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steveatwaywords's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Any writer makes a contract with a reader at the start of a work: the reader promises a sincere effort to read; the writer promises value in its completion. This could not have paid off more handsomely, more profoundly, than in this novel.
Our main characters are real, fitting inconveniently into their fictional culture as one does, in communities ruptured as often happens, and made refugees, migrants, as too many are. The novel works, then, as a dialogue between the micro (the relationship between Saeed and Nadia) and the macro (a world compelled to confront the immigrant experience): relationships of choice and of compulsion. Fittingly, and without spoilers, Hamid's closing chapters pull these together in poetic epiphany for us, even if all his characters never quite get it.
Accept the character asides, accept the narrator's distanced omniscience, accept the conceit which propels the novel into its collisions--what awaits is little less than the collective responsibility we all have as readers and dwellers.
Why not five stars? If anything, Hamid is too modest in his ambition, in the depths of his explorations, opting instead for a quickly told short work which might do more still than call the question.
Our main characters are real, fitting inconveniently into their fictional culture as one does, in communities ruptured as often happens, and made refugees, migrants, as too many are. The novel works, then, as a dialogue between the micro (the relationship between Saeed and Nadia) and the macro (a world compelled to confront the immigrant experience): relationships of choice and of compulsion. Fittingly, and without spoilers, Hamid's closing chapters pull these together in poetic epiphany for us, even if all his characters never quite get it.
Accept the character asides, accept the narrator's distanced omniscience, accept the conceit which propels the novel into its collisions--what awaits is little less than the collective responsibility we all have as readers and dwellers.
Why not five stars? If anything, Hamid is too modest in his ambition, in the depths of his explorations, opting instead for a quickly told short work which might do more still than call the question.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Violence, and Death of parent
cerilouisereads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racism, Violence, Death of parent, and War
rhi_'s review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Xenophobia, Death of parent, and War
Moderate: Genocide, Gun violence, Self harm, Suicide, and Grief
Minor: Drug use and Sexual harassment
caitonline's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Death of parent, and War
Moderate: Drug use, Suicide, Violence, Grief, and Sexual harassment
ok7a's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Xenophobia, and War
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Hate crime and Police brutality
kellyung's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Drug use, Gun violence, Sexual assault, and Death of parent
time4tori2read's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent, and War
savvylit's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Exit West utilizes magical realism to discuss very weighty topics such as living in active battle zones, refugee resettlement, strict Islamic cultural norms, and xenophobia. Hamid deftly imbues Exit West with the twin stresses of a relationship's honeymoon period and civil war. New relationships are difficult enough as is but Nadia & Saeed's young love faces incredible obstacles. As seems befitting of sudden violent skirmishes, Nadia and Saeed are forced to quickly adapt to drastic loss. Loss of paychecks, food, electricity, loved ones... It takes hardly any time for their lives to become incredibly narrowed by war. But the next step of escaping to a resentful, wealthy region is not an easy task either. Ultimately, this is a gorgeously written book about human resiliency, sacrifice, and keeping your promises no matter what happens.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Xenophobia, Death of parent, and War
joann_l's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Drug use, Violence, Death of parent, and War
greenlivingaudioworm's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Death of parent, and War