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hannahhmh's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault
Minor: Sexual harassment
julesfrigault's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
Moderate: War
emvdw's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I read this as the atrocious situation in Gaza was evolving and it was very sobering and made it quite a hard read for me. Not because of the book itself, but the context made it hard to get through. Part of the message of the book, of course, is that this context is happening all the time, all over, so I shouldn't have a hard time reading this book NOW as opposed to any other time, but it is undeniable that the news cycle has an effect on what is on the forefront of your mind.
I really liked this book. It is written in a very peculiar way, and it feels a bit detached sometimes. This is what held me back from giving it a full 5 stars, because I didn't feel fully connected to the characters. It's a bit hard to describe, but I'd definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a quick, but challenging and interesting read.
I really liked this book. It is written in a very peculiar way, and it feels a bit detached sometimes. This is what held me back from giving it a full 5 stars, because I didn't feel fully connected to the characters. It's a bit hard to describe, but I'd definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a quick, but challenging and interesting read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Sexual assault, and Xenophobia
seraphimgt's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Beautiful prose and interesting themes to reflect on
Content Warnings
Graphic: War and Xenophobia
Minor: Sexual assault
miachalupa's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Xenophobia, War, and Violence
Moderate: Violence, Confinement, Death of parent, Gun violence, Police brutality, and Drug use
caitonline's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Death of parent, and War
Moderate: Violence, Grief, Drug use, Sexual harassment, and Suicide
kellyung's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Drug use, Sexual assault, and Gun violence
jackbifrost's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia, War, Sexual assault, and Gun violence
Moderate: Hate crime, Police brutality, Islamophobia, and Drug use
wordsareworlds's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Exit West was a thought-provoking read that I enjoyed immensely. Hamid wielded tension and emotions so well, and while the pace is slow it felt perfectly matched to the story and character development. The alternate, intersecting paths of religion and traditional beliefs and independent exploration were both handled with respect and nuance that I appreciated. The parallels to current real-world events and attitudes are impossible to ignore, but Hamid has told a story that ends in hope more than sadness.
I also found the layers of storytelling Hamid used very interesting. There is Saeed and Nadia's relationship, and one step out we get to know a bit about people who intersect their lives and often how those people die or another detail from their future, and then also more about the war that has now most definitely come to their city, and then snippets of separate, apparently unrelated events around the world. There is a surreal quality to Hamid's descriptions. They simultaneously feel a step removed and immediate. All of this is related as past events, and without much explicit or long description of the characters' feelings, but the events and their actions make those feelings abundantly clear and impactful. I spent a lot of time thinking about why Hamid chose to give us glimpses into specific moments in Saeed and Nadia's lives, and which side characters he chose to give us more details about. Each choice felt very deliberate and like it built on what was going on around them in a complex and nuanced way.
The book overall was very interesting, and the ways that the doors changed some things about immigration and otherness and not others were layered and complex. I enjoyed Saeed, Nadia, and the evolution of their relationship. Also very, very happy about having a bi South Asian MC whose sexuality wasn't a source of angst or persecution. The book has a sense of ebb and flow about it, and that neither happiness nor sadness is all-encompassing or static, and the doors don't change that but make both more accessible and immediate to people's lives.
I also found the layers of storytelling Hamid used very interesting. There is Saeed and Nadia's relationship, and one step out we get to know a bit about people who intersect their lives and often how those people die or another detail from their future, and then also more about the war that has now most definitely come to their city, and then snippets of separate, apparently unrelated events around the world. There is a surreal quality to Hamid's descriptions. They simultaneously feel a step removed and immediate. All of this is related as past events, and without much explicit or long description of the characters' feelings, but the events and their actions make those feelings abundantly clear and impactful. I spent a lot of time thinking about why Hamid chose to give us glimpses into specific moments in Saeed and Nadia's lives, and which side characters he chose to give us more details about. Each choice felt very deliberate and like it built on what was going on around them in a complex and nuanced way.
The book overall was very interesting, and the ways that the doors changed some things about immigration and otherness and not others were layered and complex. I enjoyed Saeed, Nadia, and the evolution of their relationship. Also very, very happy about having a bi South Asian MC whose sexuality wasn't a source of angst or persecution. The book has a sense of ebb and flow about it, and that neither happiness nor sadness is all-encompassing or static, and the doors don't change that but make both more accessible and immediate to people's lives.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Sexual assault, and Violence
Moderate: Racism and War
counterfeitnickel's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Absolutely lovely, an inspiring and hopeful tale. A touching and heart-wrenching romance. A shining example of modern magical realism
Content Warnings
Moderate: War and Sexual assault