This was not my favorite book of the year, but I do think it's the book of 2020. It encapsulates this year perfectly. From a climate apocalypse to race/class insensitivity to renting a vacation home to look at screens in a new location, this book is stamped in this moment. That is why I am giving it three stars. I don't think it's an evergreen book; the references and trends are of-the-moment and may not be remarkable to a reader ten years from now.

At times it felt like Alam spent more time perfecting each sentence than the characters. They are unlikable, and the sentences felt overdone sometimes, where I would lose my place and have to read a sentence two or three times to understand what was being said. It was a good escape read but I found myself ready to be finished with it.

Definitely one you won't want to put down. A jarring suspenseful read - especially in 2020. Amanda, Clay, and their two kids are off for a vacation to escape everyday life. However, this was not the vacation they expected. While away, something has happened in the country (the world?) and they only find out when the owners of the house they are renting suddenly come to escape what they have been seen. With no reliable internet or television, no neighbors, and truly no connection to the "real world," the group struggles to know what to do - with each other and with the strange happenings going on.

This book will have you on the edge of your seat unsure of what will happen next.

There's definitely a dark, apocalyptic theme, which is somewhat relevant and suffocating b/c 2020 quarantine vibes. The characters went from a relaxing trip to a totally changed life with no way to know what's really going on in the world. Definitely intrigued to see how the ending wraps up.

• really enjoyed the discussions around race, family dynamics and privilege.. again, relevant.

• loved the sharp writing, but I had trouble getting used to the perplexing language style and complex vocabulary.

• a Netflix adaption is in the works with JULIA ROBERTS & DENZEL WASHINGTON !!!

The idea of this book is intriguing the execution is subpiar. The reading experience felt tedious as this book is heavily overwritten, ideas that could be taken in just a few words are drawn out over many pages. Also, the poetic prose doesn't really serve a purpose but maybe making the author seem sophisticated. In in all, I didn't like this book. DNF.

This book chilled me to the bone, especially in isolated 2020. What if the world were ending and no one knew what was happening? The characters were great -- so specific, so cringey. The little details about their in thoughts carried the simple story, which was basically just a small group of people sitting around a remote house and passing the time. It was a page turner for me, as I raced through wondering what was going to happen next. I wanted to know what was happening in the outside world, but I realized that wasn't important. Just as the characters are shielded, so is the reader, adding to the terror and paranoia. This is a great book, but unsettling and not for those already on the edge!

3.5, rounded up. This went a different direction than I expected--there was less on race and class than the summary implies--but I appreciated how haunting and eerie it turned out. The interspersed asides on what others in the world were doing at particular moments (and how they reacted to the Event) were my favorite part about Alam's otherwise succinct and often brutal writing; the style is reminiscent of, for example, Station Eleven, though there's little closure and less depth than I expected. If you're a fan of that book and are looking for something disconcerting and mildly thrilling, this might be a good read for you.

I may not sleep tonight, or ever again.... thought provoking and truly frightening and totally mesmerizing. Don’t read the long reviews that tell too much!

Reading Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam during an ongoing pandemic may not seem like a good idea. After all, a story about what looks like a catastrophic event as experienced by two families with no access to the news is a little too on-the-nose considering current events. For those brave enough to crack open its pages, however, what you will find is a mesmerizing story of opposites forced into cooperation and brutal self-reflection that does as much to help you forget reality as it does make you grateful that we are only experiencing a pandemic.

Leave the World Behind is chilling on so many levels - the lack of news, the isolation, the panic. What will strike readers the most, however, is the self-reflection required of each of the characters as they strive to work together all while trying to overcome their inherent biases. After all, the two families are as opposite as can be. Black versus white. Rich versus middle class. Retired versus vacationers. Old versus young. A reliance on wifi and electronics versus those who view such gadgets as unnecessary. Plus one family has the experiences that come with living a full and long life while the other family is still in the throes of puberty, school, and everything else that comes with raising a family.

Not every character is as successful at addressing their inner biases as others. In fact, much of what makes Leave the World Behind so brilliant is the fact that the characters acknowledge their racism and other biases while also understanding that they shouldn't have those feelings if they want to consider themselves truly enlightened. It makes for some very uncomfortable reading at times, which, I believe, is Mr. Alam's point. While showing the characters' weaknesses, he forces readers to confirm their own.

The unknown event in New York is very much a secondary character in its own right, even though we never find out what exactly happened. Mr. Alam draws our attention to certain seemingly random events happening in nature as well as mentioning various long-term effects of that event so that you understand just how catastrophic, almost apocalyptic, it was. As a result, the characters' state of uncertainty and eventual panic becomes that much more palpable because you understand the gravity of the situation more than they do.

Ultimately, Leave the World Behind is a rather intense apocalyptic novel that fits well into 2020. Its deep dive into the inherent racism and other biases we each internally carry is spot on for this year's ongoing fight against systemic racism. Plus, its unknown catastrophe is an intriguing alternative to our current, still-relatively-unknown pandemic. Make no mistake, Leave the World Behind is going to be among many a Best of 2020 list.

Darkly funny and sharply observant, 'Leave the World Behind' is the perfect thriller to read or listen to right now. I had no idea what to expect! An the good news is that Netflix is developing a movie starring Denzel Washington and Julia Roberts. Perfect casting, by the way. The language is spare and the story is deceptively simple. And I still can't stop thinking about this book!

The plot felt incredibly realistic. Amanda and Clay are beginning their beach vacation at a beautiful, very secluded rental home, hours away from their hectic New York City life. They are looking forward to spending time with their teenage children. They are immersed in their own little world when shockingly, a middle-aged Black couple shows up at the front door in the middle of the night. Ruth and G.H. claim they are actually the owners of the house, and sorry to intrude, but there has been some kind of blackout in the city. Can they please stay with Amanda and Clay?

That is the whole plot. To give anything else away would be to spoil this elegant, horrifying tale. Amanda is skeptical of the couple - they claim to be the owners, but there is no cell signal, internet or cable TV. How can she verify their identity? Clay is more welcoming because obviously there is something ominous going on in the outside world. Push news alerts showed up on everyone's cell phones overnight but no one can access the actual news. How can they turn away this seemingly lovely older couple?

"If they weren’t human in this moment, then they were nothing.

Amanda and Clay begin to worry about their children and the two couples bond over parenthood. Of course there is still the seed of doubt as to whether Ruth and G.H. are who they claim to be and whether or not they actually have an adult daughter and a grandchild. Racism rears its ugly head even though Amanda and Clay believe themselves to be liberal, open-minded people. None of them have any idea what is really happening in the world, and the author only hints at the ominous events waiting for the families beyond the thick woods.

“It was like some tacit agreement; everyone had ceded to things just falling apart. That it was common knowledge that things were bad surely meant they were actually worse.”

The narration by Marin Ireland was perfect and built the tension in just the right way. I would not call this a horror novel but it does touch on dystopian themes. The most frightening part of all was that I could actually imagine these things happening in real life. In other words, the perfect book to read right now!

I have read very mixed reviews for this book but for me, it was a winner. The tension builds and is sustained throughout the story. When one of the group falls ill, panic sets in and tensions rise. Was the illness caused by the terrible events going on in New York City and beyond? Or was it completely unrelated? I began to question what I would in the same situation, and there are no right answers to the many questions this book raises.

"However much had happened, so much more would happen."

'Leave the World Behind' is relevant and thought-provoking. A must-read!

Favorite quote:

"The leader of the free world was sequestered beneath the White House but no one cared about him. Certainly not a little girl tripping through the woods and thinking about Harry Styles."

Wow what a disappointment! This was a heavily hyped book by publishers and the media. It is going to soon be a Netflix movie as well. After reading the premise of the book it sounded super intriguing and I couldn't wait to dive into the mystery. While the book started off alright for me - it went NO WHERE. Literally chapter after chapter I kept waiting for the "big reveal" of what the heck was going on in the world that caused all this and there was never any clear explanation. There is no clear wrap up of what happened to the characters either. Like how was this such a highly raved about book? I thought the writing was a little too wordy as well and found myself rolling my eyes often at some of the gratuitously sexual nature of it.

Definitely not my cup of tea as far as "mysteries" go!

WHAT DID I JUST READ?!

Perhaps I was overly excited at the possibilities of this book or maybe I just fell victim to the very early reviews shared but I will say that overall, I did not find it to be compelling or to my liking. By the books end, I was left with a big fat question mark and disappointed that the potential lay with the author’s ability to build suspense only to leave me hanging.

I kept reading hoping that the plot would develop into something phenomenal. That the crisis presented would climax into something other than it would. I sat this book down several times only to pick it back up and be left at what seemed to be the same point.

Did the book have potential: definitely yes.
Did it fulfill its potential: no.

Two stars, rounded up. I encourage you to be your own judge. It just wasn’t for me, per se.

I was provided a digital copy of this book by NetGalley and HarperCollins in return for an honest review.

I wanted to love this but I just couldn't find it compelling at all. Maybe it's just too abstract for my tastes, and I didn't particularly connect with any of the characters. I might watch the adaptation though!

This is a horror story about the internet going out. It’s the end of the world in a beautiful kitchen. Since the internet going out is pretty much my greatest fear, and half of my internet is bookmarked photos of Nancy Meyers kitchens, I was HOOKED. Adding it to my shelf next to Station Eleven, Severance, and that one story from My Body and Other Parties that still HAUNTS me. (You know the one.)

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Leave the World Behind. This novel involved families coming together during an interesting time that appeared similar to the pandemic we are currently living through. One family from the city rents an isolated house out in the Hamptons. They are enjoying the solitude and the luxurious house they are renting. One night, a black couple knock on the door. They are the actual owners of this rented house. They tell the renters that they need to stay there because there is no electrical power in the city. The blackout is affecting the entire East Coast. Amanda and Clay, the renters, are reluctant to let in this couple. While they eventually do, they are doubtful of their story. The days that they spend together brings with it many mysterious events. This book was very freaky for me. I wanted to keep reading to discover what happens between these 6 people.
I was not familiar with the writing style of Rumaan Alam. I found myself using the dictionary portion of my Kindle to better understand some of the text.
The ending left me with more questions than answers.

It seems like years ago already, but do you recall the beginning days of the pandemic back in March...the rumblings of a deadly virus, the concern over how contagious Covid was (is), the empty shelves in stores, Amazon selling out of purell and Clorox wipes. I can still remember those feelings of anxiety and uncertainty, which is exactly how I felt reading my October JBC book selection: LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND, the stunning new novel from Rumaan Alam.⁣
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The book is centered around 2 families: Amanda and Clay, a white couple vacationing with their kids in a remote part of NY cut off from society and a cell signal; and Ruth and G.H., an older Black couple that surprises the family one night, claiming they are the actual homeowners of the vacation house seeking refuge after escaping a catastrophic and unexplained blackout in NYC. Suspicious of the couple but without any way of verifying who they are or if their info is accurate, Amanda and Clay reluctantly allow the couple to stay, but as the weekend progresses and everyone gets to know each other, paranoia sets in to disastrous effect.⁣
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Released any other year, #leavetheworldbehind would rightfully receive the accolades it's picking up (including an NBA nomination), but coming out at a time where our country reckons with systemic racism and a deadly pandemic, the book feels strangely prescient in its exploration of race, class, and society’s addiction to technology and distrust of news, facts and science. Full of crackling dialogue, complex characters and complicated relationship dynamics, Alam evokes a sense of claustrophobia and dread I haven’t felt since I read Paul Tremblay’s #TheCabinAtTheEndoftheWorld. And like that book, a word of warning: do not go into this one expecting answers. As Rumaan put it in a recent interview: "I'm not really sure I know what's happening inside of this book...and to me...that describes how I feel about the world right now. I have two answers and 65 more questions”.⁣

Two families have been forced together on a long weekend gone terribly wrong. Amanda and Clay have decided to take a reprieve from their bustling New York City life and spend some quality time with their teenage son and daughter in a remote corner of Long Island. They’ve rented a luxurious home for the next week…a home owned by G.H. and Ruth, an older couple who have just arrived in a state of panic. The city and neighboring towns are all experiencing a blackout, the TV and internet are down, and there is no cell service. Stuck in an unfamiliar, rural area, Amanda and Clay struggle with whether they should trust these strangers.

LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND is an examination of human interaction when faced with an unthinkable situation. How far would you be willing to go to protect your family? This story highlights the types of decisions we choose to make in times of stress and joy. It examines how the complexities associated with class, race, and parenthood influence the choices we make and how we judge the decisions of others.

When I first picked up LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND I wasn’t sure what to expect and the first handful of pages still left that feeling, but in a way that intrigued me more than anything. The reader gets to know Amanda, Clay, and their children from the start. The introduction to this family puts on the forefront of the reader’s mind their privilege and how that drives their lives and family dynamics. The level of details about the family ranges from the very personal to the very mundane. I saw a few reviews mention they couldn’t handle the “boring” elements of the story, such as when Alam chooses to share Amanda’s grocery list. Your girl is nosy and I was 110% here to find out what they were shopping for!

Things truly take a turn in the story once G.H. and Ruth arrive. This is where Alam begins to dig into the reality of the differences in class and race and how those things impact the way people choose to interact with one another. What drives your trust and suspicion really isn’t hard to figure out and Alam calls that out in this book. I loved how realistic everything felt, from feelings to interactions, to strange decisions from the characters.

One thing that needs to be pointed out is that there are a lot of weird and strange things that happen around these families. A lot of it is left unexplained and that serves to drive the uneasiness of this story. I was hooked from page one and here for all of the bizarre experiences that these two families encountered. If you’re looking for something unique that brings a great examination of society, this is the book for you!

Over the too descriptive prose made this book a chore to read. I kept skimming the pages, waiting for something to happen, but it never did. A very disappointing read.

As I was reading this book, I kept wondering what, exactly, was happening. And even as I read the last sentence, I was still asking that question. This is unlike any book I can recall reading. And, wow, it was good!

Clay and Amanda have taken their teen children, Archie and Rose, to a rental house in the countryside of Long Island for a vacation. They can drive to the beach or enjoy the pool and hot tub at the house. There are woods to explore and best of all, there is peace and quiet.

One night, someone comes to the door. It is an older Black couple whom Clay and Amanda learn are the owners of the house. They had been in NYC when there was a blackout, or maybe more than a blackout?, and could only think to get to their country house and safety. They ask if they can stay in the in-law set-up so as not to disturb the renters too much and that's what they do. Good news, the power is on in the house. Bad news, there is no word from the outside - no internet, no phone service (landline, too), and no TV...and the outside world is really, really quiet.

Then there are all the deer that Rose sees in the backyard - not one or a few, but maybe hundreds. And the flamingos that show up. And the terrible noise that cracks glass and then is gone. So, what's going on? What does it mean for the characters?

This book has an omniscient narrator and the reader is able to go into every character's head. We know the discomfort that the adults feel being forced into this situation. And we know that Archie and Rose really couldn't care less, but would sure like to have internet and/or TV. And while the story takes place in the countryside in a reasonably sized house, it feel very claustrophobic. There is so much going on, I just wanted to keep reading.

My thanks to HarperCollins and NetGalley for the advance reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

I have heard so much about this terrifying book and all of the praise was totally deserved! The characters were very realistic and I really enjoyed the author's take on isolation, race, and what 'good' people might do in the face of a world-ending/world-changing event. I will be thinking about this book for a very long time.

Interesting read but if you don’t like ambiguous endings, definitely don’t read this one. The writing style is unique - I didn’t mind it but I know a chunk of people don’t like all the extra details the writer put in.