Guantanamo Boy is a novel written by Anna Perera about a 15 year old boy named Khalid who lives in London just six months after 9/11. He is taken by the CIA in Pakistan and shipped to Guantanamo Bay where he is tortured because the CIA believes him to be a terrorist. Perera conveyed a good message, but she completely forces it down the reader’s throat. It is not weaved into the text, but blatantly shown throughout the entire book. The message was against stereotypes and racism, which of course is positive, but it is too in your face. Much like what the reviewer, “Banner” was saying.

The language used does not relate to teenagers either. The torture is incredibly gruesome but the dialogue seems like it is intended for ten year olds. Anna Perera was once a school teacher for adolescents so I expected for her to be able to relate to teens easily. “Banner” noticed this to, but he thought he was just too old. The book did not illustrate the settings well enough to engage me, the reader, well enough to captivate my imagination and make me feel like I was there with Khalid. Khalid seemed a little too noble to be realistic, increasing the intangibility of the story. It was hard to relate to any of the characters because they all seemed so similar. At each prison he went to, Khalid met new prisoners who were all interchangeable. This only added to effect of all the settings being the same. “Banner” said that the book could have been much better, and I agree completely. The message was powerful, but it shouldn’t have been forced so greatly. If it had been more subtle, more descriptive, and more relatable, this book would have satisfied me. Unfortunately it was not, so I cannot recommend this book to anyone.