Reviews

Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam

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sittingwishingreading's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

annahlee's review against another edition

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dark tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

fruitysaz's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

oh this is FASCINATING. there's some really interesting ideas about race and class in here, as well as what it truly means to be a parent, both through the eyes of both parent and child. i've seen a lot of people describe this as a thriller and, whilst i wouldn't really deny that it is one, the pacing of this book really turns that genre on its head. the idea of feeling that fear and suspense over these gaping periods of time (that are actually mere days) is such a clever device, and really does a lot for your immersion as a reader.

the only reason why this isn't a 5 star rating from me is because of those first 40ish pages. whilst i understand the need for character development and depth, they are insufferably written at times, and are the sole reason i had to try twice to read this book, only persevering on the second occasion. they don't ruin the book by any means, but just require a chunky amount of willpower to get through.

martynahanna's review against another edition

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4.0

Unlike anything I have read before.
***
A month later I still think about it. It was unsettling and claustrophobic, yet I could not look away (ie put the book down). In contrary to Summerwater by Sarah Moss, which dealt with similar social themes and had a suffocating atmosphere to it, this one definitely got under my skin. Plus, the language and the choice of words are something else. It still astounds me when writers come up with something truly unique, truly them. Rumaan Alam is one to watch. I reckon even his shopping list would be an interesting read.