Exit West is about a young man and woman who are forced to find their way forward after their city falls under attack by extremists. Mohsin Hamid's prose is captivating and exquisite. I'm not a huge fan of magical realism in general, so that's possibly the reason the magical element didn't quite work for me, plus the plot lost a bit of steam about halfway through. Even so, I look forward to reading more by Hamid. We need more books like this, stories that cultivate empathy toward others and make us confront the humanity--the struggle, the striving, the desire, the love, the loss--that binds us all.