Leave the World Behind: A Novel Hardcover – October 6, 2020

Bravo!!! Finally a novel that speaks to the human condition in post modern life, and profound delusions most of us use to build our precarious sense of normal. There is no normal. Especially now, and more importantly here.We have not had a normal. Normal has eluded us for so long, we are forced to reconstruct it, using the flimsiest of materials.But more importantly, we have lost the ability to appreciate just how abnormal things are.The prototypical family of four head out of the City in the oppressive month of August, off to their pedestrian vacation in a remote Airbnb. The gradual erosion of cell service, and finally loss of all service on any device, cuts a stark relief of what any of us think is a “normal” day.Very soon, the owners of the Airbnb arrive unannounced, deeply shaken about a massive blackout in the City. But it’s far more than a “regular” blackout. Something has happened for which they don’t yet have words.Stunned by the loss of WiFi, and no way to learn what’s happened, the characters break into two camps. The first is to frantically try to maintain some sense of normalcy by cooking food and washing laundry, breaking out the alcohol, and waiting for “news” to come. But it will not come.The second camp decides to go forth, and explore what is actually happening. To simply observe, without bias, what is happening outside of the secure fortress of the Airbnb. Because, as the author so gently points out, the natural world isn’t subject to the brainwashing we perpetrate on ourselves. Animals just know. Although the movement of animals in the setting of looming tsunamis isn’t spelled out, it doesn’t need to be. The reader is shown the images of nature responding to the unimaginable.Those reading will likely fall into two groups. The first is those expecting some “conclusion” to the crisis at hand. “Some answers, dammit!! What the hell is going on here?!?!” These readers will likely be disappointed. The second group will see how meticulously the author leads us along, through a detached omniscient speaker, who points out widespread destruction in what was never a “normal” life.The reader is gifted with bursts of cold, clinical clairvoyance. Yet these glimpses are completely incomplete. The reader will not be able to grasp the golden ring of full knowledge. The merry go round is no longer relevant.The prose is lovely. The plot is both sinister and very mundane. The bursts of nature’s responses are as fantastical as any of the magical lines from the group of famous South American authors.I couldn’t put this book down. Recommend highly.

Sometimes, a book captures the spirit of the times, perfectly reflecting the emotions and experiences of humanity at that moment. In the fall of 2020, as the world grappled with the uncertainty and fear brought on by the pandemic, the threat of COVID-19 was overwhelming. We watched helplessly as this invisible virus upended our lives, changing them forever. The worst part was that we could not do anything but hope to stay safe. Tragically, many lost their lives before a vaccine was developed, and we slowly began to adjust to our new normal.Rumaan Alam's novel Leave the World Behind was released that October and quickly captivated readers around the globe. The story of two families forced to coexist under one roof as the world around them spiraled into chaos mirrored our new reality and resonated deeply with readers. As is often the case, I avoided reading the novel during its initial hype, only recently rediscovering it on my shelf. I started it eager to see if the story still had the same impact as during that unprecedented year.Amanda and Clay are eager for a getaway. They’ve rented a luxurious Airbnb in a secluded part of Long Island, far from the stress of the city. Along with their teenage son and daughter, the couple plans to spend the next few days relaxing and unwinding, free from the burdens of their everyday lives. But little do they know that everything they’re trying to escape is about to intrude on their vacation, starting with a knock on the door on their very first night.When Amanda and Clay open the door, they find an older couple, Ruth and G.H., who claim to be the owners of the house. Why are they here? The couple is clearly distressed, explaining that a massive power outage has hit the city. They've arrived at their country house in search of their own safe haven. But can Amanda and Clay trust them? With no way to verify their story—since phone and internet services have gone out, and the power is soon to follow—they have little choice but to let Ruth and G.H. in, becoming reluctant housemates in an increasingly uncertain situation.A growing sense of uneasiness permeates each page of Leave the World Behind. Rumaan Alam crafts a narrative where characters are thrust together by sheer circumstance, generating interpersonal drama that echoes the outside world's chaos. As I read, I couldn't help but recall the days of quarantine, confined within the walls of my home with little certainty about what the future held. Even years later, that lingering anxiety haunts me. Alam captures this feeling brilliantly, weaving it into the plot and the characters themselves.Tensions simmer between the two couples, divided by age and race, adding an extra layer of mistrust that fuels the mystery of what’s happening in the world. Why has the power gone out? Why are flamingos flying in the sky? And what was that deafening noise that shattered the windows? Answers are elusive, but that’s not the novel's purpose. Alam invites us to question everything, knowing full well that drawing conclusions may lead us astray. While this approach may yield mixed reactions from readers, I can see why this story has resonated so deeply with many. We lived through a unique moment in time that left us with more questions than answers. Leave the World Behind offers a chance to reflect on that experience through the lens of fiction, providing a sense of catharsis that only a well-crafted story can deliver.

En este caso me pareció más interesante y mejor lograda la película, si esperas que sea algo similar a ello dejame decirte que saldrás muy decepcionado...

Donˋt read if you have high anxiety. Show us how fragile we are. Chapter 3 I found to be a gem.

Lame story.

A very intense novel that should be read within as short a time as possible to keep the tension going. Throughout the book, the author builds a feeling of menace which at first the reader might believe is just in the characters' imaginations but which gradually becomes real.This is also a book about being a parent, especially a father as the fathers in the story struggle with helplessness and despair. Not to mention their own fear.Very much recommended.

Ich habe das Buch noch nicht fertig, aber die Spannung lässt mich weiter.Lieferung was schnell und das Buch war gut verpackt