A startling, thought-provoking novel about love, connection and loss from the New York Times bestselling author of The Abstinence Teacher and Little Children. What if the Rapture happened and you got left behind? Or what if it wasn't the Rapture at all, but something murkier, a burst of mysterious, apparently random disappearances that shattered the world in a single moment, dividing history into Before and After, leaving no one unscathed? How would you rebuild your life in the wake of such a devastating event? This is the question confronting the bewildered citizens of Mapleton, a formerly comfortable suburban community that lost over a hundred people in the Sudden Departure. Kevin Garvey, the new mayor, wants to speed up the healing process, to bring a sense of renewed hope and purpose to his traumatized neighbours, even as his own family falls apart. His wife, Laurie, has left him to enlist in the Guilty Remnant, a homegrown cult whose members take a vow of silence but haunt the streets of town as "living reminders" of God's judgment. His son, Tom, is gone, too, dropping out of college to follow a sketchy prophet by the name of Holy Wayne. Only Kevin's teenaged daughter, Jill, remains, and she's definitely not the sweet "A" student she used to be. Kevin wants to help her, but he's distracted by his growing attraction to Nora Durst, a woman who lost her entire family in the tragedy, and is still reeling three years later, groping for a way to face the remainder of her life. Through the prism of a single family, Perrotta illuminates a familiar America made strange by grief and apocalyptic anxiety. The Leftovers is a powerful and deeply moving book about people struggling to hold on to a belief in their own futures.
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About the author
Tom Perrotta
Author
Thomas R. Perrotta is an American novelist and screenwriter best known for his novels Election (1998) and Little Children (2004), both of which were made into critically acclaimed, Academy Award-nominated films. Perrotta co-wrote the screenplay for the 2006 film version of Little Children with Todd Field, for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. He is also known for his novel The Leftovers (2011), which has been adapted into a TV series on HBO.
The Leftovers
by Tom Perrotta
Books Like The Leftovers
If you're looking for books similar to The Leftovers, here are some recommendations based on themes, tone, and narrative style.
The Road
Cormac McCarthy
A haunting post-apocalyptic journey of a father and son surviving in a bleak, destroyed world. The novel explores themes of love, survival, and maintaining humanity in the face of overwhelming loss. Similar to The Leftovers, it delves deep into how individuals process trauma and maintain connection in a fundamentally altered reality. The stark prose and emotional depth examine human resilience in the wake of catastrophic change.
The Handmaid's Tale
Margaret Atwood
A dystopian novel about a totalitarian society that fundamentally transforms human relationships and individual freedom. The story follows a woman's experience in a oppressive, radically altered world. Like The Leftovers, it explores how individuals maintain identity and connection under extraordinary circumstances. The narrative provides a deep examination of personal resilience.
The Passage
Justin Cronin
A post-apocalyptic epic about a world transformed by a scientific experiment gone wrong. The story follows survivors in a dramatically altered landscape, exploring themes of survival and human connection. Like The Leftovers, it examines how communities and individuals respond to catastrophic, unexplained events. The narrative spans multiple generations, revealing human resilience and adaptation.
Cloud Atlas
David Mitchell
A complex novel spanning multiple time periods and interconnected narratives. The story explores themes of human connection, transformation, and resilience across different contexts. Similar to The Leftovers, it examines how individuals process extraordinary circumstances and maintain hope. The narrative provides a broad, philosophical exploration of human experience.
Never Let Me Go
Kazuo Ishiguro
A subtle dystopian novel about identity, humanity, and acceptance in a world with a dark underlying reality. The story follows characters who gradually understand their predetermined fate, exploring themes of loss and connection. Similar to The Leftovers, it examines how individuals process extraordinary circumstances and maintain emotional bonds. The narrative is deeply introspective, focusing on personal experiences within a larger, mysterious context.
The Martian
Andy Weir
A science fiction novel about survival and human ingenuity in an extreme, isolated environment. The story follows an astronaut stranded alone on Mars, exploring themes of resilience and problem-solving. Similar to The Leftovers, it examines individual response to extraordinary circumstances. The narrative focuses on personal determination and maintaining hope in seemingly hopeless situations.
Station Eleven
Emily St. John Mandel
A post-apocalyptic novel exploring human connection after a devastating pandemic. The story follows survivors of a global flu outbreak that decimates civilization, focusing on a traveling theater troupe. Like The Leftovers, it examines how people cope with sudden, inexplicable loss and rebuild meaning in a transformed world. The narrative weaves between past and present, revealing the interconnected lives of characters struggling to maintain hope and humanity.
The Age of Miracles
Karen Thompson Walker
A coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of a global environmental catastrophe. The novel explores how a young girl and her community adapt to the earth's rotation suddenly slowing down. Similar to The Leftovers, it examines how people process unexpected, world-changing events. The narrative focuses on personal experiences within a larger, inexplicable transformation.
The Dog Stars
Peter Heller
A post-apocalyptic novel about survival, connection, and hope after a global pandemic. The story follows a man and his dog navigating a dramatically altered world. Like The Leftovers, it explores how individuals maintain emotional connections and purpose in the wake of catastrophic loss. The narrative emphasizes human resilience and the search for meaning.
Bird Box
Josh Malerman
A dystopian thriller about survivors in a world where an unseen force drives people to fatal madness. The narrative focuses on human survival and adaptation in the face of an inexplicable, world-changing event. Like The Leftovers, it explores how people cope with sudden, incomprehensible loss and the breakdown of normal social structures. The story emphasizes psychological resilience and the search for meaning in a radically transformed world.
A Partial History of Lost Causes
Jennifer duBois
A novel about personal and political uncertainty, following two characters navigating complex life challenges. The story explores themes of loss, resilience, and finding purpose in uncertain circumstances. Like The Leftovers, it delves into how individuals process inexplicable life changes and maintain hope. The narrative intertwines personal journeys with broader societal transformations.
American War
Omar El Akkad
A dystopian novel set in a future America torn apart by a second civil war. The story follows a young woman's journey through a fractured society, exploring themes of loss, survival, and personal transformation. Like The Leftovers, it examines how individuals and communities respond to catastrophic societal breakdown. The narrative provides a nuanced look at trauma, resilience, and the human capacity to adapt.
Zone One
Colson Whitehead
A literary zombie apocalypse novel exploring psychological aftermath and societal reconstruction. The story follows survivors attempting to rebuild civilization after a devastating pandemic. Similar to The Leftovers, it examines how people process trauma and seek meaning in a transformed world. The narrative provides a nuanced look at human adaptation and resilience.
The Circle
Dave Eggers
A contemporary novel exploring technology's impact on privacy and human connection. The story follows a young woman working at a powerful tech company that gradually erodes personal boundaries. Similar to The Leftovers, it examines how societal changes fundamentally alter human relationships and individual identity. The narrative critiques modern social structures and the search for meaning in a rapidly changing world.
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