Book Review: Exit West by Mohsin Hamid

Exit West was nowhere on my radar. I’d never heard of the book before and had no idea what to expect. This was one of those instances where I got a book from the library based on the book cover. I don’t even think I read the blurb before checking it out. I guess that goes to show that book covers are, no matter how much I try to pretend they aren’t.

Exit West follows two main characters, Nadia and Saeed, as they begin a love affair in an unnamed country that is full of unrest. When civil war breaks out, their relationship becomes serious quickly mostly because of the extreme circumstances they are living in. It is rumored that there are doorways throughout the country that lead to other lands. In desperation, Nadia and Saeed decide to find one of these doors and go through it, hoping to find a better life on the other side.

This book is captivating. I was so riveted that I finished it in two days. The story is told by a distant omniscient narrator. There isn’t a lot of dialogue, and the storytelling style tells you what the characters did in a matter-of-fact tone that some might find off-putting.

The tone gets even more distant once the characters pass through the first door into another country. I think this is intentional. It seems to be a way of demonstrating the struggle of the characters who are now living in a situation where they find it difficult to meet their basic needs and the people from the place where they live to see them as an unwanted other.

The story is an excellent commentary on the refugee crisis currently going on in the world. It looks at who is considered other, how groups work together and against each other. It also explores the questions of who can be considered native. I liked seeing how Nadia and Saeed change over time. Hamid is good at depicting the subtle moments that cause a shift their relationship.

There are also little vignettes in the novel that depict snippets of stories about characters that have nothing to do with the main story. These snippets are stark and lovely. They examine how neighborhoods change with immigration and ask who can really be considered a refugee.

The only problem I have with this book is that there are quite a few needlessly long sentences that make it hard to read. I’m not sure why that choice was made by the writer or editor. It distracts from the book, pulling me out of the story.

Despite the crazy sentences, I enjoyed Exit West and recommend it.

Check it out here.

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