Leave The World Behind by Rumaan Alam
(Format used for this book: Print–hardback)
YALL…
This book blew my friggin MIND.
I read this book in two and a half days…which in pre-pandemic time (doesn’t that seem like A HUNDRED MILLION YEARS ago????) would have been absolutely no big feat for me.
But these days it takes me a bundle of forevers to get thru books….
NOT THIS ONE, READER FRIENDS.
It had me on the edge of my seat the ENTIRE FREAKIN’ BOOK…and I stayed up waaaaayyy past my bedtime both nights just to get “one more chapter”…which of course turned into MANY more chapters!
I have not been so engrossed in a book in a super duper long time…this was SO DAMN GOOD.
Here is the official summary:
“Amanda and Clay head out to a remote corner of Long Island expecting a vacation: a quiet reprieve from life in New York City, quality time with their teenage son and daughter, and a taste of the good life in the luxurious home they’ve rented for the week.
But with a late night knock on the door, the spell is broken.
Ruth and G.H., an older couple who claim to own the home, have arrived there in a panic. These strangers say that a sudden blackout has swept New York, and–with nowhere else to turn—they’ve come to the country in search of shelter.
But with the TV and internet down, and no cell phone service, the facts are unknowable. Should Amanda and Clay trust this intruding couple—and vice versa? What has happened back in New York? Is the vacation home, isolated from civilization, truly a safe place for their families? And are they safe from one another?
Suspenseful and provocative, Rumaan Alam’s third novel is keenly attuned to the complexities of parenthood, race and class. Leave The World Behind explores how our closest bonds are reshaped–and unexpected new ones forged–in moments of crisis.”
Hands down this is THE BEST BOOK I have read in all of 2020.
No doubt in my mind that it will remain so even though I have three more months in this year for literary consumption.
It is THAT GREAT, yall.
I haven’t read any of Rumaan Alam’s writing before but just based on this novel, I’m gonna tell yall that I think he is a MASTERMIND of a novelist.
He creates such an intriguing storyline throughout the entire 241 pages.
It is almost tantalizing the way he slowly pulls you in piece by piece, revealing just enough of the next piece of plot development to keep you wanting more….completely fascinating.
I don’t even know exactly what genre this book would be considered because he weaves in SO many different ones….
It is equal parts social commentary, dark humor, suspense and maybe even sci-fi or horror….although neither of those last two words feel exactly on the nose…but they kinda do…..so I don’t even know…
But yall….whatever “category” you put this in, it will HOOK YOU IN EVERY SINGLE WORD.
You may wonder in the beginning what I am talking about because it gets off to a slow start and seems like just a basic little novel….but THAT IS JUST THE BUILD UP.
Setting the stage, if you will.
Just endure the gradual beginning of the ride because once that momentum gets going, you gotta hang on tight.
Again… this is NOT a book I would have picked out on my own…this is another cool pick from Book Of The Month that brought me out of my normal comfort zone… and even though there were some parts that DID freak me out a bit, I for real enjoyed it!
This review is gonna be hella shorter than my usual reviews…because I do not want to give one single thing away that would ruin your reading experience.
Yall…there are shocks and surprises that come on gradually….and then once they get going, they DO NOT STOP.
Right when you think you may have figured out what is going to happen next or exactly what the deal is with a character…you’ll be right back to screaming at the pages “Wait….WHAT IS REALLY HAPPENING? WHAT IS GOING ON HERE REALLY?”
Yall know what this book reminded me of?
The original Twilight Zone episodes.
Like the black and white ones with Rod Serling as the host.
The slow unfolding of the story, the way the characters are established, the double meaning of each episode—a bit of scifi/creepy/thriller/horror yet also some deep thinking social issue addressed that gets your brain going.
You are entertained, a tad bit terrified, and also mentally engaged.
Haunting and thought provoking….
THAT IS THIS BOOK.
Here are just some of the topics that are embedded in this story: racism, gender stereotypes, class privilege, implicit bias, climate change, consumerism, parenthood, fate, connection, isolation, technology and the true meaning of humanity.
And while I do NOT want to utter any specific details AT ALL about this story because it will take away from the experience, I will say that at the ending my face looked like this 😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱
I am gonna need one of yall to go read it and then CALL ME RIGHT AWAY.
I desperately want to talk about it with someone!!!
I also desperately want to see this as a movie or mini series or something.
But I say that about all books I really enjoy..and then if it DOES happen, I am usually thoroughly disappointed because as all true book nerds know….
The book is ALWAYS BETTER.
No doubt.
So maybe I shouldn’t wish for that. 🤣
This can stand alone as just the tremendous piece of literary art that it is.
(and I am straight up for real about you calling me if you read this…I NEED DISCUSSION, YALL!)