Book Review
This book. Wow, wow, wow.
So Hamid's book was published last year, and it was all over Instagram. Everybody was raving about this book. I was actually a little hesitant to buy it, but then Penguin announced their #ReadTheYear challenge, and this was one of their recommended books to read in January. So, given that it seemed to be excellent and very popular, I decided to give it a go. I ordered it, with no idea about the plot or the characters, or even the genre. All I knew, was that according to Penguin, this was about "new beginnings".
The book arrived, and for the first time I read the blurb, on the inside of the dust cover. I was intrigued, to say the least. I tried to speed my way through Winter, so I could start this as soon as possible. I finished Winter, put it down, and picked this up. Immediately. A couple of pages, and I was hooked. I finished the book in just under 3 days.
So what is this book actually about, and why did I fall in love? Well, to start with, Hamid's prose is like poetry. It is written so beautifully, one sentence flows into the next. And you are so aware of it while you are reading. There are lines that quite literally take your breath away. But apart from the wonderful style, the novel is also gripping. It is refreshing. It is a story of love, without being horribly sappy and cliché. But it is also a story of migration, of war, of fear, of change, of new and old. It is about so many things.
The narrator never reveals the exact location of the story, which allows it to be a universal and timeless story, however you are given enough detail to set the scene. A Muslim community, a country that faces war brought about by militants. A scene we see on the news everyday. But, before their city descends into war the novel's protagonists, Saeed and Nadia, go through the delicious experience of the beginnings of a relationship. The best part, I feel, about this stage of the novel, is the way Hamid destroys any presuppositions the reader has about Islam, and particularly about what a woman who wears a Burka or a Hijab should be like. Nadia is a strong character, mostly because of the choices she has made for herself, and she continues to surprise the reader till the end of the book. Saeed is quite dissimilar from her, in many ways, and yet they complement each other incredibly well.
I became very invested in their relationship. I couldn't go to sleep at night, without trying to guess where the story would take them; does their love survive, how do they escape the war? Do they get married?
I don't want to give too much away at this point. I would absolutely love to read the novel again, as though reading it for the first time, and so I won't spoil it for any of you.
Hamid is excellent however, he truly is. And this book is clever. The narrator never gives you the location, and also never gives you the time. There is no allusion to the year this story takes place in, and so it captures a sense of timelessness while also being incredibly timely. And this element of the book, is something that really captured my attention.
The lovely people over at Shakespeare and Company held an event where Mohsin Hamid himself was invited to discuss the book. If you've read the book, but have not heard this talk, you can listen to it on their podcast. I listened to this the day after I finished the book (to aid my obsession and allow the magic to last a little longer), and I highly recommend it. Hearing Hamid himself discuss the book is really enjoyable and adds another layer to the novel. Also, if you've never listened to Shakespeare and Company's podcasts you really should. They're funny and insightful, and you really feel like you've been transported to Paris.
To sum up, Mohsin Hamid's Exit West, is a must read. It elegantly and eloquently brings to light so many topics, and handles them so well. It is a powerful book, that makes your heart feel all sorts of things, and makes your head think all the more.
Comments