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_askthebookbug 's review for:
Exit West
by Mohsin Hamid
Exit West.
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"The end of the world can be cozy at times." - Mohsin Hamid.
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Many novels have been written about refugees and my favourite remains Khaled Hosseini without a doubt so it was only natural for me to expect that level of clarity when I chose this book. Although I read this book few weeks back, I'm not adding it to the previous year's reading challenge because now we're beyond that.
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Nadia and Saeed are poles apart but what brings them together is their very nature. Saeed is thoughtful, quite and shy while Nadia rides motorbikes with her black robe still on. They were two people who were unlikely to fall in love but they did. When things got worse in their country, they decided to flee together. Saeed leaves behind his father with a heavy heart who was still mourning his mother's death and Nadia, having cut off ties with her family, joins him on the tiresome journey.
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The author then takes us through the turmoil that the refugees had to face to procure work or any other basic amenities. They break their backs to earn few coins but they do so silently to fill their stomachs. Rest of the book is about their journey and the author paints a clear picture of their relationship. Don't take me wrong, there are many parts that I actually liked in the book. The love that burns fierce, slowly wanes over time like any other normal relationship. They have their arguments, moments of disgust and rage which is often what happens when you stay in a confined relationship.
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Then there were parts that didn't seem convincing to me. When the author talks about thousands of doors through which the refugees pass, I only wish that he had taken the time to explain their actual journey rather than end the topic right there. I also hoped that there would be some sort of connection between few characters that he seemed to occasionally mention all over the world.
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The author however has a flair for writing and has done a splendid job in adding his own touch to the story. How he chose to keep the country that Saeed and Nadia were from anonymous was a very imaginative thing to do.
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I would rate this book 3.5/5.
π
"The end of the world can be cozy at times." - Mohsin Hamid.
π
Many novels have been written about refugees and my favourite remains Khaled Hosseini without a doubt so it was only natural for me to expect that level of clarity when I chose this book. Although I read this book few weeks back, I'm not adding it to the previous year's reading challenge because now we're beyond that.
π
Nadia and Saeed are poles apart but what brings them together is their very nature. Saeed is thoughtful, quite and shy while Nadia rides motorbikes with her black robe still on. They were two people who were unlikely to fall in love but they did. When things got worse in their country, they decided to flee together. Saeed leaves behind his father with a heavy heart who was still mourning his mother's death and Nadia, having cut off ties with her family, joins him on the tiresome journey.
π
The author then takes us through the turmoil that the refugees had to face to procure work or any other basic amenities. They break their backs to earn few coins but they do so silently to fill their stomachs. Rest of the book is about their journey and the author paints a clear picture of their relationship. Don't take me wrong, there are many parts that I actually liked in the book. The love that burns fierce, slowly wanes over time like any other normal relationship. They have their arguments, moments of disgust and rage which is often what happens when you stay in a confined relationship.
π
Then there were parts that didn't seem convincing to me. When the author talks about thousands of doors through which the refugees pass, I only wish that he had taken the time to explain their actual journey rather than end the topic right there. I also hoped that there would be some sort of connection between few characters that he seemed to occasionally mention all over the world.
π
The author however has a flair for writing and has done a splendid job in adding his own touch to the story. How he chose to keep the country that Saeed and Nadia were from anonymous was a very imaginative thing to do.
π
I would rate this book 3.5/5.