On a sentence level, this is book is top notch. Suspenseful, unnerving, bleak, and often hilarious, Leave the World Behind takes its time to unfold, but by the time the ending hit, I realized I was holding my breath. The prose washes over you, ties you to each character. I found something in each character that I related to, that I was disgusted by, and that I found charming. This is a really smart novel about class, race, and the assumptions we project onto one another to put ourselves at ease. I couldn't put this down.

This book was not at all what I expected! It started out one way and then went in a totally different direction. I happened to read it during a tropical storm, during the pandemic so that really amplified the spooky, not sure what's going on here vibe. I didn't love how the ending was open ended, though.

I'm torn on this one. It wasn't at all what I expected, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Given the description I expected a book where the real horror is the (sometimes) subtle racism of new Yorkers. But it definitely wasn't that- the apocalypse of the book is very real and very well done. I loved how none of the characters had any clue what was going on. That said I found it hard to be attached to anything. The characters were a bit flat, the world didn't ring true to me as a lifelong Long Islanders, and the conflict was too subtle.

Loved loved loved the whole plot of this book. Seemed refreshing and was going to be engrossing. While I did enjoy the story, the way it was presented didn’t work for me. A lot of moments just didn’t make sense from the characters personalities and there was no follow up or conclusion to many scenes in the book. Overall enjoyable if you love drawing your own conclusions.

Chilling to the bone, yet realistic psychological thriller about a possible apocalypse which **explores class relations incredibly well** (!).

Warning: this novel is not an easy read. It's a fascinating story wrapped in complex language and difficult vocabulary. I was looking for an intellectual yet fun read, so this one was a hit for me.

"Leave The World Behind" is a really good thriller, not only because it's creepy and riveting, but also because it hits a much deeper note. It's about a white couple who rents a vacation house at the Hamptons with their two kids for a week when its Black owners show up, claiming that there was a terrifying blackout back in New York. Is it the end of the world, or just a huge scam? Who can you trust when the world may or may not be falling apart?

I was freaked out, intrigued, surprised, and certainly satisfied overall.

*Thank you to the Publisher for a free advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wonderfully creepy end of days story focusing on a Brooklyn family renting a house on the east end of Long Island. The owners arrive unexpectedly and the world begins to unravel.

This was a middle-of-the-road read for me. While I liked a lot of aspects, there were some things I disliked, and overall, I just didn't feel strongly enough about the book to really warrant adding an in-depth review to the blog.

This was an enjoyable read, however I had to wonder: what was the point? Maybe I'm simply not used to reading suspense novels or maybe I missed something, but was there ever a resolution? Did we ever find out what exactly was going on? I just wish that there had been a more concrete ending. I did like reading about the characters and thought that whatever illness Archie had was interesting, but I wish we had a little more insight onto what that was.

If you like mysteries that don't really get resolved, I do recommend this. However, if during the current times, you aren't interested in reading about the world ending with no answers, maybe steer clear of this book. It was definitely thought provoking, I'm just not sure I would read it if I hadn't received an early e-galley.

A tense story about a family vacation gone inconceivably wrong. After a blackout in NYC spooks the owners of the Airbnb back home, the renters are now faced with figuring out where they belong while facing what could be the end. Alam infuses the story with wit, humor, and lush detail while he explores the ways in which humans connect to technology, nature, and each other.

Leave the World Behind grabs you right from the beginning, and it mostly delivers on it's promises.

Alam's writing style is chatty and realistic, and it feels "contemporary." The characters are likable, but not so likable as to be unrealistic. They come across as individuals and not stock characters. This is the story of a family arriving at a remote rental house for a week's vacation, and it quickly takes on a creepy and (maybe?) menacing tone. To say much more would necessitate spoilers. I will say that the plot is intriguing and keeps you wondering what will happen next... but, in the end, not a whole lot actually happens. I can't decide, though -- does that make the tale even creepier? It's been a few days since I finished, and I'm still thinking it over. That counts for something, I guess.

3.5 stars. Would recommend.

An incredibly ominous, thrilling and wickedly smart book. I found myself not being able to put the novel down once I was able to really get into it. This was in part due to the writing here being incredible. Which was a bit unexpected for me, I'm not used to thrillers being so..."flowery"? But it only enhanced the story for me. I don't want to go into details beyond the plot description because I feel the slow reveal of what was happening was some of the most intense and interesting parts of the novel. I'm definitely looking forward to the upcoming adaptation even more now.

This was definitely not the book I was expecting, based on my previous reading of books by Mr. Alam! But, I was not disappointed and found a compelling, fast paced story that kept me on the edge of my seat.

Amanda and Clay are looking forward to their vacation week in the Hamptons, away from their work demands and busy city life. They’re planning to have a carefree week with their two kids. Of course, fate intervenes. Mixed in with strange events that could mean the end of life as we know it are interesting themes of race and class distinctions. Mr. Alam’s talent for fully developing interesting characters and storylines is once again present in this book.

I can’t think of a way to say more without revealing any spoilers, but you will be in for a wild ride. Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins Publishers for the opportunity to read Leave the World Behind in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A family travels to an airbnb in an idyllic location for a vacation. The owners of the house show up unexpectedly after a strange evening. Disturbing and post-apocalyptic happenings unsettle everyone..

This is one of those books that I wanted to race to the end to see what happens, and also read very slowly to savor the detail and astute observations of life as we know it in 2020. Calling this story timely doesn't really do it justice. I cannot recommend enough.

This is a tough book to review! I finished yesterday and am still mulling over what I think about it. On the one hand, I found the writing just sucked me in and I wanted to read every description and word. It was language to savor. But the story was by turns horrifying and grotesque, as well as compelling. It definitely touched on some of my worst nightmares! I don’t want to spoil anything by giving away the plot, but if you’re the little red bow type, this is not for you. 3.5 stars. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Clay and Amanda are on a vacation in a rented home in a remote area with their teenage children. On their second evening, a couple knock on the door claiming they are the owners. They left the city when a blackout happened and want to stay at their home. This night leads to suspicions of the couple's intent and leads to an unsettling story. When they discover the TV channels are gone and the internet is out, a slow growing horror begins that something might be horribly wrong out in the world. I'm giving this five stars because the story is still judging me days later.

4 stars

This book is...fascinating. At the start, a family of four is heading off to vacation in the country. The house in which they are staying is remote not just physically but also technologically, and that sense of place is well developed from the jump. These characters are overtly human; there is a noteworthy focus on their smells, their oily hair, their [insert all other natural but popularly 'gross' things about bodies here], and the like. Having finished the book, I appreciate this setup even more now.

There are some incredible turns here, (notably, the return of significantly more likable characters - Ruth and G. H. - who assert that the vacation home is their actual home and want to return to it with the aforementioned vacationing family) but this isn't a showy work by any means. You won't find jump scares here or even hints at them. The creepy aspects of this work are insidious, and the highlight of this for me is the narrator - by far the most fascinating character - who knows WAY more than the characters and readers do and who has a clear and arresting personality. I LOVED this perspective.

While the subject matter is super different in many ways, there are also enough thematic similarities between this book and our actual circumstances right now to make this feel especially - even frighteningly - timely.

Folks who are looking for a traditional thriller or an easily solved mystery won't get that here; this is much richer and more challenging than the average read. I'll be thinking about this one for...a long time.

LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND tells the story of Brooklyn couple Amanda & Clay who are vacationing with their two kids at a luxurious but remote Air BnB in rural Long Island. Late one night, they answer a knock at the door to find an older African American couple claiming to be the owners of the home. The couple says that there has been mysterious blackout in New York City, & they ask if they can stay there for the night. ⁣⁣
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But are they really who they say they are? And what really happened back in New York? And why is the cable, phone service, & Internet suddenly out?⁣⁣
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This book is my favorite combo: gorgeous, literary writing with a propulsive plot. First, the writing is absolutely amazing. Top notch. So smart & sharp. And the story itself is a creepy, suspenseful take on one of my favorite genres: apocalyptic fiction. ⁣⁣
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It’s got shades of Station Eleven & The Age of Miracles with a little (go with me here) Fleishman Is In Trouble thrown in. Besides being a joy to read that I could not put down, it also made me think about many uncomfortable things like how I might handle a major disaster as a mother (would I be honest with my kids?), & even how deeply reliant we are on our phones & the internet, especially when we’re not in a familiar place.⁣⁣
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It’s an examination of race, parenthood, & the myriad ways that people respond to crisis. It’s spooky, beautifully written, & absolutely haunting. I especially loved how the author struck a perfect balance between keeping you as confused as the characters, but also adding in little nuggets of information that the characters didn’t know. ⁣⁣
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The ending won’t be for everyone, but I loved it. I read the last few pages three times to really soak it in. I’ve read a ton of okay & good books lately, but this was a great one. ⁣⁣
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I devoured this book in one day! It was a spectacular novel that is fitting in perfectly into the strange times we currently find ourselves. I loved the writing style and was drawn into the story from the very beginning! Just loved it!!!

"The old burned. The new grew. Clay kept driving. What else was he supposed to do?"

Leave the World Behind was like a strange soft fever dream of a book-- the world might be ending--no one is sure, but these two families are sheltering together and trying to remain civil. The author's writing style is really interesting...lots of descriptions and flowing prose for things that could easily be said Inna few sentences. Both families are equally bland and unlikable enough that I wasn't sure if I was supposed to feel a certain way about them. Yes, there's some racial tension and it was interesting to see how the moderately wealthy white family reacted when they found out they were vacationing in a wealthier Black family's home.

I enjoyed the story, but the plot was too lackadaisical for me. There's no real conclusion or explantation and I was left with so many more questions than answers. I suppose if you like open ended stuff this could work for you. It certainly was an interesting book to read during Covid-19 times.