Title: Internment
Author: Samira Ahmed
Rating: 4/5
Synopsys: “Internment” is set in a ‘fifteen minutes in the future’ USA, where Muslim-Americans are forced into an internment camp. Layla is the protagonists and with the help of some of the people trapped with her, she will begin a journey to fight for freedom, leading a revolution.
The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
When my request for the ARC of this book was approved, I was so excited about it. I fell in love with its plot since reading it back in January for the first time. I’m sure it is going to be such a crucial and powerful release when it hits the shelves.
Samira Ahmed’s “Internment” is certainly not an easy book to read. Still, I have to admit that I liked it a lot.
It tells a story that feels too real, and that makes me shiver. It is set in a “fifteen minutes in the future” United States, where Muslim-Americans are being forced into an internment camp.
In the past, many internment camps have existed, too many, and we remember them all in order to not repeat that mistake again. But, nowadays it seems we are very near to something like this, and “Internment” shows us where this world, our world, is going. We are making the same mistakes all over again. This is terrifying, and this is why this book is so powerful: it punches you right in the gut.
(Beware, spoilers ahead)
All right, let’s dive into the depths of this book.
Layla’s life is turned upside-down when she is interned along with her parents and other people who profess her religion. At first, I didn’t like her very much. She was a bit too childish, and all she could think of were her boyfriend, David, and her tennis team. Full stop. Layla wasn’t aware of the gravity of the situation or the consequences it could lead to. As we move forward, we witness her evolution. This seventeen-year-old girl becomes a strong, brave and tough woman. She starts to understand what is actually happening: history is repeating itself. Diversity is seen as a threat. The ‘other’ is seen as an enemy.
Alongside her new friends from the camp, an unexpected alliance with Jake (one of the guards), and David’s help from the outside, Layla begins a resistance against the Director: it’s an actual revolution. They fight for their freedom, their rights and a fairer world.
I was in awe of the fight and bravery depicted in Layla and many other characters throughout the story. The characters are very well written, and we can empathize with most of them. We can easily understand why the parents were reluctant towards the protest: they just wanted to protect their kids even though they felt too useless and powerless. And at the same time, we can definitely sympathize with Layla, her friends and the other adults who kept fighting and fighting even if their lives were at stake.
Jake is one of the characters I loved the most. He’s a pure and kind soul, ready to sacrifice himself to help those who are in need. I liked his backstory and the one behind his compass tattoo. His friendship with Layla was so intense that I would have sworn they would have ended up together, but I was totally wrong. No love story there. She remained faithful to her boyfriend and never doubted her feelings for him. I would have liked a love story between Jake and Layla, being honest. But I understand why it didn’t happen and I appreciated this cliché was avoided.
However, I think “Internment” lacks in certain parts and I would have preferred it to go even further. I would have loved a further push into the horrific and dreadful ways of fascism and nationalism.
It all ended too well, even if there were some losses (I’m still in denial with one of them).
Despite that, I enjoyed this book very much and I recommend this read. It’s thought-provoking and it helps open our eyes to the world we’re living in. Also, I think Samira Ahmed was very brave to write this book at this point in history. This is what we need.
My review has come to an end and I hope you enjoyed it! Feel free to leave a comment with your opinions about it, I’m eager to know your thoughts.