Leave the World Behind

Books | Fiction / Action & Adventure

3.1

(5.8K)

Rumaan Alam

Soon to be a Netflix film starring Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali, Ethan Hawke, Myha'la, Farrah Mackenzie, Charlie Evans and Kevin Bacon. Written for the Screen and Directed by Sam Esmail. Executive Producers Barack and Michelle Obama, Tonia Davis, Daniel M. Stillman, Nick Krishnamurthy, Rumaan Alam A Read with Jenna Today Show Book Club Pick! Finalist for the 2020 National Book Award in Fiction One of Barack Obama's Summer Reads A Best Book of the Year From: The Washington Post * Time * NPR * Elle * Esquire * Kirkus * Library Journal * The Chicago Public Library * The New York Public Library * BookPage * The Globe and Mail * EW.com * The LA Times * USA Today * InStyle * The New Yorker * AARP * Publisher's Lunch * LitHub * Book Marks * Electric Literature * Brooklyn Based * The Boston Globe A magnetic novel about two families, strangers to each other, who are forced together on a long weekend gone terribly wrong. From the bestselling author of Rich and Pretty comes a suspenseful and provocative novel 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 are forged--in moments of crisis. 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 a late-night knock on the door breaks the spell. Ruth and G. H. are an older couple--it's their house, and they've arrived in a panic. They bring the news that a sudden blackout has swept the city. But in this rural area--with the TV and internet now down, and no cell phone service--it's hard to know what to believe. Should Amanda and Clay trust this couple--and vice versa? What happened back in New York? Is the vacation home, isolated from civilization, a truly safe place for their families? And are they safe from one other?

Horror

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More Details:

Author

Rumaan Alam

Pages

336

Publisher

HarperCollins Publishers

Published Date

2020-10-06

ISBN

0063029227 9780063029224

Community ReviewsSee all

"3.5⭐️ Such a compelling premise but so oddly written. The language stilted but also fanciful, plus kind of nonsensical. And weirdly clinically sexual for NO apparent reason I can think of. Please never use the words “mons” or “pudendum” EVER (especially when referring to a preteen girl..yuck!). Almost DNF’d but something kept me going even though it was like the end of the world was more awkward and mundane than one would think and only slightly unsettling. The last 20% though, when things finally happen, did have me glued to the page. But..FYI..there is no conclusion. People that need closure..yeah you won’t get it. Even with all that there was still a bit of something about this book. I just can’t really articulate what. I was not bored. Possibly even invested. I think it’s at least partly about how the expansiveness of technology is a conceit that has actually made our lives smaller. And the magical convenience of giving over all knowledge and expertise to a handheld device is ultimately what will contribute to our end. Yep just a little light reading lol "

Sher Free✌️

"Knew nothing going into this book and know nothing after finishing it!😂 It was actually really good and I'm still a little lost but I think I'm going be reading it again. "

Skye Edelson-Bennett

"It just ended ….. 1"

Lisa k

"Dense and weird. Unpleasantly sexual. I did like that it shows how boring living during An Event actually is though."

Sarah Brown

"A little bit slower, but keeps you engaged. The characters are easy to connect with. This book had me thinking about humanity the whole time…would encourage everyone to read it! "

shelby parker

"A little slow at the beginning, but overall a great story. Loved the ending "

Dani

"Was like a movie that is very good right til the end. It left me feeling like I was cheated. Kinda like the author didn’t know how to end it or got tired of writing it. There was a big buildup to nothing, imho. "

AMB

"Lots to do about nothing. Great premise. Poorly executed. Felt like the author just quit the book in the middle because they couldn’t finish it. Absolutely horrible ending. That’s it?!!!"