Imagine you are 15 years old living in a northern town,
hanging out with your mates playing football, bunking off school
occasionally and too shy to ask out the girl you have a crush on. Your
big obsession is playing computer games and you are developing a new
game with your cousin. You have a loving family but your Mum irritates
you, your Dad embarrasses you and your little sisters wind you up.
Pretty normal stuff until one day whilst staying with an Auntie abroad
you are kidnapped and flown to a detention centre where you are
interrogated and tortured until you are prepared to admit to anything.
No-one knows where you are and you have no contact with the outside
world and barely any contact with your fellow prisoners. This is the
shocking story of Khalid from Rochdale and how he endured the horrors
of Guantanamo Bay. If you want to know what terms such as â
extraordinary renditionâ and â enemy combatantâ really mean this book
will explain far better than any news reports.
Anna Perara brings to life a very current story, although this is a
fictional account it is clearly well researched and I was personally
shocked to learn that children as young as twelve years old were held
in Guantanamo. It is definitely a book for older teenagers and adults,
I would recommend parents read it first as parts of the book contain
quite graphic scenes of torture and humiliation and it will inevitably
raise some difficult questions. The author has found an authentic
voice for Khalid and the range of emotions from disbelief, terror,
anger, shame and forgiveness are entirely believable (the only
unbelievable part of the story is that this was allowed to go on in a
free society in the 21st century). Despite the unmitigated horror there
are flashes of humour and it is ultimately an inspiring story of
endurance and love.
This is a very powerful book and would be an excellent resource for
teachers when discussing issues of citizenship, racism, religious
tolerance and human rights.
4.5/5
Guest Reviewer:
Charlotte Revely Programme Director National School of Government