Globally we are currently facing a multitude of existential threats. The catastrophic impacts of climate change, the rise in social inequality, and the current global pandemic are just a few of the impending calamities. This timely novel explores the implications of our global inaction towards these social and environmental crises.
Set in the US, Clay and Amanda head to Long Island with their two teenage children, Archie and Rose. In a bid to escape their high-strung lives, they rent out a quaint house in a remote area; reached by long stretches of road and surrounded by forest. What begins as a conventional holiday of drinks from noon, lounging and unbridled sex, swiftly changes when two strangers arrive at their door.
When the owners of the house, an African American couple named Ruth and George arrive unannounced, the premise of the novel quickly unravels. They calmy explain who they are and why they have disturbed their holiday – a city-wide black out.
Alam skilfully creates an atmosphere of suspense and tension, which is further exacerbated by their isolation. Their inability to confirm or relay any information propels the novel into an unrelenting state of unease. While not convinced, out of propriety, Clay and Amanda let Ruth and George stay. What ensues is a series of unsettling, yet obscure incidents that convey a sense of impending threat.
In Leave the World Behind Alam explores issues surrounding privilege, race and relationships. And how even the most dissimilar of us can find commonality when faced with a shared crisis. Alam’s writing is very witty, and provides an insightful commentary on our social framework. I really enjoyed this novel.
Reviewed by Akina Hansen
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