The Tyrant's Daughter by JC Carleson

The Tyrant's Daughter is the beautifully written story of Laila, the daughter of an Eastern leader who ruled his country through fear, violence and evil. When her father is killed in a violent attack on their home, Laila's mother moves her family to the United States, where they are protected and supported. Laila and her brother, however, are in the dark as to their country's politics and their father's role in the tragedies that have affected many in their country.

As a high school student, Laila is confronted by the differences in cultures. What was normal for her has been turned upside down.

As Laila comes to terms with who she is, where she came from, and how she can fit into her new school, she learns more and more about her past.

This book is fiction, but there is much that feels "real" about it, and it is an excellent novel to increase understanding and awareness for young people.

There are many stories to be told about war, terrorism, and politics, but so often these stories are told from the US point of view. It is so good for us to read one told by an innocent victim of the history and events of her country.

Author J.C. Carleson has her career in the CIA to back up the story, and so it reads entirely truthfully. I appreciate the complexity and emotions of this book, and I encourage adults as well as high school students to read it.