2017 Booker Prize longlist: Exit West by Mohsin Hamid
DiscussionsBooker Prize
Rejoignez LibraryThing pour poster.
Ce sujet est actuellement indiqué comme "en sommeil"—le dernier message date de plus de 90 jours. Vous pouvez le réveiller en postant une réponse.
2RidgewayGirl
I'm so happy this made the longlist. Here's my review. There are absolutely no spoilers in it.
". . . 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 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.
". . . 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 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.
3Cait86
I really enjoyed Exit West as well - read it all in one go, actually. I thought the first half was brilliant, and had it pegged as a 4.5 star book, but the second half was less engaging and I settled on 4 stars. I loved the tone of the narrative, sort of fable-esque, with a side-story in each chapter of a refugee in a different country included to mirror the experiences of the main characters.
I'd be content if this made the shortlist - it's well-written, and timely in its themes while also feeling timeless.
I'd be content if this made the shortlist - it's well-written, and timely in its themes while also feeling timeless.
4Deern
I finished it, but can't review it without spoilers, so posted it on my thread only. It was a quick read and I agree with >3 Cait86: that the two halves are quite different. I can't say which I liked better - it was just that they clashed a bit and the second half felt rushed.
I settled on 4 (3.8 stars), too, and so far can well imagine it will make the shortlist.
I settled on 4 (3.8 stars), too, and so far can well imagine it will make the shortlist.
5vancouverdeb
I read Exit West. I put a few comments on my thread. Initially it really grabbed me, but I did not enjoy the second half as much. It seemed rather unfocused, which I think was the point. I was uncertain as to whether to give it 3.5 or 4 stars, but I gave it 4 stars for the beauty of the writing. I won't be surprised if it makes it to the short list.
6kentboy40
Sorry folks did not like this book. Yes it's a book in two parts. Will not go into detail as not wanting to give spoilers.
But when they went through the doors it lost impact of the flight of refugees. For a good book that has this impact read Dalila by Jason Donald. This book should of swop places with Exit West of the short list.
But when they went through the doors it lost impact of the flight of refugees. For a good book that has this impact read Dalila by Jason Donald. This book should of swop places with Exit West of the short list.
7kidzdoc
>7 kidzdoc: I'm glad that you liked Dalila. I attended Jason Donald's appearance at the Edinburgh International Book Festival in August alongside Jenny Erpenbeck, and he spoke about and read an excerpt from his novel. I bought a copy of it, so I'll plan to read it soon.
