EXIT WEST: A NOVEL

EXIT WEST: A NOVEL by MOHSIN HAMID

This is an incredibly moving, touching, provocative and breathtaking novel that will leave you speechless. Welcome to a country that's been torn by numerous wars and is now on the brink of an all-out civil war. Two young, ambitious young folks - the gentle, shy Saeed and the strong-willed, independent and fragile Nadia - meet and fall in love. It all goes great until more and more unrest on the once-familiar city streets brings everybody to their knees.

Checkpoints, angry military men, bomb blasts, people dying around - the horrors keep encircling the city, turning it into something entirely different and terrifying. Nadia and her friend don't want to leave their hometown and try to stay and do something about it, but the force of hate, despair, and death is simply too strong for the two of them to do anything about it.

Soon, they are left with no choice but to gather all their things and leave. Everything they ever held dear is left behind, including their old lives. They take a step into an uncertain, shaky future in a strange world that they never even knew about, and it's their love and faith in each other that allow them to stay strong on both feet and survive. They're holding on to each other, to their past and to all those little things that make them who they are.

Will they be able to prosper in this new reality, or is it too harsh for them to adapt to? Exit West is a remarkable novel that is both revealingly intimate and emotionally-charged. The narrative is powerful, the characters are both lovely and multi-layered, and the story is all kinds of awesome. If you love novels about love, bravery, dedication, and loyalty, then grab a copy!