Internment by Samira Ahmed

YA Science Fiction, 2019 by Atom, 386 Pages 

What I Didn’t Like:

• What genre even is this? It’s so hard to categorize because it’s contemporary (as in it could be happening right now) but it’s an alternate reality. Technically, it’s a CLOSE alternate reality but it reads like a historical fiction novel. It’s based in a dystopian alternate reality, though, which would make it science fiction by the rules of dystopian=science fiction. So, it’s practically impossible to categorize. 
• Cheesy. I can’t even think of a better way to say it. Something about this one just feels cliche and cheesy. I wanted it to be so much stronger than it was. I think it was in the focus on an awkward love story (I say focus because it started there and came back to it) and the addition of details and things that felt unnecessary. 
• Too much of the thinking is done for you. As a reader, I like when an author shows me something and lets me think about the theme and purpose of that thing. This book seems to do much of the thinking for you, drawing conclusions and laying them out for the reader. 

What I Did Like:

• Terrifyingly realistic. Which was the point, obviously. You can’t read a book like this and not see the parallels to what is happening in our political climate. Is this a stretch farther than we’d like to think we’d ever go? Obviously, yes. But this book serves as a warning. 

Who Should Read This One:

• If you’re interested in a take on internment camps that feels realistic and could be happening now and you don’t mind a youthful main character you may like this one. 

My Rating: 2 Stars

• For me this one was problematic. I need to be able to think and process those large themes you’re coming in with instead of feeling like you’re forcing them on me, no thinking required. I also wanted to feel something and this main character just didn’t do it for me. But reviews are subjective and other may feel differently.