A review by laviskrg
Exit West by Mohsin Hamid

4.0

This is a really well written book, a perfect metaphor for the reffugee drama, a beautiful example of magical realism, gorgeous in form and large in scope. The only reason why I did not give this 5 stars is the fact that, while the relationship of Saeed and Nadia is very important and well designed and described, in my opinion, the ending was a tad lackluster and it just...seeped away into nothingness, or into something that was utterly different. The transformation of romantic love into, first, familiarity and then enstrangement and yet, thoughts of each other persisted through the ages. I guess I do have to respect the author for choosing not to end this in cliché but still...
A book that is at its strongest when describing the pain, fear, despair and hope that pull on the strings of migrants everywhere. To be honest, the small stories interspersed between the portions of the main one are absolutely the best and most touching.
Definitely recommend.