Book Review: Exit West by Mohsin Hamid

'Exit West' was another book I was uncomfortable about picking up, given that I didn't enjoy Hamid's 'Reluctant Fundamentalist' much. Even while the book itself had a very interesting story to tell (Reluctant Fundamentalist, that is), I found the narrative device Hamid used to be extremely amateurish.

In 'Exit West', Hamid uses another narrative device - this time, using a narrative style that mirrors the randomness of the lives of migrants running from war and yet often, running into violence and hate. I was floored by 'Exit West' and quite simply, hadn't expected to enjoy the read so much. Poetic yet pacy, Hamid manages to keep you invested in the lives and the love story of his protagonists from start to finish even as their canvas keeps changing.

'Exit West' is a moving ode to every refugee from every war, ever.

Essential reading.