Review: All That's Left in the World

7/29/2025

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

The world has ended, thanks to a particularly effective strain of avian flu. All That’s Left in the World, a post-apocalyptic, queer YA adventure by Erik Brown, starts sometime after the flu has decimated Earth. Not only has the world fallen silent without any birds left to sing — but 90% of humanity has been eradicated as well.

Enter Andrew, a seventeen-year-old survivor who has decided to hike from Connecticut to Washington, D.C., based partly on a rumor that rescue teams from the European Union will be arriving at Ronald Reagan International Airport in the summer. However, Andrew’s journey is cut short when he steps into a bear trap. Critically injured, he stumbles upon an isolated cabin occupied by another teen boy named Jamie as infection ravaged his body.

While post-apocalyptic novels are a dime a dozen these days, author Erik Brown structures the plot of All That’s Left in the World so that the reader’s expectations are subverted. Here, our two survivors aren’t searching for a sanctuary, a haven, or people they can trust… they already have them. Though naturally mistrustful at first, the boys grow close as Jamie nurse’s Andrew back to health, due largely to his deceased doctor-mother having outfitted their rural Pennsylvania home for the end of the world. The house has solar powered electricity and even hot water showers. And Jamie’s mother has even left him a stash of pain medications, antibiotics and a detailed notebook on how to treat injuries and illnesses of all kinds.

Yet Andrew and Jamie’s fragile existence in their secluded cabin is shattered when nearby survivors raid them for dwindling supplies. Fearing a more violent confrontation will follow, the boys traverse the desolate mid-Atlantic landscape towards Washington, D.C. When the rumor for rescue teams prove cruelly proves, Andrew reveals his second reason for making the long walk: to find the family of two individuals he accidentally killed on the road before meeting Jamie. Although the family he seeks has also succumbed to the flu, he and Jamie find solace and an unexpected ally in Henri, an elderly woman living in a barricaded house amidst some perilous wildlife which has escaped from the Smithsonian National Zoo. Henri’s tales of her daughter in Florida sets the boys southward again, where they face new trials at a settlement called Fort Caroline run by white supremacists. Their escape from Fort Caroline is aided by a young woman named Cara, who has a remarkable memory, a keen sense of direction and a broken spirit. They narrowly escape, but not unscathed — Jamie is shot and gravely injured. Desperation fuels their final push to Florida, where the sanctuary of Henri’s daughter offers a flicker of hope.

The book’s narration switches between Jamie and Andrew every other chapter and this allows the reader insight into their very different personalities. Andrew is goofy, sarcastic, a fan of popular culture and openly gay. Jamie is serious-minded, responsible, kind-hearted and straight. Yet they share the tragedy of being the last survivors in their families — and a growing affection for each other. This part of their relationship unravels gently as the boys shed the social constraints of a bygone society. Rather than making the novel into a teen romance — which would probably be unrealistic when every moment is about staying alive — Brown keeps the story centered on survival and trust. Jamie and Andrew’s love for each other grows naturally from shared dependence and experiences.

All That’s Left in the World offers a gentler vision of dystopia. The environment, although ravaged and devoid of many modern conveniences, is surprisingly agreeable and without the typical threats one might expect. There are no Mad Max-style marauders or flesh-hungry zombies, for example. The lack of hoards of malevolent human antagonists is notable. Instead, the duo encounter survivors who are, for the most part, welcoming or at least uninterested in them — Fort Caroline being the obvious exception. The novel exudes a sense of hope and humanity that is rare in the genre. It's a tale that celebrates human connection in its purest form, which might not satisfy those readers seeking passionate romance or blood-drenched violence. But if you’re looking for a unique take on dystopian storytelling, this novel is a commendable and a very worthwhile read.