I chose this book for a number of reasons. First, I realised that all the books I have reviewed for the blog so far have female protagonists and I thought perhaps I should review something written from a male perspective. Second, I thought the bright orange cover was clever (orange is the colour worn by prisoners in American gaols, including Gauntanomo Bay) and the pun in the title was also appealing. And third, I got sick of waiting for Haydn to review it!!
The main character Khaled is a fifteen-year-old boy of Pakistani and Turkish descent living in England. Although his family is Muslim, he is not particularly religious. He is a normal teenage boy who likes nothing better than playing football (soccer) with his mates and playing computer games with his cousin Tariq in Pakistan. However, what happens to Khaled is far from normal. When he and his family go to Pakistan to visit relatives, he is kidnapped and tortured until in desperation he signs a statement admitting that he is a terrorist. After this, he whisked away to Guantanamo Bay, where more horror awaits him. (For those who don't know, Gauntanamo Bay is an infamous American prison in Cuba)
This is a serious book about serious issues. It shows very clearly why innocent people would admit to crimes that they never commited and the effects of imprisonment upon a person's sense of identity and self-esteem. Ironically, Khaled's experience leads him to explore and become more commited to his Muslim faith.
The pace of this book is quite slow and a lot of the "action" takes place inside the main character's head. For this reason it is a book that requires some patience and persistence. I would give this book 7/10.
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