“Exit West” by Mohsin Hamid

The magic of "Exit West" doesn't come with its magical bean nor from the chemistry of its two protagonists. Rather, as the novel wears on, the role of the leads becomes muted when compared to the world Mohsin Hamid builds, one that gradually becomes less about the obvious themes presented by the byline ("refugees in love try to find sanctuary") and more about, without getting into spoilers, how different our world would be if we were forced to confront the humanity of our neighbors on a consistent basis. Couple that with a perfect ending and "Exit West" is something wonderful.

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