Truthful and Honest
By Stacy / Spinebreakers Crew
It seems that fantasy books are proving extremely popular at the moment; these are books that catapult the reader into a place which cannot be visited in the ‘real world’, igniting the imagination into a frenzied state of anticipation and adventure. Yet it is equally as satisfying to come across a book that is truthful and honest as for too long the curtain has been pulled over our eyes; what if someone was to draw it open and uncover the horrors that deceive us?
That is exactly what author Anna Perera has done. ‘Guantanamo Boy’ uncovers the disturbing truth of a young male who gets caught up in a world of violence, terror and injustice. Written in a gripping and intriguing manner the book follows young Khalid as he gets caught up in the world of terrorism - in a world where there is seemingly no way out. As a teenage reader it is easy to empathise with Khalid, as battling with his sanity and active thoughts it is clear how our family and friends give strength in times of need. There is one lesson to be learnt from this book, and that is that life in the safe and secure confinements of the UK should not be taken for granted.
‘Guantanamo Boy’ offers a refreshing and up to date response to the existence of such evil in the world. Within the news President Obama has recently announced that he intends to close the detention centre, in response to those who have said it was an ‘inefficient’ method ‘against terrorism’. Again who knows whether this desire will be acted upon and, until then, we must seek a more humanitarian method. Before ‘Guantanamo Boy’ the centre was merely a place heard about within the media yet after reading, it is a place that is segmented into your brain, a phrase that lingers on your tongue, dying to be uttered within controversial debate.