Exit West

Exit West by Mohsin Hamid was recently reviewed on the Book Club and after watching this program I immediately reserved the book from the library.

In a city swollen by refugees but still mostly at peace, or at least not yet openly at war, a young man met a young woman in a classroom and did not speak to her. For many days.

The opening sentences in the book set the scene for the beginning of the relationship between Nadia and Saeed who live in an unnamed city under the threat of civil war. The relationship between the two young people escalates as the dangers around them increase. Eventually they decide to escape from this land through a door which will take them to who knows where. This is the first of a number of escapes through the doors as the young couple look for a permanent home.

As the novel progresses we become aware of the predicament and challenges faced by refugees. Some people welcome the new comers while others see them as a threat. On arrival at a new destination they must find a new place to live as well as work out how to survive in a new environment. New dangers are often encountered. Food, accommodation and the necessities for living must be sourced.

This novel provides the reader with an insight into what motivates refugees to leave their home. The doors provide the opportunity for escape, but some are safer than others, and they serve as a metaphor for journeys undertaken by refugees throughout the world.

This is a beautifully written, thought provoking, book.