Khalid
is a 15-year-old from Rochdale spends his time doing what most boys
his age do. He plays computer games and spends time with his friends.
He also wishes that he was brave enough to tell Niamh that he cares
about her.
He
isn’t too excited about going to visit his family in Pakistan, but his
mom and dad want him to come with them. So he goes. Khalid’s life
turns into a nightmare when he is kidnapped from his aunt’s house and
ends up being held for two years, without being charged, in the world’s
most notorious prison – Guantanamo Bay.
When
I first started this book, I thought I might not like it, because I was
getting annoyed with the authors style of writing. The words just
didn't seem to flow, and the story was going very slowly, but after he
went to Pakistan, I got more into the book and really felt that the
story was getting better. There were not too many graphic details about
the torture that Khalid went through during his stay at the prison, just
enough to give you a glimpse of what he was feeling, but not enough for
the book to be disturbing to younger teens. I believe that people
should know about the bad things in this world that some of us are
sheltered from.
The
emotions and trauma displayed by this young man have been portrayed so
realistically, I felt like I was experiencing them with him. I don't
want to go into detail as it would be more than spoilers, they would
ruin the storyline for people who want to read it.
I
really commend Anna Perera for writing a book on this subject. This is
the first young adult book that I have read that deals with the
Guantanamo Bay prison. I think its a very important message read that
anyone over thirteen or fourteen should read.
This
book was given to me by the Albert Whitman & Company for review,
but this has in no way influenced my opinion of the book.
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