Status
Available
Collection
Publication
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (2020), Edition: Reprint, 400 pages
Description
Science Fiction & Fantasy. Young Adult Fiction. Young Adult Literature. HTML:Rebellions are built on hope.Set in a horrifying near-future United States, seventeen-year-old Layla Amin and her parents are forced into an internment camp for Muslim American citizens.With the help of newly made friends also trapped within the internment camp, her boyfriend on the outside, and an unexpected alliance, Layla begins a journey to fight for freedom, leading a revolution against the internment camp's Director and his guards.Heart-racing and emotional, Internment challenges readers to fight complicit silence that exists in our society today.
User reviews
LibraryThing member rgruberexcel
RGG: Despite the clunky prose and the implausibility of some of the ending events, the importance, the currency, and the historical references make this a worthwhile read. Reading Interest: 13-YA.
LibraryThing member rgruberhighschool
RGG: Despite the clunky prose and the implausibility of some of the ending events, the importance, the currency, and the historical references make this a worthwhile read. Reading Interest: 13-YA.
LibraryThing member JanaRose1
Layla and her family are sent to an internment camp for Muslim Americans. A handful of teenagers band together, determined to let the outside world know about the disappearances of anyone who speaks up, the camp conditions, and the brutal camp director.
I thought this book had an interesting
I thought this book had an interesting
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premise, and teenagers will probably love it. However, I grew a bit bored with the book. Layla spends most of her time trying to sneak her boyfriend into camp and smuggle out letters to him. Of course she misses her boyfriend, but it seemed improbable that she would be able to sneak him in. The focus on the boyfriend made the book seem less than real. Overall, not a book I would reread. Show Less
LibraryThing member lindamamak
Internment camps for all Muslims, what has happened to the US as it President defies the law of the land and internees Muslims in a camp to cleanse the country of their influence.
LibraryThing member rgruberhighschool
RGG: Despite the clunky prose and the implausibility of some of the ending events, the importance, the currency, and the historical references make this a worthwhile read. Reading Interest: 13-YA.
LibraryThing member deslivres5
Timely and scary near-future dystopia set within today's political climate. The main character's language didn't seem like typical teen-speak, but then you have to remember that she was the daughter of a illustrious poet.
LibraryThing member bookwyrmm
Scary dystopian future, but parts seemed to either hold back or go unbelievable far.
LibraryThing member JennyNau10
Set just "fifteen minutes in the future," this portrait of what life would be like in America if something in the story called the Exclusion Act passed into law. American-Muslims go into "camps," where they live for the foreseeable future. Layla is justifiably furious when she and her family get
For a nation who has said "Never Again," more than once this story more than anything illustrated to me just how hard actual peaceful resistance is in practice. In conversation, every one of us thinks that someone would "do something," but, as this story illustrates- it wouldn't be easy at all to accomplish anything.
There is so much discussion fodder in this one; I'd add it to a high school government class in a heartbeat.
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rounded up and bussed away to a camp. As an adult reader, I felt worried about her safety as she seemed very ready to get herself hurt as she snuck around, seeking contact with her boyfriend. At the same time, it seemed very realistic as her first reaction to such an unthinkable reality.For a nation who has said "Never Again," more than once this story more than anything illustrated to me just how hard actual peaceful resistance is in practice. In conversation, every one of us thinks that someone would "do something," but, as this story illustrates- it wouldn't be easy at all to accomplish anything.
There is so much discussion fodder in this one; I'd add it to a high school government class in a heartbeat.
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LibraryThing member Hccpsk
Samira Ahmed’s new book, Internment is receiving a lot of attention in the YA universe, but I am not sure that it really deserves some of it. Our heroine, Layla, lives in an alternate present where a Trump-like president rules with even more racist and xenophobic policies than the real President.
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Rampant Islamophobia leads to all Muslims being relocated into internment camps--including Layla’s family. At the camp, named Mobius, Layla joins a group of young activists who protest their confinement through increasingly subversive methods. I agree with the buzz that there are a lot of great themes running through this book: the danger of staying quiet, the menace of ultra right-wing conservatism, finding your voice, the power of young people...there are so many ideas that at times the book comes off as a bit sanctimonious. Unfortunately, clunky plot points and cliched writing adds to the preachy-ness making it feel like a 1980s after-school special. There is a lot that I did like about Internment, and I think it definitely has some important things to say, but I enjoyed her first novel, Love, Hate and Other Filters, a lot more. I wish she had spent some more time writing and editing this book so these crucial subjects in our current political state could have had a better platform. Show Less
LibraryThing member Salsabrarian
“Fifteen minutes” into the future, as it says in the author’s note, 17-year-old Layla, her parents and all Muslim Americans are rounded up into internment camps per the orders of the president. The president is never named but references to “racist tweets” and being a bigot make it
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abundantly clear who Layla is talking about. The camp overseer regards the internees with anger and bitterness, taking the law into his own hands and “disappearing” Muslims who step out of line. Layla is angered by the compliance of her fellow Muslims, including her parents, and is roused to take action. With the help of other like-minded teen internees and a sympathetic Exclusion Guard, Layla plots to get the truth of the camps out to the world—but at the risk of her and her parents’ safety. This work is brash, loud and in-your-face in its spirit of resistance and rebellion. There is no mistaking where the sympathies and politics lie; it is no-holds-barred anger. An empowering, affirming novel for teens passionate in their activism, and inspiring for those looking for a cause. Although at times overwrought, it is fast-paced and suspenseful. Show Less
LibraryThing member acargile
This novel represents a horror story that some may feel isn't too far in the future for the United States.
Layla Amin, a typical high school student, has a boyfriend and just wants her own independence. Unfortunately, she loses her rights because she is Muslim. A new president who wants to make
The novel begins with Layla visiting her boyfriend with only about 15 minutes left of curfew. As a Muslim, she cannot get caught. She spends so much time being angry and appalled that she doesn't ever look at her watch and ends of leaving late. She tries to time her movements with the burning of books that many people are attending so that more people are out. If violence can occur to your body, you better know how to be sneaky and have a plan. Her boyfriend, David, accompanies her and they are seen. Of course they are--they are just walking down the street. He tells her to run. She makes it home safely.
Within hours, Layla's life completely changes. Her family is given a few minutes to pack what they can carry and they are transported to an Internment camp for Muslims in the desert with no air conditioning in California. The novel shows what life is like to an extent--small Mercury home, "minders," food eaten together at appointed times, jobs given to people, and control of movement. They even segregate the groups to keep hate between groups alive. It would be like taking all any any group (Catholic, Jewish, whatever) and separating by color or citizenship or race and emphasizing those differences so that they don't feel united as one group. Layla is upset that she has no freedoms and contacts David for help. His family is Jewish and should understand unjust treatment. He comes running, but there's only so much a teen can do. He hopes his father can help. Layla meets several brave girls in the camp as well as a guard who seems to be helpful, Jake. The kids decide to protest. As the novel progresses, there are more protests. The first is while the Red Cross is there. The director doesn't care who is there--he truly believes the Muslims are beneath him and he'll say so to whomever. He claims the Red Cross can't do anything. So, more protests are planned. As far as what's going on outside the camp to fix this unjust imprisonment, you get some knowledge, but the novel is really from Layla's narrow view of what's going on.
The novel drove me absolutely crazy because I found Layla colossally stupid. She is supposed to be perceived as brave. I disagree; stupidity does not equate to bravery. If you want to fight something unjust, you need to be smart. Repeatedly, she tells the reader what life is like and what's happening and then when it happens to her, she is surprised. Jake helps her and knows more of what's going on. Even when he gives her advice and she needs to wait on him, she'll get a desire to do something right then. She doesn't even have all the facts to make a plan and there are always bad consequences that she doesn't plan for and is surprised they happen. It's a piece of fiction, so everything will work out, but in real life, her antics would NOT have changed society. Spoiler--she does not die. I would have killed her off. I think if you are going to present a story with a heroine who stays in the director's face, it needs to be realistic. Jews died in concentration camps. I don't know enough about the Japanese internment camps to know what happened there, so I can't say, but her actions would have resulted in death in a camp and her death would have lead to change. The character who does die doesn't carry weight for the story. Every time the main character does something and there are consequences, she doesn't learn. The final event is the exact same thing she did for the previous event. I find it insulting that the reader would assume that this time it will work out. That she is surprised by the death means that she has no comprehension skills.
I completely agree with the concept of the book; I just wish the story had had a smarter, more resourceful main character. I was constantly annoyed The essay by the author at the end was very well-written and was better than the novel itself. History has shown us that once the military backs a fascist of any kind, democracy no longer exists. Staying vigilant for anyone to be mistreated based on race or nationality (etc.) remains imperative in a democracy, for all people should be treated as humans and given rights.
Layla Amin, a typical high school student, has a boyfriend and just wants her own independence. Unfortunately, she loses her rights because she is Muslim. A new president who wants to make
Show More
America great suspends rights to people he doesn't like. The reader experiences the end of these rights after most have been eroded, so references to the past let you know how the story got to this point. The novel begins with Layla visiting her boyfriend with only about 15 minutes left of curfew. As a Muslim, she cannot get caught. She spends so much time being angry and appalled that she doesn't ever look at her watch and ends of leaving late. She tries to time her movements with the burning of books that many people are attending so that more people are out. If violence can occur to your body, you better know how to be sneaky and have a plan. Her boyfriend, David, accompanies her and they are seen. Of course they are--they are just walking down the street. He tells her to run. She makes it home safely.
Within hours, Layla's life completely changes. Her family is given a few minutes to pack what they can carry and they are transported to an Internment camp for Muslims in the desert with no air conditioning in California. The novel shows what life is like to an extent--small Mercury home, "minders," food eaten together at appointed times, jobs given to people, and control of movement. They even segregate the groups to keep hate between groups alive. It would be like taking all any any group (Catholic, Jewish, whatever) and separating by color or citizenship or race and emphasizing those differences so that they don't feel united as one group. Layla is upset that she has no freedoms and contacts David for help. His family is Jewish and should understand unjust treatment. He comes running, but there's only so much a teen can do. He hopes his father can help. Layla meets several brave girls in the camp as well as a guard who seems to be helpful, Jake. The kids decide to protest. As the novel progresses, there are more protests. The first is while the Red Cross is there. The director doesn't care who is there--he truly believes the Muslims are beneath him and he'll say so to whomever. He claims the Red Cross can't do anything. So, more protests are planned. As far as what's going on outside the camp to fix this unjust imprisonment, you get some knowledge, but the novel is really from Layla's narrow view of what's going on.
The novel drove me absolutely crazy because I found Layla colossally stupid. She is supposed to be perceived as brave. I disagree; stupidity does not equate to bravery. If you want to fight something unjust, you need to be smart. Repeatedly, she tells the reader what life is like and what's happening and then when it happens to her, she is surprised. Jake helps her and knows more of what's going on. Even when he gives her advice and she needs to wait on him, she'll get a desire to do something right then. She doesn't even have all the facts to make a plan and there are always bad consequences that she doesn't plan for and is surprised they happen. It's a piece of fiction, so everything will work out, but in real life, her antics would NOT have changed society. Spoiler--she does not die. I would have killed her off. I think if you are going to present a story with a heroine who stays in the director's face, it needs to be realistic. Jews died in concentration camps. I don't know enough about the Japanese internment camps to know what happened there, so I can't say, but her actions would have resulted in death in a camp and her death would have lead to change. The character who does die doesn't carry weight for the story. Every time the main character does something and there are consequences, she doesn't learn. The final event is the exact same thing she did for the previous event. I find it insulting that the reader would assume that this time it will work out. That she is surprised by the death means that she has no comprehension skills.
I completely agree with the concept of the book; I just wish the story had had a smarter, more resourceful main character. I was constantly annoyed The essay by the author at the end was very well-written and was better than the novel itself. History has shown us that once the military backs a fascist of any kind, democracy no longer exists. Staying vigilant for anyone to be mistreated based on race or nationality (etc.) remains imperative in a democracy, for all people should be treated as humans and given rights.
Show Less
LibraryThing member ewyatt
Layla's world is turned upside down when she and her parents are rounded up and taken to an internment camp for Muslims. Their civil liberties are trampled on in this camp that is an echo of Japanese internment camps during World War II. The political administration sounds eerily similar to the
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current conditions of the country. Layla finds allies and realizes that just going along is not going to save her. She decides to resist and fight back, building a coalition of others and taking incredible risks to stand up for her freedom and rights as an American. Jake is a soldier who acts as her guardian angel and maybe part of the resistance, this is a compelling read. Show Less
LibraryThing member lflareads
I found myself shaking my head and emotional throughout Internment. So disappointing that people experience this separation and imprisonment for their diversity. I highly recommend this read! I empathized with the characters throughout. Peaceful acceptance of our differences and a celebration of
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diversity would be such a beautiful concept! Show Less
LibraryThing member JenniferElizabeth2
Premise: YES. Execution: Meh. Dialogue really did it in for me— so over the top. BUT I did inhale it in one sitting, heart in my throat.
LibraryThing member fromthecomfychair
This speculative fiction is set five minutes into the future. Samira Ahmed does little to disguise the fact that the United States she is writing about is the one we are currently living in, with a President like the one who is currently (and hopefully not for much longer) in office.
Her anger is
I think it would be fine for younger teens, but as an adult reading it, it was just too obvious, like some other reviewer somewhere said, too much like an after-school special.
Her anger is
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palpable and comes through in her main character,Layla, a Muslim teenager. The basic plot is that the President has decided that Muslims are a threat to security, and like the Japanese in WWII, and the immigrants seeking refuge at our borders, they need to be corralled and detained. The detention center, Mobius, is literally set down the road from Manzanar, where the Japanese were interned. There is nothing subtle about this story. It whacks you between the eyes with the unfairness and cruelty of the detention of innocent, law-abiding citizens who happen to be Muslim. The man in charge of this is a monster of a human being, someone who anyone would have no trouble hating. I think it would be fine for younger teens, but as an adult reading it, it was just too obvious, like some other reviewer somewhere said, too much like an after-school special.
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LibraryThing member DrFuriosa
Resistance is never futile.
LibraryThing member adriennealair
Totally on board with the message of this book, but the way it was presented felt very heavy-handed and unrealistic.
Awards
Eliot Rosewater Indiana High School Book Award (Nominee — 2021)
Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award (Nominee — Young Adult — 2021)
Gateway Readers Award (Nominee — 2022)
Green Mountain Book Award (Nominee — 2021)
Garden State Teen Book Award (Nominee — 2021)
Lincoln Award: Illinois Teen Readers' Choice Award (Nominee — 2021)
Grand Canyon Reader Award (Nominee — Teen — 2021)
Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing (Nominee — 2020)
Milwaukee County Teen Book Award (Nominee — 2020)
Waterstones Children's Book Prize (Shortlist — Older Readers — 2020)
Isinglass Teen Read Award (Nominee — 2021)
Keystone to Reading Book Award (Winner — 2021)
Rhode Island Teen Book Award (Nominee — 2021)
Three Stars Book Award (Nominee — Young Adult — 2020)
Best Fiction for Young Adults (Selection — 2020)
Read Aloud Indiana Book Award (High School — 2022)
Nerdy Book Award (Young Adult Literature — 2019)
Penn GSE's Best Books for Young Readers (Selection — Young Adult — 2019)
Young Adult Favorites Award (2020)
Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults (Top Ten — 2020)
Just One More Page Recommendation List (Young Adult — 2020)
Project LIT Book Selection (Young Adult — 2020)
OYAN Book Rave (2020)
Language
Original language
English
Physical description
8.35 inches
ISBN
0316522708 / 9780316522700
Local notes
Purchased with funding from the Ashley Grant program of the Minnesota Conference of the United Church of Christ.