Description
In a country teetering on the brink of civil war, two young people meet -- sensual, fiercely independent Nadia and gentle, restrained Saeed. They embark on a furtive love affair, and are soon cloistered in a premature intimacy by the unrest roiling their city. When it explodes, turning familiar streets into a patchwork of checkpoints and bomb blasts, they begin to hear whispers about doors -- doors that can whisk people far away, if perilously and for a price. As the violence escalates, Nadia and Saeed decide that they no longer have a choice. Leaving their homeland and their old lives behind, they find a door and step through. Exit West follows the couple as they emerge into an alien and uncertain future, struggling to hold on to each other, to their past, to the very sense of who they are.… (more)
Status
Available
Call number
Publication
New York : Riverhead Books, 2017.
Media reviews
Sortida a Occident, de Mohsin Hamid, comença sent una història d’amor íntima i emocionant i acaba sent una profecia novel·lada sobre el futur que, globalment, ens espera. En Saeed i la Nadia són dos joves que viuen en un país del qual no se’ns diu el nom però que per les seves
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característiques -és musulmà i està governat per un règim autoritari contra el qual se subleven milícies integristes- resulta familiar. L’amor entre en Saeed, retret i conservador, i la Nadia, valenta i independent, creix a mesura que el seu país s’esllavissa per l’abisme de la guerra, cosa que els obliga a fugir. És en aquest punt que Hamid es treu de la màniga un cop d’efecte argumental que desplaça les coordenades de gènere de la novel·la. Resulta que, arreu del planeta, han començat a aparèixer portes secretes i especials que transporten qui les travessa a un altre indret del globus. La introducció d’un element tan explícitament fantasiós fa que, després de creure durant tot el terç inicial que ens trobàvem davant d’un relat realista (si bé l’autor va preparant el que vindrà mitjançant unes escenes breus i estranyes), de sobte ens descobrim abocats a una mena de faula futurològica. Show Less
The Guardian
Exit West is animated – confused, some may think – by this constant motion between genre, between psychological and political space, and between a recent past, an intensified present and a near future. It’s a motion that mirrors that of a planet where millions are trying to slip away “from
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once fertile plains cracking with dryness, from seaside villages gasping beneath tidal surges, from overcrowded cities and murderous battlefields”. Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member EBT1002
"When he prayed he touched his parents, who could not otherwise be touched, and he touched a feeling that we are all children who lose our parents, all of us, every man and woman and boy and girl, and we too will all be lost by those who come after us and love us, and this loss unites humanity,
"We are all migrants through time."
As Nadia and Saeed are falling in love the militants take over their city and the populace descends into fear, hunger, and desperation. Doors are opening, though, vaguely magical doors that enable migration to another place on the glove, providing possible escape from terror and oppression. One can't be sure that the life on the other side of the door will be an improvement, but over and over and over people flee the situation in the city or country in which they were born to seek refuge and hope in another land. We follow Nadia and Saeed as they migrate a few times, each time taking the risk that they will be neither welcome nor safe. Of course these moves alter their relationship, too, and it's impossible to untangle the impact of their nomadism from the impact of ordinary time. Both profound and simple, this wonderful novel is a timely exploration of migration, of the meanings of native and refugee, and of the deeply shared essence of humanity that binds us all beyond our apparent differences.
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unites every human being, the temporary nature of our being-ness, and our shared sorrow, the heartache we each carry and yet too often refuse to acknowledge in one another, and out of this Saeed felt it might be possible, in the face of death, to believe in humanity's potential for building a better world, and so he prayed as a lament, as a consolation, and as a hope...." "We are all migrants through time."
As Nadia and Saeed are falling in love the militants take over their city and the populace descends into fear, hunger, and desperation. Doors are opening, though, vaguely magical doors that enable migration to another place on the glove, providing possible escape from terror and oppression. One can't be sure that the life on the other side of the door will be an improvement, but over and over and over people flee the situation in the city or country in which they were born to seek refuge and hope in another land. We follow Nadia and Saeed as they migrate a few times, each time taking the risk that they will be neither welcome nor safe. Of course these moves alter their relationship, too, and it's impossible to untangle the impact of their nomadism from the impact of ordinary time. Both profound and simple, this wonderful novel is a timely exploration of migration, of the meanings of native and refugee, and of the deeply shared essence of humanity that binds us all beyond our apparent differences.
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LibraryThing member icolford
Early in Mohsin Hamid’s challenging, sometimes brutal, and often profoundly moving novel, Exit West, as we are getting to know the two main characters Nadia and Saeed, we are abruptly lifted out of their story and taken to Australia, where a woman asleep in her bedroom in a Sydney suburb does not
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awaken when a man crawls out of her closet, a dark man “with dark skin and dark, woolly hair,” whose emergence suggests a difficult birthing, and who stands and looks around him in perplexity and then slips silently out the window and into the night. It is a disorienting moment, not just for the man but for the reader as well, who is being roughly initiated into the world of a novel in which the status quo is crumbling and borders mean little. Nadia and Saeed meet in a night class. Both are living productive lives, employed and with a more-or-less settled sense of who they are and what they want. Saeed, semi-devout, prays fitfully. Nadia, who covers herself with a black robe but does not pray, enjoys playing vinyl records and using mushrooms to get high. Their tragedy is living in a city that is on the brink of war, that is filling with refugees and under threat of insurgency. When the radicals defeat the government forces and take control of the city, and with murderous zeal impose a violent form of religious law on the stricken populace, Nadia and Saeed make the painful decision to leave home and family and go elsewhere. They are not alone: in Hamid’s vividly imagined alternative universe, the world order is being tested by a relentless flow of populations from one place to another by means that can only be described as magical. The remainder of the novel follows Nadia and Saeed as they journey together through stages of intimacy and gradual separation, as they and their circumstances shift and evolve, and as they each arrive at a new understanding of what they want from life that is bittersweet but seemingly inevitable. Hamid’s novel is narrated with plain-spoken yet lilting gravitas, suggesting that we are witness to something elemental and necessary. A quick read, the novel engages the reader with a touching personal story, but its subject is the human condition in a volatile and unpredictable modern world. A highly original treatment of a familiar subject, Exit West gives us much to ponder. Show Less
LibraryThing member annbury
Relevance can be a burden, but it doesn't weigh on this novel in the slightest. Yes, the story seems torn from today's headlines. And yes, it addresses key questions about refugees, "natives", community, time and place and on and on and on. All this relevance, however, does not get in the way of an
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engrossing story, which is the lure that keeps us reading, and reading. Nor does it interfere with the development of the author's characters, vivid people about whom one comes to care intensely. The device of the doors is brilliant, enabling the author to compress his story so that he can concentrate on what matters rather than on bureaucracy. I only wish I had not read (and heard) quite so much about the novel before I actually read it; there are many treasures in this book, and it is best to discover them in the book. And that's enough from me. Show Less
LibraryThing member bookczuk
Loved this book. I'd been avoiding reading it because I thought it might be political, and I am already scarred by our world events, but this was manageable, human, and beautifully written,
LibraryThing member StefanieGeeks
Exit West gives the reader an opportunity to understand the refugee experience on a powerful level. The reader bears witness to what a global refugee crisis might look like and how the world may move forward. It's a brief book with a lot to say in very few words. At times beautiful and often
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unsettling, it is a story that will stay with you long after you have finished the last page. Show Less
LibraryThing member lauralkeet
Nadia and Saeed meet during a time of growing unrest in their country. Nadia has recently moved into her own apartment, an unusual and risky step for a young woman. Saeed lives with his loving and supportive parents. As the militants take control of the city, Nadia and Saeed learn about mysterious
At this point the story takes a dystopian turn, but like all good dystopian fiction the situations are realistic and believable. The doors are a device that allows people to cross borders with speed, but it seems like there’s more to this metaphor that I haven’t grasped yet. Mohsin Hamid’s writing is sublime. He uses Nadia and Saeed to illustrate situations common to refugees, regardless of their country of origin or the destination where they attempt to resettle. This gives the refugee crisis a human face, and shows the toll on one’s sense of self and relationships. The result is a beautifully written and important book.
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doors that transport people to safety. The couple eventually make the difficult decision to leave everything behind, and see where the door leads them. At this point the story takes a dystopian turn, but like all good dystopian fiction the situations are realistic and believable. The doors are a device that allows people to cross borders with speed, but it seems like there’s more to this metaphor that I haven’t grasped yet. Mohsin Hamid’s writing is sublime. He uses Nadia and Saeed to illustrate situations common to refugees, regardless of their country of origin or the destination where they attempt to resettle. This gives the refugee crisis a human face, and shows the toll on one’s sense of self and relationships. The result is a beautifully written and important book.
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LibraryThing member readingover50
This is the story of Saeed and Nadia. They live in an unnamed Middle Eastern country that is being torn apart by war. The book is at its best when it is exploring their life there, shining a light on the horrors of war. I found myself rooting for them, hoping they could get out of the country.
Once
All I saw at this point, was how the shear overwhelming numbers of immigrants absolutely ruined these countries. First they travel to Greece, finding themselves with thousands of other refugees. Then its on to London, where the hundreds of thousands of refugees are destroying the land, taking over buildings to serve as their homes. What happened to the homes original owners? Do you think an established country can take this kind of strain on their services? Where do they expect to get food from? And for a good portion of the book, there is no plumbing available. Where does all the shit go?
Then they go to Marin county in California. And along with a huge influx of people, proceed to ruin that place too.
I get that some people want to immigrate to new countries. And in the war torn city at the beginning of the book, I understand because I would not want to be there either. But I can't see this book as pro immigration. To me it just hilites the horror that uncontrolled immigration would be.
Once
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they did leave the country, the book lost all its charm for me. With the discovery of magical doors that instantly transport a person to another location, it becomes very easy for people to immigrate from a country they don't like to a new one in the hopes for a better life.All I saw at this point, was how the shear overwhelming numbers of immigrants absolutely ruined these countries. First they travel to Greece, finding themselves with thousands of other refugees. Then its on to London, where the hundreds of thousands of refugees are destroying the land, taking over buildings to serve as their homes. What happened to the homes original owners? Do you think an established country can take this kind of strain on their services? Where do they expect to get food from? And for a good portion of the book, there is no plumbing available. Where does all the shit go?
Then they go to Marin county in California. And along with a huge influx of people, proceed to ruin that place too.
I get that some people want to immigrate to new countries. And in the war torn city at the beginning of the book, I understand because I would not want to be there either. But I can't see this book as pro immigration. To me it just hilites the horror that uncontrolled immigration would be.
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LibraryThing member hemlokgang
The stark reality and fearsome uncertainty of regime change meets the need for human intimacy in this powerful novella by the marvelous writer, Mohsin Hamid. Reality and posdibilty fuse in a story of the present and the future. We are all time migrants. What a concept! Hamid is gifted with the
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ability to communicate in great depth with minimal prose. He is a master of the precise use of language, and his skills result in a profoundly moving and provocative story. Show Less
LibraryThing member chrisblocker
Exit West is an impressively rendered, sensitive and timely novel. It tackles the issue of the refugee crisis in a way that feels remarkably current. There's a freshness to this story that is often lacking in other stories of this style. Given its subject and the ways it's skillfully depicted, I
Exit West is the shortest of this year's nominees. Unfortunately, I think this is its greatest flaw. While the settings and language are all written in vivid detail, the characters and relationships suffer from the novel's brevity. Despite their strong potential as characters, Saeed and Nadia never seemed fully developed to me. There could've been another fifty pages exploring these characters, a hundred pages developing their stories; instead, their journey is presented in a story that takes only a few hours to read. The further their journey took Saeed and Nadia, the more distant I felt from them.
There's also a bit of disconnect in Hamid's device of using magical doors to journey from one country into another. I see the potential in the story for such a device. I see how it could also free up the author some. I'm not going to argue against the author's choice to use it. Personally, it just added a second level of disconnect. The stakes were not high enough. There was a sense that anytime things were about to get really bad, they could hop on a magical door and journey to some place that was a little better. If only this were true.
In most ways, I think Exit West was a great novel. Unfortunately, where it was lacking was perhaps the most significant: it was light on heart. I was mesmerized by the language, entranced by the scenery, and stimulated by the questions implied, but I never felt much for the characters themselves. And for a story which promises to be a love story, I'm not convinced they felt much for one another.
Man Booker Prize 2017:
Though this will not be my favorite amongst this year's nominees, I see Exit West as a potential winner. Its presentation of the migrant issue tied with its gorgeous prose and fast-moving plot make it a very strong contender. Of the book's I've read so far, this one has, in my opinion, the greatest likelihood of going all the way. I'll be surprised if it doesn't make the shortlist, but I've been surprised before.
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think this novel has a decent-to-good chance of taking this year's Man Booker Prize. But, in my opinion, it's lacking something, a result of taking a few shortcuts and arriving at its destination posthaste.Exit West is the shortest of this year's nominees. Unfortunately, I think this is its greatest flaw. While the settings and language are all written in vivid detail, the characters and relationships suffer from the novel's brevity. Despite their strong potential as characters, Saeed and Nadia never seemed fully developed to me. There could've been another fifty pages exploring these characters, a hundred pages developing their stories; instead, their journey is presented in a story that takes only a few hours to read. The further their journey took Saeed and Nadia, the more distant I felt from them.
There's also a bit of disconnect in Hamid's device of using magical doors to journey from one country into another. I see the potential in the story for such a device. I see how it could also free up the author some. I'm not going to argue against the author's choice to use it. Personally, it just added a second level of disconnect. The stakes were not high enough. There was a sense that anytime things were about to get really bad, they could hop on a magical door and journey to some place that was a little better. If only this were true.
In most ways, I think Exit West was a great novel. Unfortunately, where it was lacking was perhaps the most significant: it was light on heart. I was mesmerized by the language, entranced by the scenery, and stimulated by the questions implied, but I never felt much for the characters themselves. And for a story which promises to be a love story, I'm not convinced they felt much for one another.
Man Booker Prize 2017:
Though this will not be my favorite amongst this year's nominees, I see Exit West as a potential winner. Its presentation of the migrant issue tied with its gorgeous prose and fast-moving plot make it a very strong contender. Of the book's I've read so far, this one has, in my opinion, the greatest likelihood of going all the way. I'll be surprised if it doesn't make the shortlist, but I've been surprised before.
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LibraryThing member RidgewayGirl
". . . But that is the way of things, for when we migrate, we murder from our lives those we leave behind."
Exit West by Mohsin Hamid is a look at the situation of refugees, told through the story of Nadia and Saeed, two young people living in an unnamed country that falls into civil war when
Hamid is using Nadia and Saeed as representatives of refugees, and their experiences are also representative of the whole. Which is not to say that Nadia and Saeed are not fully fleshed-out characters; it's a testament to Hamid's skill that they are very much real people. He's telling a story that's universal, but also specific. The country Saeed and Nadia flee is unnamed, while the places they end up (a Greek island, London, the outskirts of San Francisco) are both specific and act as stand-ins for the various welcomes a refugee might encounter. Hamid uses the device of doors opening into other places as the method Nadia and Saeed use to travel, and the places, while specific geographically, are imagined reactions to a country faced with a sudden influx of migrants.
Exit West is a brilliant novel and deserves to be widely read. It echoes The Underground Railroad in its use of an artificial construct used to move characters from one situation to another and in the way it makes the reader examine difficult issues. It's wonderfully constructed and written, in a way that seems effortless and natural.
Exit West by Mohsin Hamid is a look at the situation of refugees, told through the story of Nadia and Saeed, two young people living in an unnamed country that falls into civil war when
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religious extremists begin to take control. Saeed is quiet and devoted to his family and his faith. Nadia is adventurous and intent on forging her own path. Their relationship is cemented in the dangerous circumstances they find themselves in, eventually leading them to flee the country together, taking only what they can carry. Hamid is using Nadia and Saeed as representatives of refugees, and their experiences are also representative of the whole. Which is not to say that Nadia and Saeed are not fully fleshed-out characters; it's a testament to Hamid's skill that they are very much real people. He's telling a story that's universal, but also specific. The country Saeed and Nadia flee is unnamed, while the places they end up (a Greek island, London, the outskirts of San Francisco) are both specific and act as stand-ins for the various welcomes a refugee might encounter. Hamid uses the device of doors opening into other places as the method Nadia and Saeed use to travel, and the places, while specific geographically, are imagined reactions to a country faced with a sudden influx of migrants.
Exit West is a brilliant novel and deserves to be widely read. It echoes The Underground Railroad in its use of an artificial construct used to move characters from one situation to another and in the way it makes the reader examine difficult issues. It's wonderfully constructed and written, in a way that seems effortless and natural.
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LibraryThing member streamsong
Saeed and Nadia are young adults, working in a city in a non-specified Middle Eastern country. As their relationship grows, so does the war. The city they live in crumbles: bombings and killings on the streets, lack of water and infrastructure and their jobs disappear. They fear the indiscriminate
And then they hear of magic doorways – secret exits to other countries. Desperate and afraid for their lives, they decide to pay a smuggler to get through the door. While Nadia doesn't have any family, Saeed's father decides to stay behind. Everyone know this means they will be unlikely to see each other again.
But refugee camps are chaotic places, not as safe or as hopeful as they imagined. There is a great deal of sadness as they can never return to their country, and the people they knew before are also lost to them. They decide to chance the magic doors as they move onward through other doors to find a safe, more permanent life.
Interesting and well written, I read this along with the March PBS/NYT Now Read This Book Club.
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killing on both sides of the conflict.And then they hear of magic doorways – secret exits to other countries. Desperate and afraid for their lives, they decide to pay a smuggler to get through the door. While Nadia doesn't have any family, Saeed's father decides to stay behind. Everyone know this means they will be unlikely to see each other again.
But refugee camps are chaotic places, not as safe or as hopeful as they imagined. There is a great deal of sadness as they can never return to their country, and the people they knew before are also lost to them. They decide to chance the magic doors as they move onward through other doors to find a safe, more permanent life.
Interesting and well written, I read this along with the March PBS/NYT Now Read This Book Club.
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LibraryThing member browner56
Few issues are more relevant or socially divisive in today’s world than immigration. As the second decade of the current century comes to an end, tales of building barrier walls and incarcerating people seeking to escape the repression and violence of their homelands are seemingly endless.
They are very different people—Nadia more independent and free-spirited, Saeed more introspective and devout—which is important because their attachment to one another has as much to do with mutual survival as with any feelings of passion. When it is time to escape, they find that there are doors scattered throughout their blighted city that will take them to safer places. When they finally decide to leave through one of those doors—eagerly in Nadia’s case, reluctantly for Saeed—they set themselves on an immigrant’s journey that will take them around the world, without ever really finding a new place to call home. Even more sadly, as they move farther and farther away from their initial escape from danger, they also start to lose each other.
This novel really divides into two parts: the beginning of Nadia and Saeed’s relationship before they leave their homeland and everything that happens once they go through that first escape door. Although the overall story is well-crafted, the first part of the book was far more interesting and compelling than the second, which may owe something to the relatively flat prose style the author adopts throughout. In fact, although much has been made of his metaphor of actual doors that take you to safety, that is really the only magical realism element in an otherwise lifelike and gritty tale. So, while Exit West definitely offers a fresh look at a vital issue, it is not as successful or convincing as a love story that humanizes the personal costs borne by those who leave home for a better life.
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However, what is frequently lost in the hysteria surrounding the immigration debate is the human side of the story, whether from the perspective of those searching for a new life or those on the receiving end of the human influx. Exit West attempts to tell that story in the form of the love affair between Nadia and Saeed, two young people who come together amongst the threats and civil strife in their unnamed country. They are very different people—Nadia more independent and free-spirited, Saeed more introspective and devout—which is important because their attachment to one another has as much to do with mutual survival as with any feelings of passion. When it is time to escape, they find that there are doors scattered throughout their blighted city that will take them to safer places. When they finally decide to leave through one of those doors—eagerly in Nadia’s case, reluctantly for Saeed—they set themselves on an immigrant’s journey that will take them around the world, without ever really finding a new place to call home. Even more sadly, as they move farther and farther away from their initial escape from danger, they also start to lose each other.
This novel really divides into two parts: the beginning of Nadia and Saeed’s relationship before they leave their homeland and everything that happens once they go through that first escape door. Although the overall story is well-crafted, the first part of the book was far more interesting and compelling than the second, which may owe something to the relatively flat prose style the author adopts throughout. In fact, although much has been made of his metaphor of actual doors that take you to safety, that is really the only magical realism element in an otherwise lifelike and gritty tale. So, while Exit West definitely offers a fresh look at a vital issue, it is not as successful or convincing as a love story that humanizes the personal costs borne by those who leave home for a better life.
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LibraryThing member PhilipJHunt
Brilliant. Hard to classify. Romance, yes. Refugee stories, kind of. Fantasy, a bit. But it is beautifully crafted, sensitive, insightful and very human. In style he apes Proust with lots of extremely long sentences. More than one goes over the page. But the rhythms are good and there's the
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occasional retreat into a bunch of 6-word sentences to refresh the pace. Loved reading it. Show Less
LibraryThing member amillion
This is a very timely book, putting a personal spin on the refugee crises happening in many places of the world. The two main characters are real, contemporary, complex individuals striving to live a "normal" life in a world where communities, families, and individual principles are torn apart by
Hamid has a beautiful style of writing, telling us important parts of the story through observations rather than explicit words, changing writing styles to indicate pace and fear, and applying an interesting "magical" quality to doors - as I take it - to focus on the life of refugees trying to build/create a normal life, rather than the tragic/difficult experience of making a fleeing journey to a new place. It's clear that going through these "doors" is hard, they always arrive bruised, exhausted, and disoriented, but the focus is how they try to live in these new places with different aspects of surviving and adapting.
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war. But, it's not a book about war. One of those books you want to share with everyone you know. Hamid has a beautiful style of writing, telling us important parts of the story through observations rather than explicit words, changing writing styles to indicate pace and fear, and applying an interesting "magical" quality to doors - as I take it - to focus on the life of refugees trying to build/create a normal life, rather than the tragic/difficult experience of making a fleeing journey to a new place. It's clear that going through these "doors" is hard, they always arrive bruised, exhausted, and disoriented, but the focus is how they try to live in these new places with different aspects of surviving and adapting.
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LibraryThing member antao
I wonder if I might share some personal thoughts and experiences about SF in order to shed light on the way I read "Exit West"?
I must have been about 6 or 7 when I was in big trouble at school for refusing to read the books we were given, and disrupting lessons as a diversion. Janet and John's
I read my first SF novel, Wells' "War of The Worlds", hiding in my bedroom in Lisbon, aged 14. Much of the SF I grew up on was about adventures in outer space, alien invasion, fear of the unknown, coming mainly through radio, TV, and comics. In the 80's, we had “Journey into Space” on the radio, and “Twilight Zone” on TV. The movies gave us “Them,” “The Day The Earth Stood Still”, ”Earth vs The Flying Saucers”, “Things To Come”, all about thrills and excitement. During the 90's and 2000's, more novels and short story collections began to appear, together with a number of blockbuster movies. But for most people in the Portugal, SF meant “Space 1999”, and “Star Trek”.
When I once again started attending The British Council, in the 1980's, many of the pupils were interested in SF, mainly because of the huge success of Hitchhiker's. You see, all through the twentieth century, the general message that ordinary folk got was that SF was light entertainment. Some of the bright "cool dudes" started talking enthusiastically about Asimov, Fred Pohl, Arthur C. Clarke, Robert A. Heinlein, and the amusingly named Philip K. Dick. The lunchtime chats soon indicated to me I was way out of my depth, and so I realised if I was going to be of any use to them, I needed to get into some serious reading, and get beyond Hitchhiker's and Red Dwarf! Within a couple of years I had read the key authors, and was able to bring Robert Sheckley, Ray Bradbury, Harlan Ellison, Joe Haldeman, and Christopher Priest to the table. Naturally there was a strong tie-in with some of my main subjects, and so we also got to see SF illustration work by the likes of Michael Whelan, H. R. Giger, Chris Foss, Jim Burns, Frank Frazetta, Rodney Matthews, Tim White, Patrick Woodroffe, and many more, and some of us also learned how to use the air brush.
It was like being into computers back in the day you were a geek or nerd. Now everyone is into it because you can shop and date. Everyone's into SF now because it's become mainstream Hollywood culture. But really most are not into it. It's sane to think about the universe and question it and wonder about it. Those who don't are dull. I think Arthur C. Clarke said those people haven't any soul. That's why I keep looking up at the stars. Is it possible to feel a real sense of otherness by books that tell of lies we have not told, fights we would not have, monsters we won’t face, murders we would not commit and accidents we probably won’t have? To admire universes that exist solely in our minds? Dangerous novels give us that frightening feeling of being so close to the Other; in SF like this it's not so ease to attach labels. That's the best kind of SF there is. “Exit West” makes me believe there's still hope for SF.
NB: Some people will never be able to enjoy SF on the same level as, say, D. H. Lawrence, because they are unable to suspend belief and enter a fantasy world. Strangely, I can take that genre on trust, but not so sword and sorcery. I love the artwork, but not the literature (with some exceptions).
SF = Speculative Fiction.
I must have been about 6 or 7 when I was in big trouble at school for refusing to read the books we were given, and disrupting lessons as a diversion. Janet and John's
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escapades were incredibly dull, I thought. My grandmother, and my mother must have got talking, because I shall never forget that first Wednesday evening when The Eagle landed on the mat at the front door. There was Dan Dare blasting off in the Anastasia to who knows where, with Digby and co, and I just had to know what they were saying in those speech bubbles. So I taught myself to read through SF, and interest in the genre, to varying degrees, stayed with me all my life. (As a matter of interest, I went from bottom of the class to top in reading, in less than a year!).I read my first SF novel, Wells' "War of The Worlds", hiding in my bedroom in Lisbon, aged 14. Much of the SF I grew up on was about adventures in outer space, alien invasion, fear of the unknown, coming mainly through radio, TV, and comics. In the 80's, we had “Journey into Space” on the radio, and “Twilight Zone” on TV. The movies gave us “Them,” “The Day The Earth Stood Still”, ”Earth vs The Flying Saucers”, “Things To Come”, all about thrills and excitement. During the 90's and 2000's, more novels and short story collections began to appear, together with a number of blockbuster movies. But for most people in the Portugal, SF meant “Space 1999”, and “Star Trek”.
When I once again started attending The British Council, in the 1980's, many of the pupils were interested in SF, mainly because of the huge success of Hitchhiker's. You see, all through the twentieth century, the general message that ordinary folk got was that SF was light entertainment. Some of the bright "cool dudes" started talking enthusiastically about Asimov, Fred Pohl, Arthur C. Clarke, Robert A. Heinlein, and the amusingly named Philip K. Dick. The lunchtime chats soon indicated to me I was way out of my depth, and so I realised if I was going to be of any use to them, I needed to get into some serious reading, and get beyond Hitchhiker's and Red Dwarf! Within a couple of years I had read the key authors, and was able to bring Robert Sheckley, Ray Bradbury, Harlan Ellison, Joe Haldeman, and Christopher Priest to the table. Naturally there was a strong tie-in with some of my main subjects, and so we also got to see SF illustration work by the likes of Michael Whelan, H. R. Giger, Chris Foss, Jim Burns, Frank Frazetta, Rodney Matthews, Tim White, Patrick Woodroffe, and many more, and some of us also learned how to use the air brush.
It was like being into computers back in the day you were a geek or nerd. Now everyone is into it because you can shop and date. Everyone's into SF now because it's become mainstream Hollywood culture. But really most are not into it. It's sane to think about the universe and question it and wonder about it. Those who don't are dull. I think Arthur C. Clarke said those people haven't any soul. That's why I keep looking up at the stars. Is it possible to feel a real sense of otherness by books that tell of lies we have not told, fights we would not have, monsters we won’t face, murders we would not commit and accidents we probably won’t have? To admire universes that exist solely in our minds? Dangerous novels give us that frightening feeling of being so close to the Other; in SF like this it's not so ease to attach labels. That's the best kind of SF there is. “Exit West” makes me believe there's still hope for SF.
NB: Some people will never be able to enjoy SF on the same level as, say, D. H. Lawrence, because they are unable to suspend belief and enter a fantasy world. Strangely, I can take that genre on trust, but not so sword and sorcery. I love the artwork, but not the literature (with some exceptions).
SF = Speculative Fiction.
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LibraryThing member Carmenere
Saeed is an unmarried young man and, as single sons do in the Muslim world, he lives at home with his parents. Across town, Nadia has fought for her independence from her family and lives alone in an apartment yet she wears the hijab. Author, Hamid tells the story of their relationship and that of
Interspersed with their story, the reader, is suddenly taken to Australia, to Kenya, to La Jolla, to Vienna, Amsterdam. Hold on what's going on here? How are these stories connected? By doors of course!
In a fashion very similar to that used by Colson Whitehead in Underground Railroad, Hamid uses a bit of magical realism to exemplify the movements of migrants around the world.
Yet, there is so much more to this little novel than that! As a mom, with a child off to college in the next few weeks, I found a rather poignant message within the pages and I suggest everyone give Exit West a read and discover something that rings true for you too.
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the ties they have to an increasingly dangerous city. Interspersed with their story, the reader, is suddenly taken to Australia, to Kenya, to La Jolla, to Vienna, Amsterdam. Hold on what's going on here? How are these stories connected? By doors of course!
In a fashion very similar to that used by Colson Whitehead in Underground Railroad, Hamid uses a bit of magical realism to exemplify the movements of migrants around the world.
Yet, there is so much more to this little novel than that! As a mom, with a child off to college in the next few weeks, I found a rather poignant message within the pages and I suggest everyone give Exit West a read and discover something that rings true for you too.
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LibraryThing member Beamis12
4+. We need more books like this, or no, maybe that's wrong, what we need are more readers of books like this. The country it takes place is unnamed, but one part makes it sound as if it is in Asia somewhere. A country under siege by opposing parties, a country at war with itself, a dangerous
Saeed and Nadia meet, forge a relationship, when their country erupts in violence, it becomes unlivable. They seek ways to leave, hire a coyote who is able to find doors, some literal but in this case fantastical, pay him, try to convince Saeed's father to come with, the only viable parent between the two, but he refuses, His dead wife is buried here, and this is his home. Eventually they will step through more doors, after each location losing a bit more of themselves. Trying to find a place where they feel they can exist. Refugees among many, they are not wanted, tarred and judged by those among them who are making trouble. All painted with the same brush. From a deserted mansion, to a tent city to the coast of California, they will travel, two among many, all seeking the same thing, continent to continent, all fleeing their own countries.
Although the description describes this as a bittersweet love story, it is not written emotionally, rather narrated by a omnipresent presence, in a rather matter of fact way. I liked this and didn't, the feelings and things described often seemed at a distance. The situation though is universal, important and timely and so it could be said that telling the story this way lets the reader form his or her own opinions. The magical realism, is used well as does not overtake the main message of the story, the refugees seeming to come from everywhere, so many war torn countries.
The ending, I loved, as mama bear said, "This one is just right."
ARC from Riverhead publisher.
Releases on March 7th.
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place, how so many in this world live in constant danger, constant war.Saeed and Nadia meet, forge a relationship, when their country erupts in violence, it becomes unlivable. They seek ways to leave, hire a coyote who is able to find doors, some literal but in this case fantastical, pay him, try to convince Saeed's father to come with, the only viable parent between the two, but he refuses, His dead wife is buried here, and this is his home. Eventually they will step through more doors, after each location losing a bit more of themselves. Trying to find a place where they feel they can exist. Refugees among many, they are not wanted, tarred and judged by those among them who are making trouble. All painted with the same brush. From a deserted mansion, to a tent city to the coast of California, they will travel, two among many, all seeking the same thing, continent to continent, all fleeing their own countries.
Although the description describes this as a bittersweet love story, it is not written emotionally, rather narrated by a omnipresent presence, in a rather matter of fact way. I liked this and didn't, the feelings and things described often seemed at a distance. The situation though is universal, important and timely and so it could be said that telling the story this way lets the reader form his or her own opinions. The magical realism, is used well as does not overtake the main message of the story, the refugees seeming to come from everywhere, so many war torn countries.
The ending, I loved, as mama bear said, "This one is just right."
ARC from Riverhead publisher.
Releases on March 7th.
Show Less
LibraryThing member PeggyDean
How will the developed nations react to the increasing pressures of immigration as war, climate change or lack of resources force more people to seek new homes? What will happen to the concept of national borders and what adjustments will be required by both immigrants and "nativists"? These issues
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and much more will linger in your mind after reading Exit West, a novel of aching beauty. Hamid keeps the tone light and thoughtful, rather than focusing on grim details as we move between countries with Nadia and Saeed. The magical construct of doors that provide nearly instantaneous passage to a new location allows the author to focus on how the characters evolve in each situation. Coming from vastly different family situations, Nadia and Saeed face the pressures of changing circumstances in different ways, but their relationship remains one of loyalty and respect. This beautifully written book will leave me reflecting on many things and I am look forward to discussing it with others. Show Less
LibraryThing member thewanderingjew
Exit West, Mohsin Hamid, author; read by Mohsin Hamid
This brief novel is read in a clinical, almost dead-pan voice, that merely states the facts while offering precise descriptions with simple, incredibly descriptive and detailed prose. In spare words, the author paints a picture of a love story,
One of the things that makes the novel stand out is its use of a narrative that employs no wasted words. Yet, the story is eloquent, interesting and informative. It takes place in a world, undefined exactly, that is going through the throes of revolution and is coming slowly under the rule of extremists. There are beheadings and bombings that are graphically described, although the detached voice of the author makes them largely lack the ugliness, and simply become a part of the recitation of an event, from which we are distanced.
This book is the love story of Saeed and Nadia. At first, when we meet them, Nadia wears a long flowing robe as a protective garment (burka), to prevent the advances of men, but she does not pray. Saeed prays only about once a day. He is attached to his family. She is estranged from hers after leaving home against their wishes. They share their dreams of travel and their love blossoms in a time and place that is unknown, but it is a place that is becoming more and more radicalized with resultant beheadings and bombings. Although the term Muslim is not used, it appears to hint that they are of that faith. The violent behavior of the radicalized is spreading, causing fear and desperation for many. As the obstacles they face increase, they search for an escape, and as the times become more dangerous, they flee together through a magical doorway that leads them to freedom. Their religious beliefs seem almost happenstance, but these beliefs adjust as time passes, to the changing attitudes and rules of the times and varied places in which they arrive through the many doors they enter.
The author employs a bit of magical realism into the main body of the story, when at unexpected places in the narrative, he inserts the random experiences of previously unknown characters, as they escape through random doors and arrive in random places around the globe, each with a different migrant experience. These characters appear almost suddenly when they, and the main characters, are offered exit routes through doors that originate in one geographic locale, and inexplicably end in another. Upon crossing the threshold, they hope to find themselves in another place, one that is hopefully safer, welcoming, and offers greater opportunity.
The doors seem to be a symbol of the migrant experience, regardless of where his/her journey leads. Wherever he/she winds up, they struggle and the adjustment is difficult. The doors open and close, into different regions of the globe; they found themselves on a Greek Island, in England, Austria, Australia, Japan, Brazil Amsterdam, and the United States where they encountered other refugees who were not unlike themselves and refugees who were far different, in all ways. In some places, they were more readily accepted, in some more readily rejected. Each place seemed to have a different attitude toward them. In some, they were allowed to assimilate and participate in society, with some restrictions. In others they were ostracized. Still, even though many doors that were once open were soon barred to them, others always became available; they could not be stopped because new doors continued to appear.
As the story progresses, the plight of those escaping and the plight of those forced to receive them was graphically depicted as the results of these massive movements of people caused disruption, resentment and, even, once again, violence. As the fear, each had of the other, bubbled to the surface and as the rotten apples of the bunch gained notoriety, conflicts often occurred. The effects of the stress, on all involved, was grievous. Some relationships could not withstand the pressure, although some did thrive. To prevent the influx of the feared refugees, many methods were tried. The refugees were attacked, starved, cut off from power and water, and were largely unprotected. Still, those who were stalwart and law-abiding formed their own communities, began to share what they had with each other regardless of their different backgrounds, and soon, by example, were accepted, or at least, they were not defeated. Eventually, a sort of relationship evolved between the communities of the migrants and the residents, and they learned to live with each other and the migrants became productive members of the society. Water and power returned to their districts, and life became tolerable again.
Carefully, with subtlety and innuendo, he painted a clear picture of the immigrant experience and analyzed the reasons for its success and/or failure. Some immigrants were desperate, some were rough; some were simply exhausted from their constant effort to escape from their poverty, hopelessness and the heavy hand of their government. The reception they received from strangers who were forced to integrate them into their society was often unwelcoming. They had to be strong, or they would be beaten by those who were stronger, in all avenues of life. Often, they even preyed upon each other.
The characters were caught between the past and the future, and their present was very difficult. Still they managed to create little democratic neighborhoods so they could survive, if not thrive. As the book moved on, the reader is placed a half a century later. The world had changed and the two characters, who had separated years before, reunited and once again, spoke of their former dreams and future possibilities, rekindling their affection for each other, if not their passion.
The author seemed to be making a political statement of sorts about how immigrants are received and how their treatment affects relationships and communities. I did not feel that he presented both sides of the issue equally, because he did not highlight the dangers they brought with them, to innocent victims, from their frustration, different cultural attitudes and their ideas about what constituted acceptable behavior, as well as their assumption of the civil rights they expected to be granted to them. He seemed to favor the immigrant point of view and to believe and only truly present, the idea that If they were welcomed, they would often become productive members of the community, contributing in all sorts of positive ways as they worked hard and prospered. If rejected, and forced to live in substandard conditions, they were then forced to do what was necessary to survive and sometimes, that was not always lawful or positive behavior. I was not sure if he accepted these transgressions. In the future, he seemed to present the view that disparate groups, disparate cultures, disparate languages, disparate heritages, ethnicities and sexual proclivities would all be accepted more kindly. As they learned to understand each other, immigrant neighborhoods would grow up and became part of society.
I believe that the book would be better in print, as I had to listen to various parts over and over because of the monotony of the presentation, which seemed necessary for the way the story was told, but it was difficult to remain constantly engaged. This novel will lead to the reader’s thoughtful examination of the immigrant issue, a current problem in today’s society.
This brief novel is read in a clinical, almost dead-pan voice, that merely states the facts while offering precise descriptions with simple, incredibly descriptive and detailed prose. In spare words, the author paints a picture of a love story,
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an immigrant story, a survival story, a story about racial issues, a story of hope, as he exposes the raw version of life for the people of varied cultures, backgrounds, religions, and ethnic groups as they try to find peace, freedom and happiness in a place without revolution, repression and violence.One of the things that makes the novel stand out is its use of a narrative that employs no wasted words. Yet, the story is eloquent, interesting and informative. It takes place in a world, undefined exactly, that is going through the throes of revolution and is coming slowly under the rule of extremists. There are beheadings and bombings that are graphically described, although the detached voice of the author makes them largely lack the ugliness, and simply become a part of the recitation of an event, from which we are distanced.
This book is the love story of Saeed and Nadia. At first, when we meet them, Nadia wears a long flowing robe as a protective garment (burka), to prevent the advances of men, but she does not pray. Saeed prays only about once a day. He is attached to his family. She is estranged from hers after leaving home against their wishes. They share their dreams of travel and their love blossoms in a time and place that is unknown, but it is a place that is becoming more and more radicalized with resultant beheadings and bombings. Although the term Muslim is not used, it appears to hint that they are of that faith. The violent behavior of the radicalized is spreading, causing fear and desperation for many. As the obstacles they face increase, they search for an escape, and as the times become more dangerous, they flee together through a magical doorway that leads them to freedom. Their religious beliefs seem almost happenstance, but these beliefs adjust as time passes, to the changing attitudes and rules of the times and varied places in which they arrive through the many doors they enter.
The author employs a bit of magical realism into the main body of the story, when at unexpected places in the narrative, he inserts the random experiences of previously unknown characters, as they escape through random doors and arrive in random places around the globe, each with a different migrant experience. These characters appear almost suddenly when they, and the main characters, are offered exit routes through doors that originate in one geographic locale, and inexplicably end in another. Upon crossing the threshold, they hope to find themselves in another place, one that is hopefully safer, welcoming, and offers greater opportunity.
The doors seem to be a symbol of the migrant experience, regardless of where his/her journey leads. Wherever he/she winds up, they struggle and the adjustment is difficult. The doors open and close, into different regions of the globe; they found themselves on a Greek Island, in England, Austria, Australia, Japan, Brazil Amsterdam, and the United States where they encountered other refugees who were not unlike themselves and refugees who were far different, in all ways. In some places, they were more readily accepted, in some more readily rejected. Each place seemed to have a different attitude toward them. In some, they were allowed to assimilate and participate in society, with some restrictions. In others they were ostracized. Still, even though many doors that were once open were soon barred to them, others always became available; they could not be stopped because new doors continued to appear.
As the story progresses, the plight of those escaping and the plight of those forced to receive them was graphically depicted as the results of these massive movements of people caused disruption, resentment and, even, once again, violence. As the fear, each had of the other, bubbled to the surface and as the rotten apples of the bunch gained notoriety, conflicts often occurred. The effects of the stress, on all involved, was grievous. Some relationships could not withstand the pressure, although some did thrive. To prevent the influx of the feared refugees, many methods were tried. The refugees were attacked, starved, cut off from power and water, and were largely unprotected. Still, those who were stalwart and law-abiding formed their own communities, began to share what they had with each other regardless of their different backgrounds, and soon, by example, were accepted, or at least, they were not defeated. Eventually, a sort of relationship evolved between the communities of the migrants and the residents, and they learned to live with each other and the migrants became productive members of the society. Water and power returned to their districts, and life became tolerable again.
Carefully, with subtlety and innuendo, he painted a clear picture of the immigrant experience and analyzed the reasons for its success and/or failure. Some immigrants were desperate, some were rough; some were simply exhausted from their constant effort to escape from their poverty, hopelessness and the heavy hand of their government. The reception they received from strangers who were forced to integrate them into their society was often unwelcoming. They had to be strong, or they would be beaten by those who were stronger, in all avenues of life. Often, they even preyed upon each other.
The characters were caught between the past and the future, and their present was very difficult. Still they managed to create little democratic neighborhoods so they could survive, if not thrive. As the book moved on, the reader is placed a half a century later. The world had changed and the two characters, who had separated years before, reunited and once again, spoke of their former dreams and future possibilities, rekindling their affection for each other, if not their passion.
The author seemed to be making a political statement of sorts about how immigrants are received and how their treatment affects relationships and communities. I did not feel that he presented both sides of the issue equally, because he did not highlight the dangers they brought with them, to innocent victims, from their frustration, different cultural attitudes and their ideas about what constituted acceptable behavior, as well as their assumption of the civil rights they expected to be granted to them. He seemed to favor the immigrant point of view and to believe and only truly present, the idea that If they were welcomed, they would often become productive members of the community, contributing in all sorts of positive ways as they worked hard and prospered. If rejected, and forced to live in substandard conditions, they were then forced to do what was necessary to survive and sometimes, that was not always lawful or positive behavior. I was not sure if he accepted these transgressions. In the future, he seemed to present the view that disparate groups, disparate cultures, disparate languages, disparate heritages, ethnicities and sexual proclivities would all be accepted more kindly. As they learned to understand each other, immigrant neighborhoods would grow up and became part of society.
I believe that the book would be better in print, as I had to listen to various parts over and over because of the monotony of the presentation, which seemed necessary for the way the story was told, but it was difficult to remain constantly engaged. This novel will lead to the reader’s thoughtful examination of the immigrant issue, a current problem in today’s society.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Jan.Coco.Day
As if Wong Kar Wai made a film about the global refugee crisis.
LibraryThing member gbelik
This is a refugee story but with a magical element. Instead of physical travel to the many stops a refugee takes before reaching their destination, the story just represents the travel by a door to be taken. The characters and problems are real, but there is also a whimsical feel to the story.
LibraryThing member mountie9
His writing is truly beautiful and his way of expressing universal truths is stunning and unique. Alas I am a simple girl and I truly believe this story to be over my head. I was frustrated as the story really went nowhere and was quite depressing. As I have mentioned on many occasions I rate books
Favourite Quotes
“We are all migrants through time.”
“To love is to enter into the inevitability of one day not being able to protect what is most valuable to you.”
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on my particular enjoyment of the novel, not on the skill of the writer. This author is exceptionally talented and the character development was exceptional but not the type of story I enjoy. That being said his writing was so marvelous that I kept listening to the story and didn't give up on it. More of a tale for those who enjoy literary fiction Favourite Quotes
“We are all migrants through time.”
“To love is to enter into the inevitability of one day not being able to protect what is most valuable to you.”
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LibraryThing member voracious
Nadia and Saeed had just started dating when war broke out in their unnamed Islamic country. As radical conservatives begin killing off the members of their community, there are few options of escape. When a rumor circulates that there is a "door" that permits people to travel to other places,
This book is about mass migration in a time of genocide, similar to the Syrian refugee crisis. However, the story involves a supernatural "door," which permits large groups of people to immediately migrate to unprepared parts of the world. This story is also about culture and assimilation and how two people, Nadia and Saeed, cope with immigration in different ways, while retaining the elements of their traditional culture they find most important.
This was definitely an interesting book, and not like anything else I have read. I think it would be great for a book club, as the themes would be fun to discuss and analyze with others.
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Nadia and Saeed take great risk to find the door and escape to anywhere that can afford them a better situation. This book is about mass migration in a time of genocide, similar to the Syrian refugee crisis. However, the story involves a supernatural "door," which permits large groups of people to immediately migrate to unprepared parts of the world. This story is also about culture and assimilation and how two people, Nadia and Saeed, cope with immigration in different ways, while retaining the elements of their traditional culture they find most important.
This was definitely an interesting book, and not like anything else I have read. I think it would be great for a book club, as the themes would be fun to discuss and analyze with others.
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LibraryThing member wildrequiem
Beautifully written, and wildly imaginative. I'd never have imagined that the stark struggles of immigration could be written using magical realism. It's quite a short book, a quick read, and definitely worth a shot.
LibraryThing member pgchuis
I'm not sure I enjoyed this book exactly, but it was certainly interesting and thought-provoking. Parts of it were very beautiful, especially the passage about Saeed's attitude to prayer and his love for his family. It was also perfect in its depiction of the way Saeed and Nadia come to realize
Other things were less successful in my opinion. The opening chapters, describing life in Nadia and Saeed's home country, where they must continue to live life day to day amidst the horrors of war, read very realistically. Even the "doors" through which they travelled to reach Mykonos, London and eventually California, worked for me - the mechanisms of people-smuggling are not what the story is about. But the inclusion of all the people going through other doors added nothing for me. What was the purpose of giving us so much detail about the Australian woman through whose bedroom a man apparently passed while migrating?
Then I simply did not believe in the London section: the idea that Kensington and Chelsea might become a sealed migrant enclave read like science fiction, as did the idea of work camps around the London Halo. The fact that the narrative was solely from the perspective of migrants was both a strength and weakness. Since many of the early scenes seemed rooted in very recent history, I expected there to be discussion among the "natives" (loved that use of the word) as to the distinction to be drawn between refugees and economic migrants. Here they were all equally migrants, which raised interesting questions, which the author confused for me by including doors through which people passed back and forth, in one case while courting a new lover. There were also references to migration caused by global climate change, but these were not developed.
This would be a good choice for a book club. (less)
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they are no longer romantically in love with each other, but are still bound together and indebted to one another. Other things were less successful in my opinion. The opening chapters, describing life in Nadia and Saeed's home country, where they must continue to live life day to day amidst the horrors of war, read very realistically. Even the "doors" through which they travelled to reach Mykonos, London and eventually California, worked for me - the mechanisms of people-smuggling are not what the story is about. But the inclusion of all the people going through other doors added nothing for me. What was the purpose of giving us so much detail about the Australian woman through whose bedroom a man apparently passed while migrating?
Then I simply did not believe in the London section: the idea that Kensington and Chelsea might become a sealed migrant enclave read like science fiction, as did the idea of work camps around the London Halo. The fact that the narrative was solely from the perspective of migrants was both a strength and weakness. Since many of the early scenes seemed rooted in very recent history, I expected there to be discussion among the "natives" (loved that use of the word) as to the distinction to be drawn between refugees and economic migrants. Here they were all equally migrants, which raised interesting questions, which the author confused for me by including doors through which people passed back and forth, in one case while courting a new lover. There were also references to migration caused by global climate change, but these were not developed.
This would be a good choice for a book club. (less)
Show Less
Awards
Booker Prize (Longlist — 2017)
Dublin Literary Award (Longlist — 2019)
Kirkus Prize (Finalist — Fiction — 2017)
LA Times Book Prize (Finalist — Fiction — 2017)
National Book Critics Circle Award (Finalist — Fiction — 2017)
The Morning News Tournament of Books (Quarterfinalist — 2018)
Indies Choice Book Award (Honor Book — Adult Fiction — 2018)
Aspen Words Literary Prize (Longlist — 2018)
Dayton Literary Peace Prize (Shortlist — Fiction — 2018)
British Science Fiction Association Award (Shortlist — Novel — 2017)
Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction (Longlist — Fiction — 2018)
DSC Prize for South Asian Literature (Shortlist — 2018)
Brooklyn Public Library Book Prize (Longlist — Fiction & Poetry — 2017)
St. Francis College Literary Prize (Shortlist — 2017)
Writers' Prize (Shortlist — 2018)
Booklist Editor's Choice: Adult Books (Fiction — 2017)
NPR: Books We Love (2017)
Boston Globe Best Book (Fiction — 2017)
The New York Times Notable Books of the Year (Fiction & Poetry — 2017)
Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year (Fiction — 2017)
San Francisco Chronicle Best Book of the Year (Fiction — 2017)
The New York Times Best Books of the Year (Fiction — 2017)
The A.V. Club best books (2017)
Notable Books List (Fiction — 2018)
Time Magazine's Best Books of the Year (Fiction — 2017)
Globe and Mail Top 100 Book (2017)
Los Angeles Public Library Best of the Year (Fiction — 2017)
Lariat Adult Fiction Reading List (Selection — 2018)
Chicago Public Library Best of the Best: Adults (Selection — 2017)
Language
Original publication date
2017
ISBN
0735212201 / 9780735212206