A review by maybreads
Exit West by Mohsin Hamid

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

3.75

A very quick read which explores some very interesting concepts. I felt that the magic doors were not fleshed out fully and the random cutaway scenes did not always jive with the larger narrative. What I really liked about this story was the way it explored the relationship of the protagonists and the strain which war and constant flight put on it. I thought the first half of the story was better, afterwards there are practically no even slightly fleshed out character's besides the main two. Up until they go through the door you have some relevant side characters, namley the parents. Afterwards every other character feels like a plot device which I thought was sad.
Another thing is the style of the prose which was something I had never encountered before. It's incredibly descriptive, maybe poetic while simutaniously feeling almost deadpan and detached. It was a very curious thing to read. Still, or maybe even due to this peculiar narrating voice, the novel was a very easy read and truly enjoyable.
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