FINALIST FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE 10 BEST BOOKS OF 2017, NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW WINNER OF THE L.A. TIMES BOOK PRIZE FOR FICTION and THE ASPEN WORDS LITERARY PRIZE “A breathtaking novel…[that] arrives at an urgent time.” —NPR “It was as if Hamid knew what was going to happen to America and the world, and gave us a road map to our future… At once terrifying and … oddly hopeful.” —Ayelet … and gave us a road map to our future… At once terrifying and … oddly hopeful.” —Ayelet Waldman, The New York Times Book Review
“Moving, audacious, and indelibly human.” —Entertainment Weekly, “A” rating
A New York Times bestseller, the astonishingly visionary love story that imagines the forces that drive ordinary people from their homes into the uncertain embrace of new lands.
In a country teetering on the brink of civil war, two young people meet—sensual, fiercely independent Nadia and gentle, restrained Saeed. They embark on a furtive love affair, and are soon cloistered in a premature intimacy by the unrest roiling their city. When it explodes, turning familiar streets into a patchwork of checkpoints and bomb blasts, they begin to hear whispers about doors—doors that can whisk people far away, if perilously and for a price. As the violence escalates, Nadia and Saeed decide that they no longer have a choice. Leaving their homeland and their old lives behind, they find a door and step through. . . .
Exit West follows these remarkable characters as they emerge into an alien and uncertain future, struggling to hold on to each other, to their past, to the very sense of who they are. Profoundly intimate and powerfully inventive, it tells an unforgettable story of love, loyalty, and courage that is both completely of our time and for all time.
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I loved the beautiful, poetic writing style of the author.
Did not like it. enough it was probably a realistic view of immigrants difficult life.
Author’s skill with language had me rereading so many passages. And reading some of the review first allowed me to be more open about the couples’ upcoming relationship status. What an author!!
Absolutely outstanding portrayal of experiences of middle Eastern refugees, not terrorists, put young people trying to live their lives in a society that is highjacked by terrorists, disrupting the family ties and their futures. The writing is so evocative of their experience.
This is a very moving depiction of the global refugee crisis, told imaginatively in simple, yet poetic language that conveys far more than the actual words can see.
Can’t say too much for fear of being a spoiler. But the book is a surprise in some ways and informative in others. One device used by the author is so efficient and interest generating as to take you by surprise.
One of my favorite reads of the year. Current, gripping storyline with indelible
characters. Raw and original prose. Loved it.
After reading reviews of Exit West, it jumped to the top of my “to read” list. I was looking forward to the possibilities of where the story could go. For me, the hype and anticipation was better than the book.
To be fair, the book made me think. There were several lines in the text that were beautifully written and thought-provoking. The descriptions of life in a war torn country before they discovered the doors were empathetic making me feel as if I was there. I enjoyed the budding relationship between Saeed and Nadia. For me, this first part of the story felt like an insider’s peek at the people behind, suffering, and involved in the real life war stories we hear in the news. For this reason, I appreciate the author’s tale.
Then came the doors and the escape – gripping to read. But then, my expectations and the actual story diverged. I was expecting to find the characters building a new, happier life. With time/space transporting doors, the possibilities of roads to travel are endless. Unfortunately, the author went down a less optimistic path in the book. I understand he was sending a message that while change may be necessary, It isn’t always better or without cost. There were deep questions raised: How should immigrants and refugees be treated? What toll do survival and migration have on a person and their relationships? What part does religion play in a person’s outlook on life? While these things are important to contemplate and discuss, it wasn’t what I was expecting.
I would have given this book a higher rating because I appreciate books that make me think, but there were three things that really bothered me as a reader. First, there were many instances (especially toward the end) where the author had half page run-on sentences. These are hard to read and follow. Second, the author added in, from time to time, short tales of other people in other parts of the world experiencing things apart from the main characters. These vignettes were never tied back to the plot line or characters; they were superfluous. Finally, the last chapter jumps ahead 50 years and then just ends. There is no explanation of what happened during that half century. I found that disappointing and frustrating. The last few chapters and ending made me feel like the author didn’t know where to take the story and just kind of gave up.
I am glad I read the book, and I think my book club will have many good things to discuss, but I’m not sure it is a book I will recommend to others.