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A review by laura_corsi
Exit West by Mohsin Hamid
2.0
I don't know how I feel about this book..it was not what I thought and at first it was very jarring. I started the book thinking it would be about the reality of becoming displaced and instead it was more an allegory. A political allegory. It was beautifully written but as is common in allegories you keep seeing the author's framework peeking through and poorly disguised at that!
There were all of these mythical doors that served as the means for migrants to get from place to place across the globe. They just appeared and disappeared randomly and seemed to reflect how different governments become hostile or welcoming at different points. There was a more well-developed A.I. presence that was distantly threatening but then brushed under the rug. There were paeans of praise for multiculturalism and how we are all the same underneath. None of this being necessarily bad nor necessarily good, however it was unnecessarily clumsy. There are better ways communicate these things.
I would not recommend this to anyone that was not a progressive. But I don't know as I would recommend it to a progressive either as it does nothing to enrich their understanding, rather it merely reinforces their existing bias. Literature should challenge your beliefs and this does not challenge anyone's beliefs on the right or left of the culture wars.
There were some redeeming moments early when the couple first met and before the city fell, but the rest was disappointing. As soon as the fairy tale doors manifested the rest was pure allegorical propaganda. Also, the writing was at times brilliant and had a wonderful dreamy vividness.
There were all of these mythical doors that served as the means for migrants to get from place to place across the globe. They just appeared and disappeared randomly and seemed to reflect how different governments become hostile or welcoming at different points. There was a more well-developed A.I. presence that was distantly threatening but then brushed under the rug. There were paeans of praise for multiculturalism and how we are all the same underneath. None of this being necessarily bad nor necessarily good, however it was unnecessarily clumsy. There are better ways communicate these things.
I would not recommend this to anyone that was not a progressive. But I don't know as I would recommend it to a progressive either as it does nothing to enrich their understanding, rather it merely reinforces their existing bias. Literature should challenge your beliefs and this does not challenge anyone's beliefs on the right or left of the culture wars.
There were some redeeming moments early when the couple first met and before the city fell, but the rest was disappointing. As soon as the fairy tale doors manifested the rest was pure allegorical propaganda. Also, the writing was at times brilliant and had a wonderful dreamy vividness.