Gaddafi's Harem: The Story of a Young Woman and the Abuses of Power in Libya Kindle Edition

This is a great book and the author has done a lot of homework to make sure it is accurate.Please tell me what kind of culture\religion states that a brother of a raped child can only be a man if they kill the child??? Why don't we kill the brother for not protecting her from the rapist? How messed up are we that this is even a thought in some cultures. It makes me sad for mankind.

Even though the story was interesting, It did not capture detail .I like to read a book which makes you feel the victim's pain. It was informative but lacked true feeling. Plus there was no pictures. And it bounced around a lot without good reason. I had to make myself finish the book, since I paid for it.

As a Libyan, I agree totally with Annick's findings and I believe every word she uttered on behalf of the victims she wrote the book about. Annick, you have really captured the ill mentality of the way Libyans face their shame and humility - by hiding and burying them and keeping silent about them, which is totally wrong - as wrong and despicable as the atrocities committed themselves. You are so true when you said: "Denial seems to be the operating principle of Libya's current masters and offers them the advantages of their never having to deal....". I have struggled against this very notion and continue to do so. I am sorry you had to weep because of the on goings in my country - if it's any consolation, we weep every day, every day.The book is enlightening, informing, and is a must-read for Libyans and non-Libyans alike for those who seek the truth, unbuttered, and direct. It's okay if you feel you have been fooled by who the subject tyrant is in the past; at least after reading this text you can better judge about leaders from behind the scenes instead of from just the TV screens.Annick, thank you for caring from the heart.

One of the best books I have read.It's so well-written and perfectly projects the feelings and mindsets of all of the people involved In the coverups and these crimes against women but most of all the victims in Lybia who have been left with few options or people to turn to.

Vivid in description and powerfully written.Not just the heart wrenching true story of one, but of many girls who were abused not just sexually and physically, but also mentally and emotionally by Gaddafi during his rule. Also their struggles after the revolution and failure to enter back into normal society. The lies, the cruelty, the honest truth.

This painful story shows again how people believe the worst of the innocents held captive by tyrants. Much of the book contains the story of one woman, but her story is followed by information no one might know about in the patriarchal society that blames the innocent for crimes perpetrated against them. Tragic.

I lived in Libya when Ghaddafi took over the country and I absolutely thought he was going to be good for the country . I still liked him 4 years later when I left but after reading this book I now hate this man. He died too easy compared what he did to this young girls. He was a sick human being.

Brutal, savage man but same treatment on different citizens.

This book is a revelation and an eye-opener. I strongly recommend it. Annick Cojean did the painstaking and painful research in the wake of Gaddafi's demise. What her eye-witness accounts reveal is the cruelty and depravity of the man who was all-powerful in his country and subjected his people to his perversion and barbarity for forty years. The testimony of the woman whom he abducted from her school as a mere child at a young age and held against her and her family's will as a sex slave is very moving. There is grim satisfaction to be taken from the fact that this beast is dead and his family removed from power.

Gaddafi was a seducer and a rapist but not as evil as the book says.He did not murder his victims,in most cases he released them after a few weeks or months.Soraya was very unlucky to suffer for5 years.Gaddafi warned the West that millions of refugees would flee to Europe if he was killed and he was exactly right.Islamic State took over and fulfilled his prophecy.They came from Chad,Mali,Sudan,Ghana,Somalia,Pakistan,Syria,Afghanistan,and Iraq,and poured through Libya into Italy on their way to Germany and UK,even though these countries had no infrastructure to support them.The UK were totally wrong to bomb Libya.However this book is an interesting read and worth reading.

Its difficult to say that I liked this book and i certainly did not love it but it deserves 5 stars because it has been written. It was without doubt the most dreadful read, however this is one story that seriously should of been told for the world to know the horror and depravity of this dreadful man. It was hard going and several times I did not want to continue reading, this horror of a man was entertained and welcomed by world leaders and their wives, it disgusts me to think about it and even writing this review is unpleasant as it reminds me of what is written in this book. Buy this book and read it and tell everyone what this man did and how he behaved and what he did to women and children. Lybians cannot tell this story for fear of reprisals even today when this maniac is long gone, the womens families would disown them and possibly kill them for dishonouring the family even though the victims had no choice. Thank you Annick Cojean for this well written informative book ensuring that everyone gets to know just how evil and depraved this maniac was.

This book gets 5 stars because of the bravery of the young lady who wrote it. In all other respects it's a terrifying memorial to a ruthless, vicious downright nasty man.We are spared very little detail by the author about the way Gaddafi treated her, indeed at times it was a difficult read given the fact that a number of UK politicians visited this beast. In the end the author feels cheated because Gaddifi was murdered before he could stand trial, but at least she no longer has to fear him.

I read this book with interest to start with but my anger at the sadist swine, grew page by page.Incredibly descriptive of the appalling situation that exists for women in Libya, and the attitudes of their families when the poor women (and girls) have been sullied by any man. It was a good read and a great exposure of how horrendous life can be for the sunservient in such regimes. I am not sure that much has changed since the demise of Gaddafi.Generally easy to read and written to keep ones interest.