La Prisonniere: Amazon.co.uk: Malika Oufkir: Books

Amazon.co.uk Review

La Prisonniere topped the French bestseller lists for many weeks, selling well over 100,000 copies, but one's initial reaction is that something must have got lost in the translation. The style is dour, to say the least, and the opening chapters contain a catalogue of unnecessary family information that may have the reader nodding off. Curiously, though, as the pace of the action heats up, the deadness of the prose comes into its own. This is not a story that needs to be oversold and reads all the better for its minimalist delivery. The bare bones of the book are classic derring-do adventure, and Hollywood almost certainly has its eyes on the film rights--complete with American cast.

Malika Oufkir was born into a well-connected Moroccan family and when she was five years old she was chosen to be the special companion of Lalla Mina, King Muhammad V's daughter. Malika was taken away from her family and remained confined within the palace at Rabat for 14 years. She then had two years of vague normality before her father, General Oufkir, was implicated in an assassination attempt on Muhammad's successor, King Hassan II. The General was executed and Malika and the rest of her family were slung into a remote desert gaol where they remained for 15 years. Their release was only secured after they tunnelled their way out of the prison and remained at liberty for five days. The resulting furore after their recapture led to the family being transferred to house arrest and it was not until 1996 that the they were able to leave the country.

If the action drives the narrative, it is the clashes between Middle-Eastern and Western culture that are the most telling. Even in the 1960s, it was de rigueur for the King to have a harem full of concubines, and throughout the book one senses the tension between the materialistic, hedonistic indulgence of the ruling elite and their conformity to Muslim culture. Oufkir is a keen observer of her own injustices, but is rather slower on the uptake when it comes to the wider injustices of a despotic regime. --John Crace

Review

"Honest and compelling", Daily Express ."A remarkably candid chronicle of courage in which the strength of the human spirit, close to collapse, finally wins through...A thoroughly gripping, simply written and moving account of survival and escape", Spectator .'Malika Oufkir's story of her ordeal at the hands of the regime in Morocco has all the drama of a Hollywood movie.', You Magazine .'A true story that is almost beyond belief...Powerfully conveys the amazing, almost miraculous resilience of the human spirit when faced with extreme adversity...Her book, a number one bestseller in France, teaches us that courage, strength, determination, human dignity, hope and a sense of humour - most particularly a sense of humour - can survive even the most extreme and brutal conditions.', Daily Mail .'An extraordinary book...A fascinating insider's account of life in a modern harem in the early pages; a moving chronicle of suffering and courage and endurance in prison; and then a heart-stopping thriller when Malika and her siblings escape. At times the book touches greatness. Malika Oufkir, despite the injustice and suffering imposed on her and her family, manages to write about her father/jailer with affection, generosity, even compassion.', Independent On Saturday .'Her account leaves the mouth dry and the eyes stinging.', Daily Telegraph ."A heartrending account of resilience in the face of extreme deprivation", Books .'You read this book, a bestseller in Europe, with a mounting sense of outrage that such events could still occur in the last few years of the twentieth century.', Marie Claire (Book of the Month)

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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

I could not put down, read in a day on a solitary holiday 11 Jun 2002

By deborah mitchell

Format:Paperback

The introduction to the persons involved was excellent and the scene set was engrossing.How the family coped during the 20 year incarceration was inspiring to say the least.The detail was such I could not wait for the next word. I found the last 1/3rd a little confusing and it left me with more questions unanswered but I took into account the desperation of the siblings & the scenario. There is more to this than can be told, that is the impression left with me.I ended the book feeling grateful that I live in a democratic society. I so respect the family. How they survived & how Malika has finally the serenity in her life is an example to all of us who only consider tangible things to be of importance.A wonderful story of survival and spirit. NOT TO BE MISSED, even by the usual NON-READER.Malika inspired me in my time alone on holiday.I was so so grateful I could at least walk out my front door to walk in the sun. Thank you for putting my life in perspective.

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

This Book is one of the best 26 Dec 2001

By A Customer

This book is great,it's the first biography i ever read and it's wonderful. It was so touching i kind of lived with Malika through the pages of her book. It's worth a look although i still can't imagine how she coped on??!!it's really amazing..
The only thing i didn't like is that the first part of her book was all mixed up she was jumping from one age to another and from one year to another but then she started going through her life properly..

This book is brilliant! 30 Sep 2001

This book is the storry of one woman's constant bravery through imprisonment for over 20 years. She kept the spirits of her siblings alive, the youngest of which was barely three. This is a heart-wrenching account of bravery, and quite literally, laughing in the face of danger. It is a brilliant autobiography, and I would reccomend it to anyone, although it may not be suitable for young children. Read and enjoy!