This true story informs of a blunt, horrific narrative account of Malika Oufkir, her mother and 5 siblings who exhausted nearly their whole life in prison. Malika Oufkir was born in 1953 and was the eldest daughter of General Oufkir, the King of Morocco's closest aide. At the age of 5 the King had adopted Malika to live in the palace and grow up with his own daughter for camaraderie. She was encircled by lavishness and amazing privileges until August 16, 1972, when her father was executed for an attempt assignation of the King. Malika, her mother and siblings (the youngest being only 3 years old!) were immediately imprisoned for the crime their father was accused of due to mere namesake.
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For 15 years in Morocco penal camp the Oufkir's experienced the most inhumane, unimaginable life that they had no choice but to endure. Malika, being the eldest daughter assumed role of nanny, teacher, and advisor to her siblings during their imprisonment and writes about the survival techniques she used to help her family get through this merciless suffering. A decade out of those 15 unjust years the family was put in solitary cells, but their ingenuity helped them survive, even using puddles of water to see the face of a loved one in another cell. After 15 years of imprisonment, the Oufkir children dug a tunnel day and night in their cell with their bare hands and managed an escape to get help and political asylum to another country. During their 5 days of freedom, the cruelty of the world showed its face even more to them. Many loyal friends, family and community had abandoned them as well. The hardship isn't even over, for they were imprisoned 3 more years waiting for the Moroccan government to grant them permission to exile out of the country
The review of this Book prepared by Susan D. Minkalis
