I will caveat this review with the fact that this is the first fiction novel i have read in almost 10 years.

The first half of the book was very captivating, a love story between two very different people in the midst of a civil war. The author captured the emotions, the ups, the downs very beautifully as their love story developed. Then came the concept of Magic doors that could transport them instantaneously to different places around the world offering them an escape from the dangers of the war. I was not expecting the concept of magic doors, so it caught me by surprise (think Monsters Inc). After migrating through the magic doors the second half of the book detailed their struggles as migrants. I found this half of the book was really rushed, and as a result I wasn't able to connect with the characters as much. I was not able to feel their emotions and live their struggles. There was a strong message in there about the issues of migration/refugees but due to the lack of character development in the second half I don't believe we really felt that message come through. (As opposed to the first half where I really felt the devastation of war through the characters).

Also the author would introduce little snippets of completely random characters in different places and time throughput the book. I found these jumps very confusing and am not sure what they added to the story.

Saeed and Nadia live in a deteriorating city where danger flourishes and their lives could be gone any second. Despite this, they still both go to school and form a relationship together even with their contrasting personalities. However, things take a turn for the worse when the militants start fighting the government in their city, and Saeed’s mother is killed in the crossfire. They receive a tip that there are magical doors that lead to different parts of the world and go through one to escape the city. I liked this book because on the surface, it may just seem like it’s about a relationship that doesn’t work, but the author, Hamid, also explores many other concepts such as religion, immigration, and harassment.

From the description I thought this would be a good chance to escape the present and be entertained. This book is completely immersed in the present and painful and hopeful at the same time.

I find the writing style a bit hard to get used to but when I did the story flowed like water. Even though we don't get all the personal details of Nadia's and Saeed's relationship told in an emotional way, I still understand why they felt the way they did throughout their relationship. It's amazing how Hamid is able to write in such a way!

I expected something with more meat on its bones from a Booker Prize finalist and a N.Y. Times "10 best books". Yes, it's gorgeously written with fine cadences and long run-on sentences; it explores the plight of refugees and the nuts-and-bolts of how they scrape by but, in the end, what's it really about? Saeed and Nadia, 2 lovers, leave home and family and escape to the West in a series of hops from the un-named homeland (Beirut? Damascus? Baghdad? Kabul?) first to Mykonos, then London and finally California's coast. They lost their families, their culture and ultimately each other but what did either of them achieve? Mohsin doesn't tell us.

Just an excellent book.

A neat concept that is both heartwarming and heartbreaking.

In a quasi-parallel reality, Nadia and Saeed are a young couple whose middle-eastern country is experiencing a civil war as militants take over their city. In this world, citizens who are lucky or well-connected can arrange for transport out of a region through mysterious doorways, which the couple opt to do, though where they will end up is uncertain.

If not for the unearthly doorways, Nadia and Saeed's experiences could be the actuality of any number of refugees fleeing similar or equally oppressive circumstances in the world today. It's hard to imagine the daily uncertainty of safety, food, shelter and sheer existence, but this book, though fiction, does an excellent job demonstrating the desperation, heartbreak and guilt felt by those fleeing their homes.

Nadia and Saeed leave their country due to a breakdown of the Government and take over by militants. They make passage through doorways made a valuable to them and started their lives over bit by bit through trial and error. They faced unspeakable hardships, loss of family, hunger, danger, disease, over crowding, hopelessness.... Eventually they pieced together a new life and found their ways. Very relevant with the breakdown of Governments around the world present day and an increasing resistance to immigrants.

Loved the idea of "doors" that are suddenly "there" that allow transport to other parts of the world...aside from that, this is a very well written book by an author that I was not familiar with. I plan on reading his other books.

A great little read, good enough to finish in one or two sittings. Get it