kiperoo's review against another edition
5.0
I'm going to make a bold statement: this book is the book I wish everyone would read in 2019. Layla is the protagonist we all need today, whether her glimpse into a (hopefully dystopian) future is a window or a mirror. Muslim readers will find a much-needed heroine and non-Muslim readers will hopefully gain some empathy and understanding of where hateful rhetoric could lead and what it feels like to be on the receiving end of this hate. As a writer and reader of historical fiction, I of course know where this kind of rhetoric has led in the past, and Samira Ahmed does an incredible job in calling to mind so many of those same details from history in this chilling imagining of a future where history repeats itself. Please don't allow this to happen! As she says in the Author's Note, "There are sides. Make a choice." Please do, and please share this book with young people everywhere!
alyssasaurus's review against another edition
dark
hopeful
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
juliterario's review against another edition
2.0
¡Hace tiempo que quería leer Internment de Samira Ahmed! Honestamente, no sabía mucho de qué se trataba y demás, pero la diversidad y las buenas críticas me hicieron añadir esta novela a mi TBR :) ¡Y realmente le tenía muchas ganas! Ahora, lamento decir que me siento muy decepcionada, aunque no me arrepiento de haber leído esta novela
“The scariest monsters are the ones who seem the most like you."
Internment está situado en un futuro remoto de los Estados Unidos, aunque la autora lo describe como "unos 15 minutos hacia el futuro de EEUU" a modo de advertencia, lo cual me parece sumamente interesante. Internment planeta una advertencia de a dónde se están dirigiendo varias sociedades actualmente y urge a la audiencia a llevar a cabo cambios. Es una lectura de lo más interesante tanto social como políticamente. Este libro desafía a lxs lectorxs a combatir el silencio intencional que existe en la sociedad hoy. A no quedarse callado. A no aceptar pasivamente aquello que consideran que está mal. Es un pedido de ayuda, una advertencia de a dónde nos dirige el camino que estamos tomando y una sugerencia a ser mejorxs. No sé, esto es lo que más amé del libro. Internment es un guiño al mundo actual, sobre todo a la realidad de EEUU en el día de hoy, de una manera significativa e importante. Les recomiendo este libro por dichas razones si es que están interesadxs. Samira Ahmed tiene un mensaje poderoso para compartir, y espero que le den una oportunidad. Creo que este es uno de estos libros que no pueden lograr el cambio por sí solos, pero la reflexión que incentivan en la mente lectora vale oro. Es la razón por la que no abandoné este libro y, vamos, ¡es muy cortito!
“A compass doesn’t tell you where you are, and it doesn’t tell you where you have to go. It can only point you in a direction. It’s up to you to always find your true north."
Peeeeero en cuanto a Internment como una novela, como literatura juvenil del género literario futurista, no me encantó y, al contrario, me dejó mucho que desear. La escritura me dio bastante igual, pero creo que la autora perdía demasiado tiempo con descripciones innecesarias y dejó de lado elementos vitales en el mensaje que buscaba transmitir. Personajes con poca evolución y/o profundidad, diálogos breves e irrelevantes, demasiiiaaaaaado drama adolescente... No sé, tengo varias quejas que hacerle. Internment no me parece una gran novela. Tiene un mensaje poderoso, sí, y si la vemos de ese lado sin duda es una lectura crucial. Pero viéndolo como a cualquier otro libro... No sé, al menos a mí no me convence :(
“What’s that thing people always say about history? Unless we know our history, we’re doomed to repeat it? Never forget? Isn’t that the lesson? But we always forget. Forgetting is in the American grain.”
lithicin's review against another edition
4.5
Far superior book to the other book I just finished with students, lol.
tucker68511's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
natcommon's review
2.0
2.5 ish stars.
I read this for the Mock Printz Award discussion for work. I feel like the author had a lot of passion with this story. And it’s an important topic but it seems the narrative suffered and it wasn’t executed in the best way to be a more powerful story. I would have possibly been better if it was shorter.
I read this for the Mock Printz Award discussion for work. I feel like the author had a lot of passion with this story. And it’s an important topic but it seems the narrative suffered and it wasn’t executed in the best way to be a more powerful story. I would have possibly been better if it was shorter.
cbeghuin's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Islamophobia, Confinement, Physical abuse, and Police brutality
leila_reads_too_much's review against another edition
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Child death, Islamophobia, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Deportation
hegevic's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
itadakinasu's review against another edition
Real internment camps:
Internment camps in this book:
I got about 25% into Internment before I had to give up. I know that if the book continues along these lines (and other reviews confirm that it does), I will end up hating it and regretting any further time spent on it.
Reasons I gave up:
* Layla is TSTL - sarcastic at the wrong times, puts herself and others in danger unnecessarily, only thinks about her boyfriend
* The camps are described as prison-like and traumatizing, yet no one gets hurt/disappears
* Guards are described as violent, racist pieces of garbage but are all talk and no action
* Unnecessary use of metaphors and long, flowing descriptions that add nothing of value
* Hastily put-together world with one-dimensional characters
Comparing the camps in this book to real internment/concentration camps is borderline insulting. Starvation, euthanasia, indiscriminate beatings, brands/tattoos, meaningless and abusive physical labor, and communal toilets/showers are but a tiny slice of real internment camps. (None of those things is present in Internment btw.)
I'm disappointed because there's real potential in works like this. Some parts have meaningful messages and if done well could help non-Muslim readers open their minds/hearts to Islam. I hope Muslims, especially Muslim Americans will continue publishing their stories because it is sorely needed. That being said, lazy writing is lazy writing.
Internment camps in this book:
I got about 25% into Internment before I had to give up. I know that if the book continues along these lines (and other reviews confirm that it does), I will end up hating it and regretting any further time spent on it.
Reasons I gave up:
* Layla is TSTL - sarcastic at the wrong times, puts herself and others in danger unnecessarily, only thinks about her boyfriend
* The camps are described as prison-like and traumatizing, yet no one gets hurt/disappears
* Guards are described as violent, racist pieces of garbage but are all talk and no action
* Unnecessary use of metaphors and long, flowing descriptions that add nothing of value
* Hastily put-together world with one-dimensional characters
Comparing the camps in this book to real internment/concentration camps is borderline insulting. Starvation, euthanasia, indiscriminate beatings, brands/tattoos, meaningless and abusive physical labor, and communal toilets/showers are but a tiny slice of real internment camps. (None of those things is present in Internment btw.)
I'm disappointed because there's real potential in works like this. Some parts have meaningful messages and if done well could help non-Muslim readers open their minds/hearts to Islam. I hope Muslims, especially Muslim Americans will continue publishing their stories because it is sorely needed. That being said, lazy writing is lazy writing.