All That's Left in the World - Erik J. Brown

 

Title: All That's Left in the World

Author: Erik J. Brown

Publisher: Balzer + Bray, 2022 (Hardcover)

Length: 352 pages

Genre: Young Adult; Post-Apocalyptic

Started: May 5, 2022

Finished: May 5, 2022

Summary:

From Amazon.ca:

When Andrew stumbles upon Jamie's house, he's injured, starved, and has nothing left to lose. A deadly pathogen has killed off most of the world's population, including everyone both boys have ever loved. And if this new world has taught them anything, it's to be scared of what other desperate people will do...so why does it seem so easy for them to trust each other?

After danger breaches their shelter, they flee south in search of civilization. But something isn't adding up about Andrew's story, and it could cost them everything. And Jamie has a secret, too. He's starting to feel something something more than friendship for Andrew, adding another layer of fear and confusion to an already tumultuous journey. 

The road ahead of them is long, and to survive, they'll have to shed their secrets, face the consequences of their actions, and find the courage to fight for the future they desire, together. Only one thing feels certain: all that's left in their world is the undeniable pull they have toward each other. 

Review:

This book has been getting all kind of hype lately, I mean, how often do you see queer representation in post-apocalyptic stories? If you're an older reader who has consumed a lot of post-apocalyptic stories, the plot will be predictable, but the characters are what make this story shine. 

In a post-Covid world now ravaged by another more deadly pandemic, Andrew comes upon Jamison's cabin in the Pennsylvania woods, desperate for aid after getting his leg caught in a bear trap. Jamie, now living alone since the death of his mother, welcomes Andrew cautiously after realizing he truly is alone as well. After spending weeks together as Andrew's leg heals, both boys begin to develop feelings for each other, though Jamie takes longer to accept his since this is the first time he's had feelings for another boy.  When a rogue group of survivors invade the cabin and steal their food supply, Andrew and Jamie decide to travel to an airport in Bethesda, Maryland in search of aid from the EU that is rumoured to be arriving in a few weeks. On the way the two have to come to terms with the secret Andrew is keeping, and Jamie's realization that he can't picture a future without Andrew. 

The novel is told in alternating points of view, switching from Andrew to Jamie and back again. I wasn't a fan of this purely because it was hard to tell the inner voices of the boys apart unless they were talking about each other. As an example of this, the epilogue doesn't state whose point of view it is, and since no one is referenced by name I couldn't figure out who was speaking (unless that was the point). 

The only other criticism I have of the book is that the plot is predictable if you've seen post-apolcalyptic tv shows or read stories similar to this. You have the theme of "the true danger lies in the people that remain rather than the virus itself", the colony that seems good at first but in reality is problematic that they have to escape from, the good survivors that redeem the characters' faith in humanity (even if only temporarily), etc. Basically, if you've seen The Walking Dead none of the plot points will be a surprise. 

Where the story does do well, however, is in Andrew and Jamie as characters. Their dynamic is very realistic and sweet: they think and act like typical teenage boys, and become immensely protective of each other. I liked the descriptions of both of their internal struggles: Andrew coming to terms with what he's had to do to survive this long and worries what Jamie will think of him, and Jamie's gentle nature not allowing him to take someone's life until Andrew is threatened (and Jamie dealing with that). The story is also a slow-burn romance and is very vanilla (the most the boys do is kiss), so if you're coming into this for the romance alone, you might be disappointed. 

Also, I loved Henri in this book, I wanted the boys to spend more time with her. We need more kick-ass grandma-type characters. 

Recommendation:

If you want to read a queer post-apolcalyptic story with realistic characters, give this a try. If you want a unique post-apolcalyptic story that keeps you on the edge of your seat, this might not be your book. 

Thoughts on the cover:

I thought the colour scheme and visuals to depict a dessert-like setting were interesting choices considering most of the novel is spent in temperate areas, but the yellow looks pretty so I forgive it for that.