A review by grizzlysnack
Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam

dark mysterious 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

1.5

The premise of Leave the World Behind is what got me into it. Having to be confined to a little space of land and having no clue what's going on around you, and having to trust complete strangers to reach some sense of normalcy. I feel as though the execution of that premise fell flat.

The omniscient narrator nonchalantly mentions the havoc the six main characters aren't aware of, which was meant to be used as a critical thinking tool for the reader. However, there seems to be no depth or fear that the outside world has on what's going on with our six protagonists. 

The mention of teeth falling out, the president being in a bunker, the premature babies dying in the neonatal care unit because of the power outages, the Thorne family never coming back to the house Rose broke into feels as though it's meant to make the reader feel jaded, more than putting any sort of depth or seriousness into the current events. The sex-related scenes were also a little jarring, they almost feel as though an 11 year-old wrote them
 

Leave the World Behind has an open ending, so take these 241 pages with that information if you're expecting a wrap-up chapter. It's a decent amount of detail without a concrete ending.
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