by its diverse set of civilians.
Rumaan Alam's writing style will take a bit of time to acclimate; the initial chapters come across as very try-hard, a little too forceful at shoving the sense of dread down readers' throat. For example— "The en suite bath was all white (tile, sink, towels, soap, a white dish of white seashells), that particular fantasy of purity to escape the reality of your own excrement." —but it calms down once the narrative picks up, and no longer needing excessive metaphor and simile to do the heavy lifting. It is also worth noting at 250+ pages, it is the perfect length without overstaying its welcome.
Utilizing a quasi-'home invasion' premise popular in the horror and thriller genre, Leave the World Behind upends one's expectation and uses it as a jumping-off point for a series of deep dives into how people of various age, gender, race, and upbringing, deal with an unfathomable event. I find the reading experience touching and relatable, but definitely not 'entertaining'—I can see myself being equally disoriented and at loss under the same circumstance, making erratic decisions that are ultimately pointless.
**Minor spoiler ahead**
Leave the World Behind is quite ferocious when it comes to the depiction of sex and bodily fluids—which I notice some GR readers have taken issue with; but I find them fitting under this context: with the societal constructs around us (money, technology, class system) crumble, humanity is forced to come closer to its primal need for survival. At the end, I was at a similar state comparing to when I finished Studio Ghibli's Grave of the Fireflies, not only regarding the conclusion, but also my interpretation of what happened.
**Minor spoiler ends**
I love literature that doesn't follow the beaten path, and Leave the World Behind is 100% genre-bending; readers expecting action-y thrills might find this too abstract and depressing, but if you're seeking a lyrical descend into chaos, this is the one to check out.
If you enjoy an unconventional, artful take on human drama involving catastrophic events, this one is quite excellent. Leave the World Behind is intentionally vague on the 'incident', but this absence of an appointed 'enemy' adds convincing realism to the fear and confusion experienced by its diverse set of civilians.
Rumaan Alam's writing style will take a bit of time to acclimate; the initial chapters come across as very try-hard, a little too forceful at shoving the sense of dread down readers' throat. For example— "The en suite bath was all white (tile, sink, towels, soap, a white dish of white seashells), that particular fantasy of purity to escape the reality of your own excrement." —but it calms down once the narrative picks up, and no longer needing excessive metaphor and simile to do the heavy lifting. It is also worth noting at 250+ pages, it is the perfect length without overstaying its welcome.
Utilizing a quasi-'home invasion' premise popular in the horror and thriller genre, Leave the World Behind upends one's expectation and uses it as a jumping-off point for a series of deep dives into how people of various age, gender, race, and upbringing, deal with an unfathomable event. I find the reading experience touching and relatable, but definitely not 'entertaining'—I can see myself being equally disoriented and at loss under the same circumstance, making erratic decisions that are ultimately pointless.
**Minor spoiler ahead**
Leave the World Behind is quite ferocious when it comes to the depiction of sex and bodily fluids—which I notice some GR readers have taken issue with; but I find them fitting under this context: with the societal constructs around us (money, technology, class system) crumble, humanity is forced to come closer to its primal need for survival. At the end, I was at a similar state comparing to when I finished Studio Ghibli's Grave of the Fireflies, not only regarding the conclusion, but also my interpretation of what happened.
**Minor spoiler ends**
I love literature that doesn't follow the beaten path, and Leave the World Behind is 100% genre-bending; readers expecting action-y thrills might find this too abstract and depressing, but if you're seeking a lyrical descend into chaos, this is the one to check out.