All That's Left in the World

All That’s Left in the World (2022) by Erik J. Brown is a young adult post-apocalyptic novel. A work of LGBTQ+ speculative fiction, the novel follows two teenagers, Jamie and Andrew, who find each other after a flu has killed most of the world’s population. As they grapple with teenage feelings of romance, they also face the dangers of their new world, fighting for survival against the elements, hunger, newly developing communities of people, and more. Through their journey, Brown explores themes of The Value of Human Connection, Rebuilding Trust After Trauma, and Shifting Morality in the Face of Death. A sequel, The Only Light Left Burning, was published in 2024.

This guide is based on the first hardcover edition of the novel published by Balzer + Bray in 2022.

Content Warning: The source material and this guide feature depictions of anti-gay bias, ableism, gender discrimination, racism, child death, suicidal ideation, graphic violence, cursing, illness, and death.

Plot Summary

Sixteen-year-old Andrew arrives at a cabin in the woods. He has been traveling alone for several months after his parents and younger sister died from a superflu with an estimated 99.99% mortality rate. After defensively killing George and Joanne Foster while fighting over food, Andrew is traveling to Alexandria to explain what happened to their son, Marc. However, while traveling through the woods, he stepped in a bear trap, leaving him severely injured.

Inside the cabin, 16-year-old Jamie hears Andrew’s arrival. He has been alone since his mother died of the flu a few months before. Because she was a doctor, she left him with first aid supplies, a medical book, antibiotics, and more. He also has running water, electricity, and a good food supply.

After Andrew enters the cabin, he and Jamie have a tense moment, as they’re unsure if they can trust each other. Upon seeing Andrew’s injury, Jamie decides to help him, stitching up his wounds and giving him antibiotics.

Over the next few weeks, the boys live together as Andrew heals. Andrew keeps what he did to the Foster family secret, insisting to Jamie that he needs to heal to travel to Washington, DC, where help from Europe is rumored to be arriving via airport. Andrew harbors romantic feelings for Jamie.

One day, Andrew and Jamie are planting seeds for the spring when several people approach them. Their leader, Howard, threatens them with a gun. He informs the boys that they are taking their food for their community, claiming that it is a “tax” for scavenging in their area.

That night, Jamie grapples with his inability to defend himself from the hostile group. He had the overwhelming urge to protect Andrew, which makes him question his feelings. At the same time, he wonders if he will ever be able to kill another person—even for protection.

The next morning, Andrew leaves. He writes Jamie a note insisting that he will be better off without him. Jamie follows Andrew. When he catches him, the boys agree to travel to Washington, DC, together.

After weeks of traveling, Andrew and Jamie arrive outside Alexandria. They meet a woman, Henri, who invites them back to her home for dinner. They try to convince her to come with them, but she declines, insisting that she is building a life for herself. She tells them that her daughter, Amy, lives in Florida. She also gives them a multi-tool that belonged to her husband.

When the boys arrive in Alexandria, Andrew tells Jamie the truth about the Foster family. Despite Jamie’s insistence that Andrew is still a good person, as he did what he needed to for survival, Andrew is still overwhelmed with guilt. When they arrive at the home of Marc Foster, the son of the couple that Andrew killed, they find that he and his family are dead. Andrew buries them in the backyard.

The next day, Andrew and Jamie arrive at the Washington, DC, airport. They learn that several people also heard the rumor about Europe sending help. However, a young boy there informs them that the rumors were never true. He shows them documents from the government that outline the second outbreak in Europe, estimating that the virus has killed around 80% of the world’s population. Unsure what to do next, Andrew and Jamie decide to continue to Florida to see if Amy is still alive.

After a few more weeks of traveling, Andrew and Jamie see fireworks on the Fourth of July. They meet a group of people who invite them into their community in Fort Caroline. Although they’re initially optimistic, they realize that the community is dangerous. Their leader, Danny, and his son, Harvey, make anti-gay comments, while Jamie notes that there are no elderly people, sick people, or people of color, and very few women are seen outside. They escape with the help of a young girl named Cara, who draws them a map to Florida.

The boys make it into South Carolina before they are confronted by Harvey. He and his friend accuse them of stealing from the community, threatening to rob and kill them. Jamie manages to kill Harvey and severely injure his friend, allowing them to escape. Shortly thereafter, they are joined by Cara, who also escaped from the community.

Over the next several days, Jamie struggles with his guilt over killing Harvey. Despite Andrew’s insistence that he did what he had to do to save them, Jamie grapples with how much he has changed. They wonder if there are any good people left in the world.

Seeking revenge for his son’s death, Danny and several other members of Fort Caroline hunt Andrew, Jamie, and Cara into northern Florida. They catch up to them, ambushing their camp and threatening to kill them. With Cara’s help, Jamie and Andrew flee into the woods. However, Jamie is shot in the stomach. Although the other members of Fort Caroline convince Danny to give up on his revenge trip, Jamie is left severely wounded, and Cara searches for supplies in the homes nearby.

Slowly, Andrew, Jamie, and Cara make their way to the Florida Keys. Jamie’s gunshot wound begins to heal, but he is overcome by infection. Andrew and Jamie confess their feelings for each other and admit their love, but Andrew knows that Jamie will die if he does not get help soon.

Just on the border of the Keys, Cara and Andrew come up to a fence surrounding the road. They are pulling Jamie in a wagon, but he has become delirious. As they despair, a truck approaches the other side of the fence. Andrew begs for help. After hesitating, they finally let Andrew, Cara, and Jamie into their community.

After several days, Jamie returns to full health. They learn that the community has over 2,500 people. They utilize solar and wind power for electricity and work toward getting clean water. Because they keep a census, Jamie and Andrew learn that Amy is still alive and living there.

The boys go to visit Amy. They return her father’s multi-tool and tell her about Henri’s survival. She is grateful and proposes an eventual trip up the coast by boat to visit or even retrieve her mother.

Several weeks later, Andrew and Jamie prepare for the trip north. They question whether they have finally found a community of good people and whether such a thing even exists. They decide that they are happy as long as they are together.