I really, really, really loved this book
By Connie
I really, really, really loved this book. I'm quite a fast reader so I managed to read it within two nights, which I am always annoyed with myself for because then the book doesn't last for long enough, and time passes too quickly for me to properly understand how Khalid feels; which of course, I thought was completely impossible until I read this book.
Khalid Ahmed, as a teenager, is portrayed very well - it shows how alot of teenagers pretend they don't care about anything but really they know, that everybody tries their hardest; that everybody is dissapointed when they fail. It amazes me how his perspective on life changes so much during his time at Guantanamo Bay, and has given me alot more to think about considering the peace of the world. It really truly made me cry; not particularly from happiness , or sadness, but from relief and because it was so moving. It was almost impossible to believe that he was finally free!
The only downsides to the book, I would say, is that Guantanamo goes on for a bit long - although I suppose without the length, there wouldn't have been such relief. So that's a good thing.
But I don't like the last line; it's sort of typical, and although it means a lot to Khalid which I understand, it's just eever so slightly cliché. But I like how his opinion of Niamh was quite altered.
Also, I LOVE the way it's written! It keeps you on your toes; in the present tense. Your imagination creates as well as watches; although there's no amazingly detailed descriptions, this isn't neccesarily a bad thing. Description would have distracted you from the agony and the disruption; also, simple words shows how simple the cells were. How routine. How repetetive. I'm not sure when I'll get over this book. I really reccomend reading it!