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Michelle's Reviews > Leave the World Behind
Leave the World Behind
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by
Michelle's review
bookshelves: oct-2020-reads, netgalley-approved, direct-from-publisher
Oct 04, 2020
bookshelves: oct-2020-reads, netgalley-approved, direct-from-publisher
4.5 rounded up to 5
There's a lot of mystery around what this book is exactly about. Everyone is being deliberately vague and after having read it myself, I can now say that is the right approach. I finished this over the weekend and ever since then, I’ve been trying to think of how many other books made me feel this way. Not many, that’s for sure. This is a book you have to deliberately read (and go blind into) and allow yourself to absorb carefully. I think one of the most genius things about it, is that everyone will have their own reaction and response to it. The reason being is that fear is unique. We aren’t all afraid of the same things for the same reasons. Alam takes that knowledge and puts that on display perfectly. He moves the walls of the room closer and closer and closer until you can only hear the sounds of your own heart beating faster and faster and faster. This book is brilliant and while I know it won’t be a favorite for everyone, it’s a book that asks you a very personal question. What do you become when you’re ability to obtain knowledge disappears???
If I read this book in any other year, I would have given it a lower rating. When Rumaan Alam wrote this, he had no idea all the things that would happen in 2020. Particularly, COVID. This book is much more impactful now that we've been living with this virus for 8 months. It's no longer something that sounds awful or allows you the hubris to think, "Man, I'm sure glad I never have to worry about that happening." This is now. This is real life. The disbelief, the feeling of being caught off guard, the need for knowledge, the longing for normalcy - those are all things we are experiencing. Right now! So before 2020, I wouldn't have understood, I wouldn't have "gotten it". But I get it now. I get what this does to people. I get what this does to society. I get what this has done to me.
Thank you so much to Ecco Books and Rumaan Alam for my free review copy and to Netgalley for digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
Review Date: 10/06/2020
Publication Date: 10/06/2020
There's a lot of mystery around what this book is exactly about. Everyone is being deliberately vague and after having read it myself, I can now say that is the right approach. I finished this over the weekend and ever since then, I’ve been trying to think of how many other books made me feel this way. Not many, that’s for sure. This is a book you have to deliberately read (and go blind into) and allow yourself to absorb carefully. I think one of the most genius things about it, is that everyone will have their own reaction and response to it. The reason being is that fear is unique. We aren’t all afraid of the same things for the same reasons. Alam takes that knowledge and puts that on display perfectly. He moves the walls of the room closer and closer and closer until you can only hear the sounds of your own heart beating faster and faster and faster. This book is brilliant and while I know it won’t be a favorite for everyone, it’s a book that asks you a very personal question. What do you become when you’re ability to obtain knowledge disappears???
If I read this book in any other year, I would have given it a lower rating. When Rumaan Alam wrote this, he had no idea all the things that would happen in 2020. Particularly, COVID. This book is much more impactful now that we've been living with this virus for 8 months. It's no longer something that sounds awful or allows you the hubris to think, "Man, I'm sure glad I never have to worry about that happening." This is now. This is real life. The disbelief, the feeling of being caught off guard, the need for knowledge, the longing for normalcy - those are all things we are experiencing. Right now! So before 2020, I wouldn't have understood, I wouldn't have "gotten it". But I get it now. I get what this does to people. I get what this does to society. I get what this has done to me.
Thank you so much to Ecco Books and Rumaan Alam for my free review copy and to Netgalley for digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
Review Date: 10/06/2020
Publication Date: 10/06/2020
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Reading Progress
April 15, 2020
– Shelved
April 15, 2020
– Shelved as:
to-read
April 15, 2020
– Shelved as:
oct-2020-reads
April 17, 2020
– Shelved as:
netgalley-approved
July 18, 2020
– Shelved as:
direct-from-publisher
September 27, 2020
–
Started Reading
October 4, 2020
–
Finished Reading
Comments Showing 1-37 of 37 (37 new)
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message 1:
by
Michael
(new)
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rated it 3 stars
Oct 06, 2020 01:41PM
Fantastic review, Michelle! I'm excited for this one! So intriguing!
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Michael wrote: "Fantastic review, Michelle! I'm excited for this one! So intriguing!"Thanks so much, Michael! I hope you end up liking it when you read it!
Thoughtful and thought-provoking review!
Great review Michelle...makes me even more excited to read this!
Wonderful review, Michelle, and yes, what a time to read this book...chilling.
Wow Michelle! This review is fantastic. I had no intention of reading it but I might have to. I am so intrigued now!
I absolutely loved this book, and honestly I would have loved it in any year. It's right up my alley and will be on my favorites list this year. I'm glad you loved it too!
Amazing review, Michelle! I'm hearing so many great things about this one. I will inevitably be adding it to my neverending pile. :)
Yikes more than six months on the hold! Hopeful they will buy more copies.
Excellent review Michelle! I'm definitely getting this one soon!
Jayme wrote: "Thoughtful and thought-provoking review!"Thanks so much, Jayme!
Christina wrote: "Great review Michelle...makes me even more excited to read this!"Thanks, Christina! I hope you like it. There is a lot to discuss!
marilyn wrote: "Wonderful review, Michelle, and yes, what a time to read this book...chilling."I agree, Marilyn. Very much so .
Kim ~ It’s All About the Thrill wrote: "Wow Michelle! This review is fantastic. I had no intention of reading it but I might have to. I am so intrigued now!"Wow, thank you, Kim!
JanB wrote: "I absolutely loved this book, and honestly I would have loved it in any year. It's right up my alley and will be on my favorites list this year. I'm glad you loved it too!"Like you said in your review, Jan - it was a book that recognized the intelligence of its reader.
Melissa wrote: "Amazing review, Michelle! I'm hearing so many great things about this one. I will inevitably be adding it to my neverending pile. :)"Thanks, Melissa!! I hope when you read it that you like it also!
Claudia wrote: "Yikes more than six months on the hold! Hopeful they will buy more copies."I hope so! I also listened to the audio for a short walk and the narrator was good for the portion that I heard. Maybe that's an option? I always prefer the book though.
preoccupiedbybooks wrote: "Excellent review Michelle! I'm definitely getting this one soon!"Thank you! I hope you like it too!
Excellent review, Michelle.
So many positive reviews on this book, yours included. Going to have to get a copy.
Can’t wait to get my copy from Overdrive! Wonderful review Michelle!
Michelle wrote: "Like you said in your review, Jan - it was a book that recognized the intelligence of its reader." I LOVE an author that does that!
Great review, Michelle! I can’t wait to read this one.
This is a truly brilliant review, Michelle. Your question, "What do you become when your ability to obtain knowledge disappears???" really got me thinking, so thank you for making me ponder something big. I agree--so eerie to read this book in the land of COVID, and it definitely makes our relationship to the book (and its characters) even stronger. I loved the book, too. Damn, just damn!
What a fantastic review, Michelle! 💙 This is one of my favorite books this year and I am so happy you enjoyed this as well.
Marilyn wrote: "Great review, Michelle! I can’t wait to read this one."Thank you so much, Marilyn!
Debbie wrote: "This is a truly brilliant review, Michelle. Your question, "What do you become when your ability to obtain knowledge disappears???" really got me thinking, so thank you for making me ponder somethi..."Wow, Debbie. A compliment like that coming from you is such high praise. Thank you so much!! I absolutely love your reviews.
Michelle wrote: "What a fantastic review, Michelle! 💙 This is one of my favorite books this year and I am so happy you enjoyed this as well."Thank you, Michelle! I am glad I fell on your side of things. It's a good place to be :)
I’ve been hearing a lot about this one. Excellent review Michelle! 💙
Suzy wrote: "I’ve been hearing a lot about this one. Excellent review Michelle! 💙"Thanks again, Suzy! It's going to be a very polarizing book, but it's worth it in my opinion!
Oh, I wish I liked this like you did, Michelle. This one wasn't for me.
Love your very insightful review, Michelle!
I totally agree. I also feel there was a bigger, more contemporary idea being floated, that of the idea ‘what if we become the other’, the ones whiz lives are turned upside down overnight. All our luxuries and freedoms removed, our healthcare stopped, not knowing where to go as no communication exists. The technology we live by. People in war torn countries in 2020, go through this every day. Is THIS not the idea? There is mention of African immigrants in boats, Trumpism touched upon, a more bizarre reference to Angela Merkel (I digress).
Anyway, I felt initially disappointed in the end of detail in the outcomes, BUT then I thought like I have wrote above, and THINK I got it.
I agree that Covid made it even more impactful. Fantastic review Michelle!
I felt the same how covid made it more impactful and didnt even need to round it to 5 stars. It was 5 stars for me :)
I hadn’t thought about parallels with the pandemic, but maybe two years in, I’m no longer shocked by it. Good points!
LeAnne: wrote: "I hadn’t thought about parallels with the pandemic, but maybe two years in, I’m no longer shocked by it. Good points!"It's sad how "damaged" we've become from this pandemic but on the other hand, how much more aware we are.
