(Steeplechase + BWF) Exit West by Mohsin Hamid - 2 stars

[Ellen]

At first I enjoyed this story of two people, Nadia and Saeed, meeting in a disintegrating country and fiercely protecting their relationship against all odds. Their stolen moments right under the eyes of soldiers and guards was awe inspiring. Then it got strange. There appear to be doors that one can walk through and end up in a completely different country. The young couple decided to take their chances and step through the door which they did several times. They did not always end up in accommodating places, sometimes living in nothing more than a tent or a shanty. It seemed that millions of people were slipping from one country to another often ending up as destitute refugees. How was any of this better than where they started? I know I am way in the minority in my opinion of the book but I just didn't like it.

[Sue]

Good review - this book ended up being "meh" for me too.

I understand the doors were a literary device, showing mmigrants step into the unknown.

But I thought the doors also diminished the immigrant experience, which for many/most people is a harrowing journey.

[Book Concierge]

I liked it more than you did, but I totally understand your point of view.

[Joy D]

Exit West was a middle-of-the-road book for me, but I can highly recommend this author's The Reluctant Fundamentalist.

[Ellen]

Joy D wrote: "Exit West was a middle-of-the-road book for me, but I can highly recommend this author's The Reluctant Fundamentalist."

I did read the Reluctant Fundamentalist and liked it very much, 4 stars worth.

[Robin P]

I wasn’t crazy about this book either, I think I gave it 3 stars. Both it and The Reluctant Fundamentalist seemed more like essays or thought experiments than novels.