Some writers pull you in from the very first sentence - and, not just because of urgent action in the opening paragraphs. Sometimes, you can just tell you're going to love a book by the sentence structure.
This is one of those books.
I somehow hadn't heard of Exit West, despite it being on quite a few "best of" lists last year. It was one of Barack Obama's favorite books, or so my independent bookstore tells me. For whatever reason, I missed it. I'm glad the cover caught my eye.
Exit West is about leaving your home land and rebuilding in a strange world. That changes not only those who migrate, but also the world they leave and the world they enter. In this story, a young couple leaves a war torn homeland, hoping to find safety and security in the unknown. There's no real urgent action here at all; it simply follows their journey and watches how it changes them.
Exit West offers a bit of science fiction as well, as magical doors allow migrants to go from one location to another. But, don't let that turn you off. It's really a minor part of the larger story. The story itself is about change and its impact not only on our own lives but on the world around us.
The book is a quick read, it's simple, it's timely and it's powerful. Quietly powerful. The writing is beautiful. Barack Obama was onto something.
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