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Penoyar’s historical novel grabs you from page one with an insider’s look at the brutal reign of the Hussein family in Iraq, specifically Saddam’s sadistic son, Uday, known for kidnapping coeds from the streets of Baghdad. The main female character, Lara, an Iraqi-American who returns to Baghdad for college, is drawn into the horror through a chance encounter with the vicious Uday outside a nightclub in 2003. Her fate is Dreamland, Uday’s torture palace.
Penoyar spent time working for the U.S. Agency for International Development in Iraq during 2009-2010, quite near Dreamland. Rumors, hints, and more than a dusting of truth spawned this novelized version of events at the palace. Lara’s adventure dovetails with the riveting Operation Iraqi Freedom, a 2003 attack by America to destroy suspected weapons of mass destruction. The army’s close-knit special operations team carries out a studied covert maneuver, described with breath-holding details and heart-warming camaraderie that could only be gained from someone’s personal experience.
A view of women’s rights pre-2003, when they could do whatever they wanted in Iraq, contrasts sadly with the climate created by Hussein. Penoyar conveys Iraq’s ancient history and rich tradition of close family ties, making it all the more tragic when relatives are permanently separated. Chief terrorist Uday, portrayed as an adult boy still seeking approval from his father, slides further into depravity after an assassination attempt (which really happened). A glossary of terms and list of characters aid understanding.
A despot’s rule combined with America’s Operation Iraqi Freedom change Iraq and its people forever. Hussein’s defeat leaves you wondering who the winner was. Lara, the charming protagonist, blends the best of the Middle East and the West; the surprise ending will have you on the edge of your seat.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review