Exit West, a novel by Mohsin Hamid,
follows two young lovers as their (unnamed) Middle Eastern city descends into
war. The story is an intimate look into how quickly war can warp the quotidian
routines of daily life. It begins by introducing us to its protagonists. Nadia is a fiercely
independent and thoroughly modern woman; she lives alone, rides her vespa
around and listens to jazz records. Saeed is perhaps a bit more traditional—he
lives with his parents—but is still a typical university student (he brings a
joint to one of his and Nadia’s early dates.) The city is a cosmopolitan
one, if not a bit outdated. However, as Nadia and Saeed’s relationship deepens,
the initial hints of insurgency become apparent: drones and helicopters buzz
constantly overhead, a night curfew is implemented, the window with a nice view
becomes a liability as gunfire breaks out. The city descends bit by bit into
all out war.
As
this happens, rumors of magical doors that whisk people away to distant lands
begin to circulate. Nadia is keen to find one of these doors; Saeed is hesitant
to leave in part because his parents are unwilling to join them. Eventually
with growing violence in the city, the couple decides to enter a door and together are transported to Mykonos where they join hundreds of other migrants and
refugees from all over world who are living in makeshift homes. The second half of
Hamid’s novel follows the couple’s life as refugees, traveling from Greece to England
and eventually to the USA. Hamid portrays the psychological cost of exile, loss
and dislocation—a cost which slowly drives Nadia and Saeed apart.
