All That’s Left in the World (Book Review)

All That’s Left in the World is a post-apocalyptic love story about two boys trying to survive in a world they don’t recognise. A superflu having taken out most of humanity, Jamie and Andrew meet in the woods when the latter is injured. Both boys are lonely, having lost all of those who they once loved.

Becoming close while Jamie nurses Andrew back to health, they embark on an adventure across the USA in hopes of combating the loneliness each of them has come to feel, looking for a new world they are not too sure exists. Although Andrew has a much more personal reason for the trip…

When I picked up this book, I was not sure whether I would enjoy it. I’ve read plenty of post-apocalyptic fiction in the past, which I have significantly appreciated, but rarely come across ones that encompass an LGBTQIA+ narrative. I was nervous about how a story of death, dread, and loneliness would mix with that of a gay description. Would it feel silly? Would the tale feel weak because of the focus on love and coming out? The author, Erik J Brown, did an excellent job.

Sexuality is never quite the focus in this work but rather the journey and quest at hand. This is simply an apocalyptic story, which happens to be a gay love story. There is hardly any reluctance to love or denial of the feelings Jamie and Andrew experience. The narrative never feels unbalanced, their love and their adventure co-existing beautifully. The love story feels authentic to queer relationships while never feeling unrealistic in a post-apocalyptic American setting.

At times the narrative seems slightly repetitive, though all ring true to the story’s world. There was never a point in the story that I started to regret reading, which can happen with these titles when the story becomes too tedious. If there was one thing I would change, it would be the epilogue, but that’s down to personal preference. The second half of the book is definitely the better half, the action and pace picking up just right.

And, Oi Jamie! Vertigo is a great movie!!!

SPOILERS

What I liked:

~ I absolutely loved the character of Henri. She was awesome, frankly badass. I only wished I got to see more of her.

~ I loved that Jamie slowly falls for Andrew despite never having loved a boy before. He never tries not to love Andrew for any reason other than he thinks they won’t know each other very long. There’s never a debate, any denial, about his feelings for another man.

What I didn’t like:

~ The Epilogue! I wanted more Henri. It almost felt wasted, as we already knew everything about Jamie and Andrew. It left me with too many questions, which felt rather unsatisfying.

~ I would have loved to have learnt more about Clara. There are hints, of course, but I would have loved an in-depth look into her life. This doesn’t affect the story, but I just wanted more out of my curiosity.

~ Some of the pop culture references seemed a bit silly to me.

My favourite line: ‘I’m not surprised. I’m a weirdo.’

Rating: 3/5

Btw, reading this while having covid was not the best choice I’ve made. 🥴