Mohsin Hamid, a Pakistani author, created a magical realism, romance novel that addresses a couple’s experience together, beginning to end, in the midst of a country’s civil war that causes the rest of the world to go into chaos in his new novel “Exit West.” 

Hamid has had his books translated into over 30 languages, understandably leading to some odd phrasing in the English adaptations. 

Saeed and Nadia began talking shortly before the start of the war. Saeed is considered to be restrained, gentle, and a man who holds to his beliefs. Nadia is independent and as close to carefree as she can be in the given circumstances. 

As the war continues, bodies begin to line the streets, including Saeed’s mother. Rumors fly about magical objects called the “effect doors,” which take a person from their location to another door somewhere in the world. These doors can appear in any doorway and how they are created is unknown. This unpredictability thwarts any efforts to prevent them. 

Saeed and Nadia, like many migrants across the globe, decide to use one of the effect doors to leave their country. As the couple travels through these doors and around the world, their relationship is put to the test.

From a romance perspective, the plot was interesting, as it was fairly untraditional in American culture. Nadia and Saeed talk, but show minimal affection, except for being near each other at points when they cannot be seen. They were unable to get married due to the civil war, but claimed they were for culture purposes as she moved in with him. 

The story is told from a third-person limited point of view, which usually focuses on one character’s thoughts and feelings. In the case of “Exit West,” it focuses on Saeed’s and Nadia’s thoughts and feelings. 

Usually, this viewpoint would allow the writer to fully develop a character (or two) while still allowing the reader a chance to cultivate an emotional attachment to the character. While there was some character development throughout the novel, there wasn’t nearly as much as could be expected from such a viewpoint.

Additionally, Saeed and Nadia’s homeland is not given a name, which wouldn’t necessarily be a problem if every other location they visited hadn’t been named. Such a contrast in the naming trend leads readers to believe their home isn’t as important, as the characters state throughout the novel, as the various locations they visit, which conflicts with the idea that A) it’s their home and B) the civil war taking place in it is impacting the entire world.

Also, there are points in the novel where it jumps from the story of Saeed and Nadia to characters that have no apparent relevance to the actual plot. This is part of why the novel does not seem well written until the point Saeed and Nadia make a decision to leave. 

Overall, “Exit West” by Mohsin Hamid was an okay read, but is not high on the recommendation list for fiction readers who enjoy magical realism, romance, or fantasy.