Every so often, a book comes along that leaves me so stymied I can't decide what I think of it unless I write about it. The novel I finished last night is such a book: Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam, Ecco, 2020, 256 pages, ISBN: 9780062667631.
Spoiler Alert: The following review includes information about the book's ending.
To say that Alam is a gifted writer is an understatement. I'd give anything to emulate much of what he does, especially his use of sensory details to create a world that readers sink into immediately. His characters are well-drawn: appealing but flawed and unique. His prose is crisp and crystal clear.
I liked the novel's suspense until it became drawn out about 3/4 of the way through the narrative. The last 1/3 of the book needed editing for redundancies and too many references to a vague threat intended to keep readers hooked. The threat was supposed to be human in origin, but the narrator also hinted that it could include elements of the supernatural, which was confusing in a story that was otherwise hyper-real. The suspense eventually became irritating because it was so prolonged and its source was so vague. I closed the book uncertain of what, exactly, had scared the characters. I don't need a perfectly tidy conclusion; in fact, I prefer endings that leave something unresolved, but this novel offered almost no concrete indication of what posed the threat that drove its plot. The lack of explanation seemed like a cop-out on Alam's part rather than a strategy.
I finished the book and enjoyed most of it because Alam’s description and sentences were breathtaking, but I grew resentful of being strung along and was disappointed by the end.
I'd give Alam's book 3.5 out of 5 stars. It’s a worthwhile study for writers who want to hone their craft but a frustrating experience for readers who want a book that will let them leave the world behind.
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