Book info

• Title Leave the World Behind
• Author Rumaan Alam
• Year 2020
• Genre Thriller

Amanda and Clay head to a remote corner of Long Island expecting a holiday: 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 power outage has swept the city, and - with nowhere else to turn - they have come to the country in search of shelter. But with the TV and internet down, and no phone service, the facts are unknowable. Should Amanda and Clay trust this couple - and vice versa? What has happened back in New York? Is the holiday home, isolated from civilisation, a truly safe place for their families? And are they safe from one another?

Thoughts

I was vaguely aware of the film adaptation of this and thought it was worth a quick look at the source material… only to find it completely captivating. The claustrophobia and the not knowing are absolutely key to the book and it’s so well done, it holds your attention, it makes you turn the pages, you need to know! There were a few pretentious moments using long words that I had to look up, but then I thought that added to the slightly other-world feeling. The fact that you don’t know what’s going on but get hints of it also increases the horror of the situation. Great book.

Rating: 4 / 5