5 reasons you should read All That's Left In The World By Erik J. Brown
1. Good queer representation
Without giving much away, the development of relationship and character in the book is well built and darling. As someone who doesn't invest in romance as much, I very much still enjoyed seeing the two characters come to terms with their emotions and grow together. It's a found family as much as it is a romance.
2. Character/World balance at it's finest
I don't want to drag other books, and I certainly won't point them out, but I've seen quite a few YA stories that avoid heavy personal events for the sakes of keeping things in the realm of a "light hearted read", and it always takes away from the gravity of the story. All That's Left In The World is a post apocalyptic romantic story that doesn't favour one or the other. There's harmony in both the truma the characters been through and the prose that keeps it relatable, engaging, and touching. Giving us adorable banter all the while never taking away from the fact that the world truly did end, and actions have serious consequences.
I could go on because I truly love their characterization but we have more points to make.
3. Excellent world building (yes, it is different from reason 2)
This is an American story, full of American references, places, beliefs and more. However, as a non American, no nod or reference disturbed my immersion or felt out of place. The references and jokes aren't put just to fill up space, they genuinely deliver a small level of exposition and a look into who the characters were before the start of the story. As a non American, I can still get a sense of how the world each of them lived in shaped them to who they were when they met.
4. Morality in a changing world
Like I said, the world building is well thought out, and the question of right and wrong is a fundamental part of our heros' journey. The world has ended, people are left to fend for themselves, how do you know what's morally wrong when you're counting down each can of mushrooms? How do you change years of learning to be a good person because suddenly it's you against the world?
Morality, politics and identity are all reoccurring thoughts that our heros' deal with, on their own and together, and try to make the right choices when so much of the world is wrong.
5. Not a coming of age story (and why it works)
Coming of age are some of my favourite stories, both because I relate to them as well as it being a fun light read. But this story, in a sense, tricked me into thinking it is a coming of age, when it deals a little differently. The characters don't grow up because they're learning things about life, but rather are forced to grow because... Well, the world ended. Suddenly having to take care of themselves, their mistakes aren't stepping stones, they are a literal matter of life and death (but no pressure).
If they break out of their shell it's because they need to survive. If they have a hard choise to make- it can but their lives on the line. They still grow and learn about themselves, still question who they are, but the story doesn't conclud with their identity, because the goal isn't who they are- it's others.
Again, I could go on, because this is the tip of the iceberg for me spreading the ATLITW propaganda, but I'll leave you with this for now.
And, hey, maybe in the future I'll do a small analysis with actual spoilers, who knows.
(bonus reason: the Audiobook is REALLY good!)
