Book Review: The Tyrant's Daughter

Book: The Tyrant's Daughter by J.C. Carleson

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: Available now

Description:

From a former CIA officer comes the riveting account of a royal Middle Eastern family exiled to the American suburbs.

When her father is killed in a coup, 15-year-old Laila flees from the war-torn middle east to a life of exile and anonymity in the U.S. Gradually she adjusts to a new school, new friends, and a new culture, but while Laila sees opportunity in her new life, her mother is focused on the past. She’s conspiring with CIA operatives and rebel factions to regain the throne their family lost. Laila can’t bear to stand still as an international crisis takes shape around her, but how can one girl stop a conflict that spans generations?



Rating: 5 stars

Review:

What a heartbreaking yet wonderfully written book. What do you do when your life is turned upside down? 15 years old Laila's life has always been one of privilege until her father is murdered following a coup and she along with her mother and little brother have to flee from their home in the Middle East to the United States.

Laila never thought of her father as anything other than loving that is until she gets a dose of how the world saw him. The world saw him as nothing short of being a dictator. The violence, death and destruction that she never really thought of in her country can be attributed to her father. This fast paced book is told in first person and gives the reader a glimpse in Laila's life as she tries to sort through trying to fit in and trying to figure out what her mother is up to.

As Laila tries her best to fit in at school she becomes friends with Emmy and meets a nice guy named Ian. Still, not sure what her mother is up to as she conspires with the CIA, Laila has been instructed to befriend Amir, a young man who is from her country but they are from two different walks of life. Amir's family (who are the people that Laila would have never noticed) stood against Laila's family and protested the regime. So, it's interesting to see what her mother was trying to do, was she trying to get information from them or did she have something else in mind?

This is a very complex riveting story that has you wondering if Laila went from one regime to another. Is she being used by her mother and for what purpose?

I highly doubt that there will be a sequel but I would love to see how Laila fares after this story and if some how things get resolved with Amir. This was such a thought provoking story that was smart and heartfelt.