Thanks to @librofm for the free ALC of Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam! This is an unsettling read with an addictive quality. Not a high octane page-turner but I wanted to know what was happening and found myself thinking about it when I wasn't listening. This isn't your run-of-the-mill end of the world story.

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A white middle-class family rents a beautiful Airbnb in the countryside, ready for a week of rest and relaxation. But late one night, a knock at the door signals the arrival of Ruth and G.H., the wealthy Black owners of the house who have returned home frightened and unnerved by a blackout in New York. The two families, strangers, must try to navigate this strange new scenario together. TVs, internet and mobiles have all stopped working, and that was one of the most sobering parts for me - how dependent we all are on technology, and how utterly rudderless we would be if it was all suddenly taken away.

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I liked the subtle way Alam explored racial tensions within the book. It feels even more insidious after the election with the white majority voting for Trump. Racism is more harmful in the form of white liberals proclaiming to want change and harbouring private prejudices and voting for racists behind the curtain. Alam takes the same subtle approach with the sinister feeling of the book. It's not an in-your-face end of the world apocalypse novel; it moves stealthily, creeping and asking 'but what would happen if...?'

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I know a few people who have enjoyed this one but weren't massive fans of Alam's writing style, but honestly I find it so difficult to judge writing when I'm listening to a book! So those reviews will likely give a more accurate impression of style than mine. There were a few parts where I'd listen to a passage and then think '...So?' But overall I liked it, and am definitely interested in checking out Alam's backlist!