Twenty Years in a Desert Jail (Oprah's Book Club)

Malika Oufkir's childhood was one of luxury and indulgence as the informally adopted daughter of King Muhammed V of Morocco and companion to Princess Amina. That life was gone in an instant when Malika's father, General Oufkir, was implicated in an abortive coup against the regime. The General was summarily shot; Oufkir's wife and six children -- the eldest, 19-year old Malika, and the youngest a baby only three - were rounded up, placed under house arrest and then dispatched without legal recourse to a series of remote desert prisons, each more isolated, squalid and inhospitable than the last.

Their jailers had their instructions: " Subdue the Oufkirs. King's orders".

"Stolen Lives" is Malika's story of 15 years incarceration in some of the worst hell-holes on earth, where the family endured cold, near starvation, vermin, petty jailors, disease and despair. Realizing that they would never be released; that they would die there, forgotten, the now grownup children dug a tunnel, using little more than their bare hands, and four of them escaped. Pursued by police and rebuffed by old friends, they reached Tangier and broke their story to the foreign press. Eventually the authorities were embarrassed into freeing the entire family.

This is a story of ingenuity, perseverance and unbelievable courage in the face of horrific odds. The events described are beyond shocking; it is considered inhumane to confine animals or the worst criminals in such conditions. It is unspeakable that these acts were perpetrated on children, and incredible that they survived.

What kind of regime imprisons children for the sins of their father? "That kind of thing can't happen here", you say. After all, "Liberty" and Freedom" is enshrined in our Constitution/Bill of Rights.

But it can and does, although the difference may be only one of degree.

You need look no further than March 2007, and the case of Kevin, the 9-year old Canadian-born son of Iranian parents. The family (with admittedly stolen documents) were held in a US detention centre, ie., cramped cells in a former medium security Texas prison, for over a month after they were taken off a Canada-bound plane which had been forced to land in Puerto Rico due to an on-board medical emergency. Kevin got the attention of the media & an appalled Canadian public (well, some of us were appalled) when he sent a desperate letter to Canada's Prime Minister, pleading for release.

Canadian Immigration may have been embarrassed by adverse press coverage into offering temporary asylum to the family; the Bush Administration, it seems, is impervious to embarrassment.

I urge you to read "Stolen Lives". This book shines a small light on the abuses that are inflicted routinely on the innocent and helpless in places that we may know only from the six o'clock news. But it might also lead you to reflect, as I did, on recent limits that our governments have placed on human rights (no doubt the King of Morocco was fearful of his safety too), and to ask whether our guarantees of freedom and liberty are worth the paper they are written on.

Meet the Oufkir family. This is the printed condensation of their amazing survival.

Malika Oufikir, aided by writer Michele Fitoussi, recounts the plunge from the heights of an extremely privileged, if secluded, life, mostly lived at the Royal Moroccan court, and a life which later landed herself and her family into gaol, in 1972. A drastic change for everybody -but "drastic" is almost a diminishing adjective for what they went through-, including the two family retainers who had volunteered to share their fate. This was the result of a failed military coup against King Hassan II, led by Malika's father, General Oufkir, who was shot immediately after. Wife Fatima and their six children, aged between 19 (Malika) and 3 and a half (Abdellatif) were sent to prison. Deprivations, humiliations, isolation -even among themselves, they were not allowed to see each other for many years- lack of hygiene, food, water, medicines and contending their space with various rodents, cockroaches, scorpions, in the chilling cold or the most stifling heat, inability to see the light -they were kept in almost total darkness-. Up until the day when, 15 years later, with the resilience of the totally desperate, some of them managed to escape, Malika included. The tale of their evasion is chilling from beginning to end. But it also led to the liberation of the others left behind. Nobody could believe that the Oufkir children had reemerged from nothingness, but they managed to alert the relevant authorities, international press and word went out. They were all subsequently moved to a different location where they were still imprisoned but at least with more dignity -if one may use this term in the circumstances-. This went on for another 4 years. And then... freedom finally knocked at their door. Almost twenty years had gone by.

Forget for a minute about politics, religions, different countries, traditions, beliefs. Sufferings do not bear different classifications depending on whom we are, what we do. To suffer is to suffer, anywhere on this planet, and no one is immune. But. To pay up in such dramatic way for something beyond your control is just inhuman. Malika's voice, plain yet effective, summarizes details which induce cringing sensations.

Some reviewers comment on Malika's self-centeredness, sensing a certain degree of superiority, no doubt deriving, in my opinion, from the imprint of her privileged upbringing, which might have added a somewhat unsympathetic nuance to the story. Others remark that there are inconsistencies. It is true in some instances. From a personal point of view, I myself never quite understood why Malika was adopted into the royal family. It could be Moroccan customs or traditions of which I am not aware, but it was never really explained.
But. Never mind. Let's face the facts, get to the gist. Prisoners for twenty years for something they didn't commit? Children raised into squalor and fear, without an ounce of dignity? Let us keep things into perspective and grant Malika and the others the deserved praise for enduring their adverse fate and unfathomable conditions, never letting go, organizing their great escape against all odds. Without her, who dug and bled, bled and dug for months, relentlessly, this could not have happened, and none of us would have read this book.

A single, soaring voice raising above a twenty-year-long cry in the dark, reminding us that for one who manages to survive, many other faceless, nameless beings perish silently, in many different countries, for many different reasons, their weeping unheard, obliterated by enforced silence.
Read this book and count your blessings.

I have put off reading this book for years because I just do not want to read another depressing story about miscarriage of justice and suppression of the people. I bought it this summer while on vacation since I am in the midst of collecting all of Oprah's past and present selections. I just picked it up two days ago and haven't been able to put it down.

At first, Malika's story seems to be centered on pretty dresses, jewelry and the royal life as an adopted princess. She was adored and never wanted for anything. Eldest daughter of General Outfir and his wife, Malika grew up among royalty. That all came crashing down when her father is assissinated for planning a coup to overthrow King Hassan of Morrocco. Malika and her brothers and sisters and mother spent the next twenty years in jail.

The tone of Malika's voice as she tells her story through the writer changes over the course of the years. She remembers her childhood fondly and sometimes with despair. She remembers her years of prison as a torture but yet a challenge. She recites their heady days of freedom as overwhelming and joyful. She tells of her sadness and bitterness that she has wasted her youth in prison and never knowing love or having a baby and her fears of never knowing anything other than despair and gloom. This is an honest and sometimes brutual look into herself and her years in captivity.

It is not a depressing book. It is a gripping tale of how one woman and her family survive the ordeal and how they re-entered society after twenty years of being out of it. It is an insight to a life that most readers will never be privy to (fortunately!) and it takes tremendous courage to recite those years of sorrow to make it real to us readers.

If you're looking for a book that shows another depth to the unfailing human spirit, this book is it. Malika is an ordinary woman caught up in the whirlwind of a royal society and made to pay for her father's sins. She survived ~~ and with courage and beauty that I'd never imagine possessing.

8-16-04

To many, the idea of spending time in prison is an ugly thought. Deprived of liberty and happiness, prisoners waste away most of their lives, confined to a small space devoid of any luxuries.
Any prison time would be terrible, but imagine what it would be like to go jail through no fault of your own. And on top of that, imagine what it would be like to be imprisoned based solely on the wrongdoings of another family member and to have this nightmare occur during the prime years of your life (ages 20 to 40). This is the situation that Malika Oufkir finds herself and her family from roughly 1972 to 1994. In this book, "Stolen Lives" she describes the agony of spending more than two decades either in jail or under house arrest.
This book is written by Malika Oufkir and Michele Fitoussi and it covers the young Malika's life preceeding the imprisonment all the way through the mid 1990's, when she was finally released (now in her 40's) and moved to France. The majority of the book centers on the time spent in prison, and it can get very disgusting from time to time. The co- authors talk about the unsanity conditions, the lack of adequate food and drink, the severe lack of medical care, and other agonies associated with serving a prison sentence in the country of Morocco (the Oufkir family's home country).
This book has a few suspenseful moments, reaching a climax toward the end when several of the family members escape by building a tunnel and then proceed to Casablanca where they spend several days running from the law. They are finally recaptured, but placed "only" under house arrest (not as bad as imprisonment, but still not the equivalent of freedom). After a few years, they are released and allowed to leave the country.
This book is non- fiction, but it reads like a book of fiction. It's hard to imagine such a contrived situation like this being reality, but it was. The writing of the material, however, doesn't quite measure up to what I expected. I was looking for a more dramatic book, with personal accounts from each surviver and with more suspense and emotion. The authors really don't write the way a fiction expert would, but they at least succeed at keeping one's interest. I did enjoy reading this book, but I would probably have rated it higher if it was a little more personable (not just on the part of Malika, but on the part of the rest of the family as well) and written in a more suspenseful and engaging way. The end of the book (in my opinion, the best part), where they make their escape, is probably the best part of the entire book and one of the few parts that offers a substantial degree of suspense.
This book is included in Oprah Winfrey's Book Club, but it's not quite as enjoyable as she makes it out to be. Still, I think the story and the writing are at least worthy of an average rating. It's not a captivating book by any means (like one would expect with a book written about a prison sentence and escape). But it does keep your attention enough to recommend.

"Stolen Lives" is Malika Oufkir's personal account of her life as an adopted daughter of the king of Morocco, then later a political prisoner in Morocco as she and her family paid for the sins of their father.
It was interesting to learn about the traditions in Morocco. It's amazing that she was basically just taken away from her parents at a young age in order to become an adopted daughter of the king, since he had a daughter the same as as Malika and the daughter needed a playmate. Malika gives an interesting account of the ways of the court- the traditions, the festivals, the reverence paid to the king and the concubines. As a child, she never had a normal life- she was essentially a prisoner inside the court. I would have liked to have read more vivid and detailed accounts of the court- not gossipy, just from a cultural standpoint. I had a hard time picturing many of the scenes she described due to vagueness.
After her father, a revered military man, was executed after leading a coup against the king, he was executed and the family sent into exile, even though the family had nothing to do with the coup. The conditions were incomprehensibly inhumane. I'm amazed that Malika is able to talk about it so freely, for she even admits she's haunted by the demons. It's difficult to even empathize despite her account, for I've never experienced anything like she went through. It's a story that sounds more like 15th century Europe than 20th century Morocco. Her youngest brother was only 3 when they were imprisoned. She describes how amazed he was with the world when a few of them were able to escape. For instance, he finds something hard on the ground but didn't know what it was- it was simply asphalt.
I was shocked that I had never heard of her story, and I am upset that the US media has not focused more on political prisoners such as Malika and her family. No, I'm not a card-carrying member of Amnesty International or anything, but it is important to bring stories such as Malika's to light. As her story reveals (but without going into too much detail), when the international media learns of their plight, circumstances change.
Malika is very forthright with her opinions and emotions. She describes how her feelings towards the king were so mixed with the love of a daughter towards her father and with the hatred of the wrongly imprisoned towards the captor. Her whole view of the world has changed, and yet a lot of her original opinions never changed.
I recommend this book!

I am very disappointed in some of the reviews that I have read about this book; thank goodness they are the minority. Yes, I agree that it was poorly edited, and the story that was being relayed really could have been told better. It disturbs me that some of the reviewers almost appeared to attack the author. This lady is not an author/writer; she's no Stephen King or Dan Brown. Those authors have the advantage of fiction on their respective sides. Malika Oufkir had no such advantage. She is a survivor who had to actually live the hell that she describes in her book.

Imagine being a political prisoner - your only crime being that you were related to someone who either did something terrible against the country or "allegedly" did so - you are living in conditions of squalor. Your captors want you to die, but don't want to necessarily pull the trigger. You are starved, not allowed outside, not allowed to see or feel the sun, and deprived of the most basic information such as the date and time. You watch your sister pick the rat droppings from pieces of stale bread before "happily" consuming it. You watch your three-year old brother's life as a political prisoner. That's what you lived for most of two decades. Finally, years after being released, you get the courage to tell your story so that the world has a chance to know what you have been through, and that political imprisonment is not the cake walk or country club behind bars that it has been touted through the years. For months, you fight through the tears and the recollections of the circumstances and events that above all, you mostly want to forget. Then, proud that you were able to clear that final hurdle, you read the book reviews on the store only to find that one reader finds the book "difficult to believe" and even "boring." The nerve of some people to sit in their air conditioned homes with their refrigerator and freezer full, to sit at their computer with access to the world, to not be able to look past the flaws of the book to see the real story. If this was fiction, I could see the criticism, but given the storyline and the simple fact that it was fact, I simply cannot justify attacking the author about the quality of the book. Her experience has forever changed her and her reaction to life itself.

Bottom line - this was a riveting story that could have been a riveting book. I give the story itself 5+ stars. I hope Ms. Oufkir and her family are proud that they survived such an incredulous nightmare. I was left wanting more information, but I personally feel fortunate to have received what information I got; Ms. Oufkir didn't have to put her ordeal in writing. The editing gets one star. The editor and publisher failed Ms. Oufkir and should be ashamed that her story was not given the very best attention to detail. It almost seems as though the book was rushed to go to print, and Ms. Oufkir's story suffered the consequences. And that is a real travesty.

READ IT NOW! Once you start this book, you won't want to put it down until finished.
Malika Oufkir's first five years were spent with her loving family. The next several years of her life were spent with her adoptive royal family. The King of Morocco wanted a live-in friend for his own daughter, therefore the adoption of Malika was arranged. When Malika was a teen-ager she was allowed to return to her family where she enjoyed being with those she loved. Shortly thereafter, in 1972, her father was executed after being accused of attempting to assassinate the king. As if guilty by association, Malika, now 18 hears old, her mother, brothers, sisters, and two compatriots were exiled and spent the next 20 years in various prisons.
The background leading up to the exile of Malika, her family, and friends was indeed informative and educational. One staggering event in this story is that even though the parents agreed to the king's adoption of their five-year-old daughter solely for the purpose of providing a friend and playmate for the king's own child, there really was no choice in the matter. In other words, the king rules. Frightening is the fact is that the guilt by association exile and imprisonment of these people started not that long ago, in 1972.
Briefly, as a teen-ager with her family, Malika did enjoy an exciting and fun-filled time. For example, she liked to dress in the most hip styles of the time, sneak out of the house at night and head for a local night club for an evening of dancing, etc.
The meat of the story, however, begins with the exile. Living under horrendous conditions, which included lack of sanitation, lack of adequate food, lack of normal communication, this family persevered. Malika played a primary role in maintaining a will, not only to live and rise above their humiliation, but to escape their confines.
Beginning their confinement, the youngest was only three. He grew up in prison. All of the family was concerned for him because he had no awareness of normal life. Through Malika's day to day, continued story telling, he learned much. Everyone looked forward to the story, which provided needed entertainment and a special camaraderie for these prisoners. It kind of reminded me of the "Arabian Nights", with a twist.
Confinement to separate cells constituted part of their prison time. This was a clever family, though, and being separated inspired creative ways to stay in touch.
Eventually a plan to escape materializes from the minds of these incarcerated innocents.
You, now, must read this story to see what happens...

Some of you may have seen this woman on Oprah a few years back telling of her ordeal. I put off reading this book & had come to the conclusion that I didn't want to read a depressing nightmare of being locked in a remote prison for decades. Then along came a friend of a friend, who encouraged me to read it, that I "needed" to read it.
This book, to me, was life-changing. As I recognize how spoiled us Americans truly are, nothing could've prepared me for this family's struggles.
Malika & her family displayed such amazing gifts of courage & strength that I was blown away. In awe and humbled. Their "tale" was almost just that: a tale. I simply cannot fathom the conditions that these poor people survived in.
As I was continuously mesmerized by their strength during their imprisonment, I was later caught in Malika's greatest feat of all: forgiveness. This woman showed me what a powerful thing it truly is. She forgave with such grace & eloquence that I was just speechless. I speak mainly of her due to the fact that she was "adopted" by the royal family as a child & later cast out in a most horrifying way. As us readers were not given as much detail of her siblings (especially after their release), I can make no assumptions for them. Nevertheless, this family as a whole is an unwavering symbol of love, strength, & survival.
I hope that they are doing well now & thank each one of them for their story.
I hope that I never forget it, for it is a daily reminder of what I have in this life with my freedom & my family.

This powerful account might have been more acceptable had the trouble been in another time but to think this abuse occurred in recent years is hard to fathom. I read the story via audio tape from Talk Miramax Books. The reader, Edita Brychta, did an excellent job though it was difficult, for a westerner, to follow all the Moroccan names, names that are unfamiliar to our ears. The story is one that should find its way to the screen for it is a story of hope in the face of desperate times. It is a story of power run wild by throwing innocent people into a dirty, desert prison to let them rot away. One might be reminded of the injustice inflicted up Edmund Dantes in The Count of Monte Cristo by Dumas. In this more recent account the captives were held for some 20 years for something to which they were not a party except by family association. It was amazing to appreciate the depths to which people will go to protect their pride. And more amazing to see how, in the most difficult of times, some people find hope. What I found so interesting was that in order to quell the loneliness of the prison, the author of this account developed a story, one with many characters.. and told this continuing story night after night for ten years without the use of paper or pen...all in her mind. Yes, these folks were all eventually free but the road to that freedom was one that would forever mark their lives. It is a book worth reading if for no other reason that it gives insights as to the horrors that exist in the hearts of mankind.

At first the story seemed a bit blah to me - her first 'imprisonment' was in the royal palace. Although she dearly missed her parents, she was treated like a princess and as if she was the king's own daughter. It was very interesting to see how the Moroccan royalty lived.
Later in the book, she was placed under house arrest with her family in a series of guarded homes. However it seemed that she was still living a better life than many of the country's poor (all the food and water they wanted, plus all their belongings - designer clothing, jewelry, etc. - were still in their possession). It is not until later in the book that the Oufkir family is transferred to a deplorable prison which seemed to me like a concentration camp. There, they spent many years and became like so many other political prisoners "the forgotten."
Ms. Oufkir has an uncanny ability to remember the most minute details of her life and does an excellent job of relating the relationships between herself and her family members as well as describing her thoughts and feelings throughout their imprisonment. Like some other reviewers, I too believe the writing was a bit weak at times (the only reason I gave the book 4 stars instead of 5), but perhaps that is because the story was translated into English.
I do recommend this book - it is a 'heavy' read though and can be quite stressful at times.

This is a book about the effects of imprisonment on the human soul and the eventual triumph of resistance over oppression. Written in simple journalistic style, the narrative reads like a novel but unfortunately represents a harrowing true account of survival. Malika's life changes in one moment from that of a spoiled rich jet setting adolescent to that of a prisoner who must suffer not only deprival of freedom and basic human comforts and necessities, but also contact with fellow family members imprisoned in isolated adjacent cells. The radical change in lifestyle is all the more stiking since it follows a description of her unique childhood experiences as a princess, an adopted daughter of the monarch raised in the palace. The profound injustice of the situation is especially appalling when one considers their innocence in being held accountable for a political crime allegedly committed by the assassinated father, a General. The victims, his wife and children who range in ages 3 from to 20, are committed to live a life of deprivation and endless imprisonment by a despotic Morrocan monarch as punishment for this coup attempt. The book is a powerful way to experience loss of freedom vicariously and from a safe distance and to understand its immediate and long lasting effect on individuals. The title epitomizes the irrevocable loss of life experiences suffered by its victims who on leaving imprisonment must begin life as middle aged or young adults with a 20 year hiatus. The book is touching and deep. It makes one understand the importance of organizations like Amnesty International in at least attempting to make a difference.

Malika Oufkir's book tells the story of high privilege and bitter starvation.

She was adopted by the Moroccan king and educated as a court princess with all the luxury she could dream off.
She gives us interesting and valuable information about life at the Moroccan court and in the king's harem.
Unfortunately, her father, the second mightiest man in the country, staged a coup to kill the king, most probably to install a military dictatorship and not to put the king's son on the throne, as the author pretends in this book.
When the coup failed, her father was summarily executed and his direct family sent to prison, first in a guarded house and then in isolated cells on a diet of rotten eggs.

Malika Oufkir tells us pregnantly how she and her family could survive in this rather complete isolation: by staying in contact with each other and the outer world (through a hidden radio and more or less human guards), by doing sensible things (educating the younger children, telling stories), but most of all by dreaming of an escape.
The last part of the book reads like a thriller.

This book is a very impressive tale about human survival.

1. "Stolen Lives, Twenty Years in a Desert Jail", is a book about Malika Oufkir, daughter of Morocco's once most powerful General (next only to King) and their family. This lady was adopted by Late King Muhammad V and was brought up as king's daughter in along with his biological daughter, Lalla Mina. This was one adoption, which was respected and continued by King Hassan II who succeeded his father to the throne.

2. Her life continued like a fairy tale from her adoption at the age of five till 1972, when her father fell off from king's favour. After a failed attempt on king's life, her father was arrested and executed.

3. Soon, at the age of 19, she along with her family, consisting of her mother and five siblings were arrested and jailed for 15 years out of which 10 years were in near solitary confinement. Their ordeal reduced a bit after Malika and there of her siblings managed to escape the prison by digging a tunnel and succeeded in bringing their existence and the inhumane treatment mated out to them to the notice of the world through one of the French radio channel. This resulted in their continued confinement, not in jail, but under house arrest. It is after 20 years, whole of her youth, that they were freed from confinement and she could leave Morocco in 1996.

4. It is a personal account and as such tends to over-emphasis few things, as it happens in all personal accounts. But the quality of the narrative is sterling, humane aspect of the story is moving, the treatment that was mated out to this family and the resistance they put up are worth reading. All in all one feels sorry for such sheer waste of beautiful youth of so many young children (six to be precise) for no fault of theirs. Well, one can only say that to some extent democracy is better then all these Monarchy.

5. Some of the things worth mentioning are: -

(a) That such thing happened in our lifetime, in civilized and

(b) modern world, makes you feel ashamed.

(b) The horrible treatment that was given to them is repulsive. Which form of justice it is to punish the family members for so-called crimes of the head of the family.

(c) Another important point stands out that if a family sticks together, they can withstand / overcome all odds / trials. That's how they managed to survive and maintain their sanity.

6. This one book (originally published in French as `La Prisonnier' and co-authored by Michele Fitoussi) is worth reading and cherishing as a icon of the triumph of Human mind and soul over strongest adversary.

This is a difficult book to write a review for, because even though I sympathize with the Oufkir family and cannot imagine what it must have been like for them, I came away from the story really disliking Malika, the author.

I have no doubt that she and her family suffered the atrocities she describes in the book, but I quickly became irritated with her, because she insists on portraying herself as the person who kept everyone together and sane, and every idea or plan they had (whether for escape or just for simple survival) came from her. It's almost as if, without her, the others surely would not have been able to deal. I became bored with the one-sidedness of the story, and I fully agree with other reviewers who said they would have liked to have had the others who were imprisoned with Malika tell their side of the story as well.

We don't get enough background on the father, General Oufkir, either. He worked for the king as one of his generals, then turned his back on him and plotted to kill him, so it's obvious he lived a rather...colorful life. I would have liked some info on the shady stuff he did for the king. Even though Malika was young at the time, I'm sure she probably could have dug up some of this information before writing the book. Maybe Malika didn't want to go into her father's wrongdoings, for fear that this would have made her less sympathetic, but I think it would have made her more sympathetic had she been a bit more straightforward about who her father really was and what his job entailed. Nothing in her book expresses regret over the fact that she lived a privileged lifestyle because her father worked for the king doing his dirty work. None of that is her fault, of course, and I still believe it was an incredible injustice to punish these innocent children for what their father did. I would just have liked a bit more honesty about it all.

All of this, however, does not take away from the fact that this is an amazing story about human resilience and the will to survive. These people were unfairly imprisoned and left to rot, yet they managed to come out of it alive. It is definitely a story that needs to be told, and a glaring example of how absolute power is never a good thing.

Malika Oufkir is the oldest child of assasinated General Oufkir of Morocco. She spent the earliest years of her life as the adopted daughter of King Muhammad V, adopted to be the companion to his own daughter. After the King's death, Malika remained in the royal palace under King Hassan II, but as a teenager, ached to be reunited with her true family and finally left the palace. Not long after, her father, the General, was involved in a coup to overthrough the King and was killed for his treason. Malkia, her mother, and the rest of her siblings along with two family friends were then jailed for the next twenty years as political prisoners - their only crime? Being the family of the General.

For the next twenty years, the Oufkir family was left to die in desert jails provided with little to no contact with the outside world, and sparce food, most of which was spoiled and rotten. They remained close to each other inventing ways to mentally survive captivity. This novel details the most inhumane forms of imprisonment, and leads up to their daring escape and ultimate freedom.

No one can fail to be moved by the horrendous experience the Oufkir's suffered. This narrative exposes the unfathomable treatment that they, and undoubtedly other political prisoners, suffered at the hands of King Hassan II. What is particularly upsetting is that these conditions existed in recent years - not long long ago in ancient times where levels of humanity might not be assumed. But they were not given their freedom until 1991. It is outrageous to discover that Moroccan citizens endured this torture in the 20th Century and that still today, many are among the "disappeared." Unfortunately, where this book fails is the tone that it takes in conveying the story. The writing is very matter of fact, devoid of emotion, and does not do justice to the underlying story. The story turns the pages, not the writing. At times it borders on bland.

I recommend this book for the tale that it tells, not the manner in which it is told. The Oufkir story deserves widespread attention and empathy, it is unfortunate that it falls somewhat short in it's telling here.

What Malika Oufkir and her family went through is horrifying, unjust, barbaric, and it is almost difficult to believe that any one of them survived to tell the tale. But that she is able to describe it so hauntingly and even beautifully - to convey the hopelessness and hope, the physical changes, the emotional torments, the hunger and deprivation, the fear and courage - that they all endured during 20 years in prison helps give their story more power and allow for a glimpse into an unimaginable existence.
Malika Oufkir's father was a powerful military man in Morocco, so much so that he was close to the king and even sent Malika to grow up with the princess in the palace for much of her childhood. His involvement in a bloody and unsuccessful coup led to his death and the imprisonment of his family for 20 years - Malika's mother, her five siblings and some servants - in increasingly harsh conditions until their escape and eventual release. For Malika, a young woman with dreams of a film career and a life of extravagance - clothes, travel, servants - the change was a dramatic one, while for some of her younger siblings basically grew up in the prison. At first, the family is able to bring their fine clothes and books with them, but by the time of their final move, they are starving, suicidal and almost broken in spirit.
The most fascinating aspects of the book for me were the ways in which the family copes, the ingenuity they use to communicate, survive and escape, and how they had to adjust upon returning to civilization after their escape and release. Malika has a lot of bitterness, obviously, toward the royal family but also toward those who deserted the family once they were arrested - given the political climate, it does seem perfectly understandable why people would shy away but then again so,I suppose, does the family's sense of betrayal. The book's power is diluted somewhat by being filtered through Malika's perspective, colored as it is by her emotions such as the belief that a higher power ensured their survival. Malika admits to growing up incredibly spoiled with a sense of entitlement; unfortunately, her consciousness of the wrongs her family suffers does not seem to be applied to others, such as slaves, servants or other political prisoners.
Yet Malika's somewhat conflicting traits serve to underscore the strangeness and complexity of her life and situation, going from such extreme luxury and favor to such unbelievable deprivation. In many ways, locked away from the world as a young woman, she seems to have remained in late adolescence in some fashion. In conjunction with her bizarre experiences, this gives Malika a unique voice for what is in many ways a heart-breaking but triumphant story, one that should not be missed.

Stolen Lives was my book club's book for the month of March. I found it to be very compelling yet disheartening to think humans can treat others in such a manner. For a family to go through so much but come out on the other side victorious, just proves that God has his hand on all His children. The writing was very intense and obvious Malika had a great education. I'd recommend this book to someone who'd like to know more about what went on in Northern African in the 1960-70s.

When Oprah first choose this book for her book club I didn't think I would like this but after hearing so many raves and taking a closer look at the description I decided to read this. I am still in awe of how this family survived this terrible ordeal and I couldn't put this book down until I found out what would happen next.
This book is about the family of General Oufkir in Morocco and is being told by his eldest daughter Malika. Malika was raised in the palace and adopted by King Mohammed as a playmate for Princess Lalla Mina. King Mohammed died suddenly and his son King Hasan became Malika's adopted father. She left the palace to return to her family when she was 17 and by the time she was 19 she was imprisoned along with the rest of her family because her father had staged an unsuccessful coup. We learn of the unbelievable horrendous conditions these people had to live with, they had very little food and the conditions were not sanitary. They were only given Tide to wash up with and had to use salt as toothpaste. Their cells were infested with all kinds of insects, mice and rats but somehow this family found the will to survive it all.
This is a story of survival and courage which will totally captivate you. This book is a fast read because its the type of book that made me stay up late to finish while I was yawning at my desk in the morning. I highly recommend reading this book.

Malika Oufkir tells us the powerful and tragic story of her life in the book Stolen Lives. She begins the story describing her life as a princess after being adopted by the king of Morocco. She lived an almost unreal life of luxury while at court. The opulence Malika describes is comparable to the time of Marie Antoinette. From the resplendent court, her life is irrevocably altered when her father fails in an assassination attempt and her entire family is placed in prison including her three year old brother.
The family's story is extraordinary. Their triumph of spirit is remarkable considering the duration and horrors which they suffered. We see the importance of unity and belief of oneself and each other. We see incredible love and sacrifice. But we also see how imprisonment can degrade the human spirit and affect the psyche.
We learn in the preface of the book, how Malika came to hire Michele Fitoussi as the co-author of her book. Throughout the book, the reader cannot help but wonder why. It is a shame that such an interesting and compelling story was so poorly written. The author fails terribly in her attempt to describe herself as a sympathetic person prior to her imprisonment. The continual jumping back and forth in time is confusing and annoying to a reader. I also wondered if perhaps the translation was poor, because of the use of certain words and general lack of eloquence from a person who entertained her family with her stories in their darkest hour.
Another book which may interest readers who liked and appreciated Stolen Lives is In the Time of Butterflies by Julia Alvarez. Readers who appreciate stories about the triumph of the human spirit will enjoy Stolen Lives.

This book is about a woman's life as an insider to Moroccan Royalty. The story is told in the first person, and reads as a running commentary on the incredible story of her adoption by King Muhammad V of Morocco, and her growth into adulthood as a victim of a failed coup attempt by her father; a general in the Moroccan Military and close adviser to the King. Her story takes you from grief she feels being torn from her natural family and especially her mother, to be adopted by the King. She describes the spoiled world of a would-be Princess, and her life in horrible prison conditions. A study of extreme contrasts in lifestyles.
I found the story to be fascinating, the imagery of a world unknown in Western culture. The emotions both touch and repel. I found her attitude as a Princess in the palace to be disturbingly egocentric and spoiled, contrasted by the strength and courage she demonstrated while looking after her family in prison. The depictions of the prison life, with the rats, roaches, sand fleas, and other poor conditions made my skin crawl while reading.
My only criticism of the book is that the editing is a bit choppy. The story is so compelling, but it struggles to flow seamlessly from event to event often causing me to go back a few pages and see if I had missed a transition. While this was frustrating at times, the emotional contents of the story overcome any weaknesses in writing style. Some may even enjoy the journalistic approach.
I would recommend this book; it is an incredible journey.

I would have given 5 stars for Malika Oufkir's story, if it weren't for the fact she shortchanges the ending of the book. Many writers of fiction and non-fiction alike seem to rush the last parts of their work, only to leave you with the feeling they had much more to say. That is exactly the feeling I was left with, even though the story of the Oufkir's survival under the most horrendous conditions is quite compelling.
The fault might lie with the publisher's desire to keep the book at a certain length, and also the failure of the editor to excise some of the overly-long descriptions of particular events.
The translator's style however, does not take away from the importance of telling this family's story. The most interesting parts are Ms. Oufkir's remembrances of her life before the terrible turn of events took place that changed hers and her family's life forever.
I strongly feel that Ms. Oufkir could write another book that delved more deeply into her life inside the palace walls. Perhaps the publisher will take note....

Malika Oufkir is a household name among those who watch Oprah Winfrey's show. "Stolen Lives," the story of the Oufkir family's imprisonment by the government of Morocco, was chosen as an Oprah Book Club selection and it is now a best-seller. Malika Oufkir's story is a fairy tale in reverse. She started life as a pampered princess. The King of Morocco took her into his care at the age of five, and she was brought up as a spoiled young lady, with every luxury at her fingertips. In 1972, everything changed. Oufkir's father, a trusted and powerful aide of the King, was arrested and executed after an attempted coup. In retaliation for her father's act of treachery, Malika, along with her five siblings and her mother, were imprisoned by the king for twenty years.
Oufkir wrote this book, which details her life before, during and after her family's imprisonment, with the help of a Tunisian writer named Michele Fitoussi. The writing is not particularly strong. "Stolen Lives" is often disjoined and repetitious and the characterizations are shallow. Although it is under three hundred pages, the tepid writing makes it seem longer, and the narrative drags at times. Oufkir's messages are hammered home repeatedly. She rightly emphasizes that we should appreciate the "free" things in life, such as our liberty, our ability to see a sunrise, and the love of our family. Oufkir also strongly criticizes the repressive Moroccan regime, whose human rights abuses are similar to those of other repressive regimes in many parts of the world. Malika attributes her family's miraculous survival under often squalid conditions to divine intervention as well as to her family's ingenuity, love and tenacious desire to live. The best parts of "Stolen Lives" are Malika's descriptions of how her family improvised while under extreme duress. They rigged up a primitive communications system when they were in solitary confinement, they constructed toys out of scraps for Malika's little brother, and they even put on theatricals to amuse themselves. Although "Stolen Lives" is often depressing and it is inelegantly written, this book demonstrates the unshakable will of human beings to survive under the most horrendous conditions.

"Stolen Lives" is about the horror one family is forced to endure in Morocco when they are imprisoned for 20 years and starved nearly to death after their father tries to kill the King. Malika, along with her mother and brothers and sisters live in conditions that seem almost too awful to be real. Her youngest brother is only 3 years old when imprisoned, and after 20 years, when they are released, he knows nothing of the world. Concrete ground startles him, as all he knows is the dirt floor of his small prison cell that had to be his playground.
This is an amazing story of the survival of the human spirit. If you compare your own life to the lives of this family, you will never again be able to judge your life in the same way. You will have to think about what is really important in life and what is the fluff that is just taking up precious time while you are living the one life we all get.
This book is as gratifying as it is horrifying. It leaves you with many questions you'd personally like to ask Malika Oufkir, the woman the story is based on.
I would recommend this book highly. For entertainment, but more importantly, for inspiration.

Stolen Lives chronicles the life of the Oufkir family, told by Malika Oufkir. Malika's father, General Oufkir, was the inside man to the King of Morocco, Hassan II. But for reasons never revealed in the book, General Oufkir attempts a coup and ends up executed. The King places the family under house arrest and eventually they are taken off to a remote prison in the most appalling of conditions.
Malika does a wonderful job of describing their ordeal and how the family made it through these terrible times. I felt like I was right there in the dirty cell with them. I felt for all of the family and Malika's storytelling it was made this book. However there were some missing pieces to the puzzle. First of all, it is never made known as to why the General (Oufkir) would attempt to overthrow the government. There is no information on the political system of Morocco, so I am just left confused as to why the General did it, considering his families outcome. Also, once the Oufkirs escape from Bir-Jdyd, there seems to be a lapse in time once they are at the house with the garden. Malika doesn't describe what happens in those years, it just seems like there was alot of the same things happening. Maybe that is the case, but I just didn't feel like there was a significant synopsis from the house arrest to their final release years later.
All in all, I would definitely recommend this book to others. I was shocked to find that a family was actually forced to endure the punishment of their father and couldn't believe something like this could happen in this day and age. It goes to show you anything is possible when dealing with other human beings. That being the negative side of the coin, the positive side is the human spirit that does eventually triumph. I am very happy that the Oufkir family is finally free.

This is a true account of a family from Morocco who are imprisoned for twenty long years after an attempt to execute the king was led by their father. The story is told through the eyes of Malika Oufkir, the eldest daughter. The family endures such brutal abuse both physically and emotionally that it is miraculous that any of them survive it. Malika and her mother are two of the strongest people I've read about in quite some time. Throughout the ordeal they keep their spirits up for the young children and only cry when no one else can see them. They teach the children several languages, math and most importantly the love of family. They entertain them with stories and plays and remind them of the importance of creativity. When they finally escape their desert jail by digging a tunnel, we see the turmoil that still exists long after they are free of their constraints. This true account really is evidence of the strength of the human spirit to endure and live on. To see such violation of the most basic human rights is a travesty that should always remind us that injustice should never be tolerated. I only hope that Malika and the other members of her family along with Achoura and Halima find the peace that they so deserve. Their courage is moving beyond any words.

Stolen Lives is a masterpiece of a tragic variety. It highlights the fall and rebirth of a powerful Moroccan family under the dictator King Hassan II. This well-executed voyage though lives tragically stolen from innocent people is a harrowing dose of reality. This work showcases the feeling of imprisonment in a way that I have never experienced before. This book disturbingly shows the atrocity of living under a dictator and suffering his selfish wrath. This family, devastatingly has everything torn from them, for the sins of their patriarch. However, they manage to retain strength and courage as a family. It is beautiful and heartbreaking all at once. The strength of family and the will to be free are poignant in this remarkable read. This book is especially wonderful for younger readers who have not experienced any semblance of true tragedy in their lives. It gives a look into the real and unsheltered world that others have survived.

Malika Oufkir was born in Morocco in 1953 in a powerful family who had close relations with the King. When she was 5, the King adopted her so that she could grow up as a companion to his daughter, Lalla Mina. She grew up in the palace with her and had the best of everything. The king was also very find of her and she considered him her second father. But over time she started feeling lonely. So one day she asked the King permission to go home. The King reluctantly said yes. The next few years were spent with her own family, with her mom who was a very fashionable lady and who was fond of all good things in life, her father who was climbing the success ladder very quickly and her siblings.

But when she was 19, there were political unrest's in the country, there was growing unrest among the people against the King. Amongst this chaos, her father was arrested and executed and her entire family- her mother, her 3 younger sisters and 2 younger brothers were arrested and sent into an isolated dessert goal. The youngest boy was only 4 years old then. The Oufkir family spend the nest 20 years of their life in prison and house arrest.

Stolen Lives was so difficult to read. Just imagine those kids growing up in prison, never experiencing normal things and emotions. My heart goes out to the youngest though, Abdellatif. He spent his entire childhood and teenage years in prison. When he was 8, he tried to kill himself. My heart nearly broke when I read that.

Somehow he'd imagined, in his little mind that was too mature for his years, that killing himself would be the best way to get us all out of this mess. He didn't want to see us suffer anymore. From that day on, we vowed to spare him. We wouldn't talk in front of him any more, we'd hide our grief from him, we'd invent a fantasy life for him and we'd get him to believe in it.

The Oufkir family escaped by digging a tunnel through the prison, another example of how their minds were shaped with intellect even after so many years in prison. If they wouldn't have escaped, they would still be in prison.

Stolen lives is not just a story of survival, but that of surviving without loosing dignity. I first saw this book on the store while random browsing. So when I saw this in Srilanka I immediately picked it up. But when I saw the seal of "Oprah's Book Club" on the cover, I had second thoughts. I'm so glad I bought it though.

I have immense respect for Malika and her mother for going through what they did. Malika especially, who almost bought up the kids in prison, who made up history, geography and Math lessons for the kids so that they don't grow up uneducated, who along with the others help directed plays and made the kids act in it to break monotony and stop depression from creeping in.

I really hope you give this book a chance even if you don't read a lot of memoirs. This is one book that will stay with me forever.

The first word that comes to mine when I think of this book is astounding. This story is told by Malika Oufkir, the oldest of the six Oufkir children that were imprisoned along with their mother and two confidants after their father was assasinated following a failed coup attempt against Moroccon King Hassan II. What makes the story so fascinating is that Malika was an adopted daughter of throne. King Hassan II father, Muhammad V, had adopted Malika Oufkir at the age of five to be a sister/playmate for his daughter Lalla Mina. And now at the age of 18, it seems that Malika's royal status no longer has any meaning when her birth father commits heresy against the throne. The atrocities that this family had to endure was enough to drive any normal person insane, but this family persevered in the face of death threats, starvation, plagues of many different rodents and insects, and devastating illnesses. And to believe this happened from the 70's until the 90's. This is a wonderful read, it moved me to tears and several times to laughter. 6-16-01

I read this book for bookclub after hearing from many people how "wonderful" and "inspiring" it was. Now after just having finished it and knowing that I would be discussing it tonight, I was really concerned. What was wrong with me that the book annoyed me and seemed to me to be one of the most poorly written books I've ever managed to finish. It contained constant contradictions that caused me to begin to question the truth of everything else that was said. The complete disregard Malika showed for the plight of the two retainers who joined her family in prison leads me to see her as a selfish, self-entitled woman. And, did you know that she was the hero of everything? Her family wouldn't have survived without her - according to her. The book might have been better with a more skillful writer, but as it is, it doesn't measure up to the dramatic subject matter. I'm glad I read the reviews here to see that, at least I'm not the only one who feels this way.

It is true that it is difficult to empathize with Malika as one might empathize with Nelson Mandela. As you've read, she was the daughter of one of King Muhammed V's most trusted generals. As such she was raised as a royal princess under his successor, King Hassan II. This immediately reminded me of the story of Moses and Pharoah from Exodus. She is the primary playmate of the King's daughter and lives a life of luxury.

However, justice and punishment are dealt with very differently in this part of the world, and after Malika's father leads an unsuccessful coup/assassination attempt on King Hassan II, she and her family are imprisoned. It is difficult again to empathize - although they knew nothing of the coup, would each of us trust them if we were the target? They complain of being deprived of luxuries which most of us can only dream about.

As they eventually are moved to barracks which are terribly conditioned, totally dark, and are basically marooned there, it becomes obvious to them they are to die there. Despite an escape and recapture, five years later they are freed. Malika achieves ultimate redemption when she is freed, and now lives in France, which had a colony in Morocco for some time.

The parallel with Exodus is not perfect, to be sure. However, the 'princess' once expelled, finds herself in her journey through a considerably harsher wilderness and eventually does succeed, along with her family, in reaching their goal of freedom.

This book will make you think. Most interestingly, you will realize after noticing that you didn't empathize as much with them as others in their situation, that you may think differently about yourself! After all, does anyone deserve that type of treatment?

As you read this book and through periodic reality checks remember that it is true, you will realize that man's inhumanity to man has no end. You will also realize, as I believe Oprah did, that the spirit can overcome virtually anything.

This book is not that expensive and I would recommend anyone with even a passing interest read it. It will be worth your while.

This is NOT the kind of book I usually like, and in fact I tried to skip over large parts and cast it away many times initially. But once I realized what cohesiveness and love this family had for each other, I couldn't 'abandon' them! In fact, it reads like a suspense novel in many ways, and even when it gets extremely bleak, Malika manages to give hope behind the despair.

I highly recommend this book both for the personal travails of this family, and for how much regimes that suppress freedoms can crush individual humanity. As one reviewer said, this isn't even the worst of what happens in such countries.

I object to the reviewers who say Malika is too 'self centered'. Such comments show how little empathy they have for this wretched family. It was evident that Malika was trying everything she could to keep her family together. This is called heroics, not self absorption. I have some sympathy with those who found the book difficult to read. It took about a chapter before it became compelling to me. I discount, however, those who condemn books as 'poorly written' despite their ability to draw people in and tell a captivating story. Malika did this here, and did a splendid job.

This is a very powerful book! I had to keep reminding myself while reading this book that not only was it true, but that it happened in my lifetime... and not that many years ago! It was difficult to comprehend that someone (a despot like King Hassan II) would lock up a family for the crimes of their father.
I don't know how the Oufkir family survived such an ordeal, and for twenty years. I am sure that the writing of this book was somewhat therapeutic for Malika. I hope that the rest of her family is able to benefit from this story being out in the open. The world has benefited from hearing this story - it is important that we are made aware of such atrocities that are taking place in today's world.
I am grateful to be living in a country where I don't have to worry about such terrible things happening to people! The world, now that we know about such atrocities, must do all that we can to see that such terrible things as happened to the Oufkir family never happen again!
Thank you Malika Oufkir for the strength to survive such an ordeal, and then the incredible strength to recount it!

Now I have some idea of what it is like to go to hell and come back alive. Shattered, but alive. Malika Oufkir's autobiography, co-written with French journalist Michele Fitoussi, is extraordinarily candid for someone who has been in prison most of her life.
She and her family have experienced crushing, soul-suffocating oppression which has left severe, permanent damage on each member. While their lives have improved, to a certain extent they will all stay locked in time.
It is nothing short of a miracle, therefore, that someone who has been so repressed, can find the courage to reveal themselves with such frankness.
Stolen Lives is a truely unique story of the survival of the human spirit, a suspenseful fusion of fairytale, horror and thriller. It was one of those books I couldn't put down.
After I read the book several months ago, I interviewed Malika Oufkir for several stories I was writing about her. She wavers between fragility and toughness, she is both young and old, compassionate and passionate and displays great courage as well as great fear.
Malika has paid an unusually cruel and high price for her freedom of expression.
Before reading the book, it would benefit readers to do some background reading on events in Morocco which led to the incarceration of the Oufkir family. There are various sites on the Internet detailing the 1972 attempted coup d'etat by Malika's father, General Mohammed Oufkir. Also, reading on the structure of Moroccan society would be useful to understand what it was like to live under the iron-fisted rule of a feudal monarchy.

Stolen Lives � Twenty Years in a Desert Jail is an important book. This is a compelling true story. It outlines the life of Malika Oufkir, daughter of Moroccan general Oufkir.
Malika Oufkir has lead a unique life. Her story does not begin with imprisonment. It begins with being taken from her parents at age five to live in the palace. She becomes the adopted daughter of the ruling monarch, Muhammad V of Morocco. Although it is never fully explained, it appears that Malika is brought to the palace to be the companion for the king�s daughter. She is distraught; her parents acquiesce. It is the first lesson in the power of the monarchy. Muhammad V dies and is replaced by his son Hassan II. You might expect Malika to be returned home. But no, Hassan might be offended if the it appears that the Oufkir family thinks less of him than of his father. And so, Malika stays in the palace. But this is just the beginning.
Eventually, Malika returns to her family as a young adult. Later General Oufkir, Malika�s father, who is also a high placed advisor to the king, leads a coup d�etat. He is killed. Now the family�s story of imprisonment begins.
The King has the family removed from Rabat by police. Throughout the story, the police, and army are used to keep the family imprisoned. Some knew the general and were sympathetic to the family. Others had lost family in the coup d�etat and were filled with hatred. The conditions for the family were continually reduced, until they were put in solitary confinement for seven years. The treatment of the Oufkir family reads like a Nazi concentration camp story, with brutal guards, arbitrary punishments, malnutrition, and the loss of humanity. Remember that their crime was being the family of General Oufkir. The youngest child at the time of their arrest was three!
There is an escape that reads like fiction. The country is put on high alert while the police search for the four Oufkir children who managed to dig a tunnel to escape. It is only through contact with the French press and the outside world that they are finally saved. Even then it takes seven more years (with the family under house arrest) before they are finally allowed to leave the country.
I find that I agree with most of the negative reviews. The book is poorly written, and poorly edited. There are contradictions, and incomplete explanations. It is confusing. It was originally published in France and this book is a translation from French. These shortcomings are annoying. But this is more than a story of a family who has been through a rough time. It is a chronicle of human rights violations that occurred in the last quarter of the 20th century. It is a story of people who �disappeared� and lived to tell about it. This was worth a better effort by the co-author, who is supposed to be a professional writer, and the editor, who should have done a better job. Even with these serious shortcomings, this is an important story, and an important book. It is recommended.

This book is the true story of a woman and her family being sent to jail for 20 years, in subhuman conditions. I was absolutely immersed in this book and, once I finished it, I wanted more! I started hunting through the internet for more news from the past and updates about this family. My heart is still tender for little Abdellatif, who entered prison at age three and never knew anything else and is now scarred emotionally for life (as are all the rest as well, in their different ways). This is a very moving story about survival, about familily ties, and especially about the courageous nature of the human spirit. I definitely reccommend this book, though beware: some parts may be tough to read for sensitive readers! What I found most amazing is that all of this ocurred in my own lifetime.

When I think about certain parts of Malika Oufkir's book, "Stolen Lives," I still cringe. I can still cry. Such vivid details about a life lived in subhuman conditions and yet a life able to manage despite the hardships.
How much of life's hardships and low points can one, or in this case nine, human beings take before they decide to shut their eyes and call upon death to release them from their miserable existence? How ugly and awful that this story -- hard, cruel and unforgiving -- had to be true. Even more awful is that a man once existed who felt it was his God-given right to torture whom he pleased. It is disgusting -- nearly bordering on demented -- that in the 20th century, these shameful and horrific crimes were allowed to exist against a young mother, her six children and two relatives, for 20 years and that very little, if anything at all, was done to right the wrongs.
In "Stolen Lives" you will see what being at the depths of despiar REALLY means and you will suddenly count your blessings, look around you at your abundance of simple riches and pray that you will never experience what Ms. Oukir and her family did.
For every person who thought their life couldn't get any worse - I ask you to read this book.

Despite a few problems with the English translation (odd use of idioms, out-of-date expressions), and despite some 'lacunae', holes in the story which could have been filled in by interesting details, this book ends up being a very good read. The author, Malika, age 18, is taken, in the 1970s, with her mother, four younger siblings and two other women friends, political prisoners in Morocco, and held in unconscionable prison conditions for fifteen, finally twenty years, ending finally during the '90s. This is unfathomable. They never know if anyone remembers them or cares. Yet these childen (the youngest is 3 at the start) together, by telling themselves stories, acting out plays, teaching each other what they know, passing on sustaining bits of news from a small hidden radio when they were put eventually into separate cells, making use of found herbs and weeds for sandwich fillers, ingeniously creating food dishes that are palatable with ingredients they are given that had often gone bad, treating their illnesses and wounds themselves, Malika creating and nightly telling a long, many-peopled story of kings and knights and intrigues, keep themselves alive. --Despite a temporary group despair, once, in which they all decide to commit suicide, and fail. Having faced death, in poor health and weakened, putting aside their fears of punishment, together they decide to live and strategize so cleverly they build a tunnel at night, each early morning hauling out earth and concealing it, painstakingly covering up and plastering the signs of it (ingeniously with plaster made of Tide and the bits of plaster the guards left to seal up the rats' holes which they kept soaked so it wouldn't harden) so the guards won't find it on their daily rounds, and four of them escape for a few days. Formally jet-setting, party-going aristocrats, after their 15 years away from civilization, the four find themselves in a world they barely recognize (television in color?!) and which is shockingly noisy, bright and complicated; when they attempt to get help, they find themselves pariahs; for the most part, old friends are afraid of having anything to do with them; yet they do get the news of their plight to the outside world and hire a lawyer before being recaptured. (Though 'forgotten', they were already famous; the author had been brought up by the king from age 5 to 16 and treated as a Moroccan princess--and therefore, a different kind of prisoner; their father, who was killed in a failed coup, had been the second most powerful man in Morocco.) Due to the resulting publicity, the King allows the rest out with them but only to retain them all for five years more under house arrest -- finally allowing them as much food as they want, and other things we consider necessities,like real beds and bathrooms and the absence of all kinds of vermin in the living quarters, but still guarded and not free. (Their health has never recovered.) -- Where were their friends during this time and why didn't they help free them? Yet even their grandfather could not find them or send them any more books or letters after the first ten years -- no one knew where they were -- he believed rumors that certain ones of them were dead. And Moroccans, living in a repressive monarchy, dared not speak out. Yet, this real story highlights the lack of courage of very many unincarcerated people everywhere, when it comes to standing up for and risking something in the face of injustice -- it was widely known that this family had been incarcerated; people, on the whole, it seems, just want to be left alone to live their own lives. As a trauma therapist, and having read the statements of the co-writer/interviewer, who says that she pushed the author very hard to remember (the excruciating, frightening details), to the point sometimes of exhausting her, the lacunae are understandable -- it is twenty unbroken years of horror to remember, and the main facts get across. Though I still had so many questions, the rest of the story is detailed enough to have kept my interest thoroughly. Some of the relationships of the prisoners to each other are described, their teamwork and dependency on each other, how the usual modesty or separation of child to parent is erased and all have become equal by the end and say pretty much anything to each other; albeit through a complicated, ingenious makeshift telephone system made up of wires and metal bedstead legs which they pass under their walls into the next cells (and which they dismantle and hide between their legs every morning so the guards won't find it. And what of the youngest, the boy who went into jail at age three? Can we imagine the development of this child who can't remember school, friendships, fresh air, running, playing large, physical games? --The others taught him to read and told him stories in prison, even creating a 'football' out of old rags and teaching him the rules of the game and the current players from the radio, but it seems they may have neglected explanations of a cultural/political nature and protected him a bit too much (his sister is shocked to realize when, as new escapees, she sees his reactions in the busy, complicated, strange new world, 'he is an enfant sauvage!'.) This question also arises: what of hundreds and thousands of political prisoners who are held all over the world for years in squalid conditions and die in prison (as these were meant to do) and are forgotten and have no means to escape? What I am left with most profoundly after finishing this story is the utter daily, endless ingenuity put forth by each of these courageous people given virtually no encouragement from anyone but themselves.

A remarkable memoir written by the daughter of a Moroccan general who was foiled in an attempted takeover of King Hassan II. In retaliation the King imprisoned General Oufkir’s wife and their 6 children for 20 years.
Malika tells her story with all the intensity of a doomed soul that has been blessed by a second chance. Her life in prison had become a black hole of suffering and torment, neglected and half starved, she lived with the threat of rats, scorpions, diptheria, typhoid and succumbed to a case of peritonitis that left her in a coma fighting for her very life without medical intervention. She started to believe she and her family were indeed protected by a mysterious presence.
In their fourteenth year of imprisonment an escape plan is formulated that leads the reader to share in the intense joy and trepidation that the author must have felt, a light loomed at the end of the black tunnel that had become her life.
This is the first non-fiction Oprah selection, and one of her best choices ever. It makes a statement about human rights that will never be forgotten by the reader. Hopefully it will reach out to the four corners of the globe and make a difference in the lives of others. I am awed and amazed by the coping strategies and psychological triumph of the human spirit over what appears to be such a hopeless situation. Much happiness to you Malika Oufkir, you have certainly earned it...

This story definitely will keep you reading on and on into the night. I was turning the pages trying to find out what would happen in the end.
The first of the book is bittersweet, but has many moments of joy. The second half, however, is a terrible account of incarceration in some of the worst conditions possible.
I really liked this book because the story telling kept my interest. The main character of the novel is my only complaint. I know this is her story, but sometimes she seemed like she was telling a story of how she saved her family almost totally by herself. This part seemed a bit contrived since there was eight of them in jail. I think another reviewer said they would have liked to hear more about the siblings and their contributions. I think this is what I might have wanted as well, but seeing this was Malika's telling of the story, I assume she was answering for herself and what she was thinking.
Aside from the fact, I found the story very Malika centered at times although there were eight in jail, I can definitely recommend it.

If this moving book does nothing other than make readers more aware of the fate of political prisoners in nations such as Morocco, where human rights are regularly abused, then Oufkir has done her job very well.
I saw Malika Oufkir on several talk shows and knew I had to read her story of survival, which was first published in France two years ago as "The Prisoner". She spoke with great calm and dignity, and with very little anger or rancor towards those who were responsible for the loss of twenty years of her life. She says that having spent most of her life as an onlooker, there is a "sheet of glass" between herself and the outside world." I think this explains her calm demeanor.
Malika was a happy-go-lucky 19 year old party girl in Morocco, having lived in the palace as the "adopted" companion of the king's daughter. Suddenly she, her mother, a cousin, a former nurse, and her five younger brothers and sisters were imprisoned because of her father's actions. Their once-elegant world shrank ---the next 20 years were spent in several prison sites in southern Morocco where they were basically forgotten. They were the "disappeared".
General Oufkir, the power-hungry head of Morocco's notorious security forces, had operated with King Hassan's knowledge for many years. When he finally turned on the king, he was caught and executed. His family members were considered "criminals by descent" and found themselves at the mercy of their jailers, of disease and vermin, and of hunger.
Even after they managed to escape and appealed to the media (after 15 years of imprisonment), the Oufkirs were held under house arrest for four more years, then denied passports for another five years.
This is a story that should be read widely and discussed at length. How these people survived (some more intact than others) is a tribute to the resilience of the human spirit. How they got through each day, how Malika taught the younger children, how they bargained for survival.....the trials they endured were and are unconscionable in the civilized world.
Although her book is poignant and heart-rending, it is never hysterical or melodramatic. It should embarrass the Moroccan government, but that is not why Malika wrote it. She says that "vengeance would be meaningless in our case. Is there anything that can give back your childhood, your youth, your life?"

This was a great true story and it is amazing how the family finally did get out of the hell that they were condemn to. A friend of mine had recommended this book, telling me brief synopses. I was very intrigued by the story and in disbelief. I think what I found so interesting is that I never even known about this until I read the book! I don't remember anything on the news about this at all, when they were released in the 90s. Malika's story of bravery is incredible and almost too hard to even imagine such a transition (princess to prisoner)
My only wish was that there was more about Malika's life after prison and with her family. I am eager to know how the family is healing after this ordeal...
Fantastic Book!

This is a book that on its face held a lot of promise. Any story in which a mother and her children, as well as faithful family retainers, are unjustly imprisoned in squalid conditions for twenty years for an ostensible crime committed by the familial patriarch would certainly be of interest. Wrong! This is a tepid and disappointing book, poorly written and, most certainly, poorly edited. It is so filled with contradictions and inconsistencies, as to create somewhat of a credibility gap for the reader.

The story revolves around the Oufkir family, who were, at one time, a prominent, highly respected, and well known Moroccan family. Their story is told by Malika Oufkir, who is the eldest daughter of the late General Oufkir, who was executed in August 1972, immediately following an aborted attempt to assassinate King Hassan II of Morocco, for whom he was the Minister of Defense. General's Oufkir's treasonous action was the catalyst for the tragic turn of events that were to engulf his family.

After the aborted coup, the General's immediate family was placed under house arrest and four months later, along with two loyal family retainers who volunteered to share their fate, were whisked away to the first of several desert prisons that were to house them for the next fifteen years.

As Malika tells it, hers was initially almost a fairy tale story. Brought up in luxurious surroundings, she suffered early heartbreak when, at the age of five, she was separated from her family and "adopted" by then King Muhammad V, so as to be a live in playmate for the King's daughter. This adoption is never really explained, and one has no idea what her parents thoughts were on this issue. Malika lived in the Palace in the lap of luxury for many years. As a teenager, however, she moved back with her family, where, there too, she continued to live a very privileged life, steeped in luxury and money.

After the Oufkirs' circumstances changed, theirs is truly a tragic story. There is little doubt that the conditions in their desert prisons were deplorable and squalid. With inadequate sanitation, insufficient food, no medical care, or educational provisions, the family was truly living a life of privation. Cutoff from the outside world, as they were, they truly were disenfranchised.

Their escape from their last desert prison, an escape which brought their plight to the consciousness of the public, was amazing. But for their escape, there is no doubt in my mind that they would still be languishing in a desert prison today, barely alive, if not already dead. I salute their determination and ingenuity in making a desperate break for freedom.

The problem lies in the telling of the story, which is so poorly told. Many things are left unexplained. No effort is made to ground the events that led to their family's downfall in a historical context. Whatever Malika said seems to have been what went into the final draft of this book, even if she contradicted herself a page or two later, which is the main problem with the book. There are so many inconsistencies with what Malika herself says, that the discerning reader is left to question much of what she represents.

Malika comes across as a somewhat self-absorbed, vapid woman to whom fate dealt a harsh and unusually cruel hand. Her self-absorption is most evident in that she barely acknowledges the sacrifice of the two faithful family retainers, who voluntarily shared their fate, nor does she discuss the impact that this had on them. It is also a little disconcerting that more does not come through about the perceptions the other family members had about this hellish experience. Their insight might have provided a little more balance and interest to the narrative. In the hands of a good writer and excellent editor, this book might have withstood scrutiny and met expectations.

Sorry, Oprah, your book club selections are usually excellent. This one fails to make the grade.

I have not done any research to verify if the information in this book is accurate or not. However, it was an excellent read and I highly recommend it! It provided an extraordinary glimpse into the world of human rights abuses and leaves the reader with a deep appreciation for the simple joys that we take for granted.
Malika Oufkir was a teenager in the prime of her life when she was put into horrible prison conditions for twenty years with her family. Her family was being punished for the political actions of her father.
Malika is an excellent story teller and has lives on the inside of the royal family in Morocco so it is very interesting to hear details of her upbringing.
It is extraordinary to hear of the atrocious jail conditions inflicted on this family that was used to such a lavish existence. If you have any interest in human rights or the politics of Morocco then you will be fascinated by this read!

As an author with my debut novel in its initial release, my first thought upon reading STOLEN LIVES was how no one would read this book if it was fiction. It is not fiction. It is fact, every horrifying detail. Malika Oufkir was adopted by a king and raised as a princess. Yet, due to political turmoil in her native Morocco, this general's daughter (and the rest of her surviving family) find themselves imprisoned in a series of desert jails. From the palace to the prison, through no fault of her own, is the path of Ms. Oufkir's life. She tells this tale without pulling any punches and the reader finds herself experiencing what this unfortunate woman (and her family)was forced to endure. And endure she does. Not only does she endure, but she finds the strength to write this magnificent heartfelt book. Read STOLEN LIVES. You will feel its impact.

How does one love and hate at the same time? How does one hate and love their country, their ruler? How does one make up for lost time? How does a person live after being imprisoned in horrible conditions for twenty years? Mdme. Oufkir's theme seems to be that it is near impossible. But can one do it? Yes, she is working on it.
This book will speak to those who find meaning in the smaller things still: "two lovers holding hands, a mother accompanied by her daughter, a dog frisking about, a bird alighting on a branch." Do you find that you are still fascinated by "everyday" things? This book might show you why. Are you a slave to your life? Imprisoned by your job and your responsibilities? Reawaken your sense of the world.
This book is about courage, but more so about perseverance and reflection. Feel the need to reflect on your life as well as the life of others? Read this book.

I could not put this book down. I was both repulsed and intrigued by what she and her family were forced to go through. I had no idea things like this where happening especially now. You'll be drawn in the painful world that is Marie's life, I found myself willing her strength and praying for their escape. This book would appeal to many ages although younger children may not fully grasp the meaning behind this event. Also the main character and champion of this novel is a female there are aspects that will appeal to guys. I loved following her pampered childhood especially her time in the palace; finding if extremely interesting. All together I would recommend it to everyone. Although with the warning that once you pick it up you'll never be able to put it down!

I have not done any research to verify if the information in this book is accurate or not. However, it was an excellent read and I highly recommend it! It provided an extraordinary glimpse into the world of human rights abuses and leaves the reader with a deep appreciation for the simple joys that we take for granted.
Malika Oufkir was a teenager in the prime of her life when she was put into horrible prison conditions for twenty years with her family. Her family was being punished for the political actions of her father.
Malika is an excellent story teller and has lives on the inside of the royal family in Morocco so it is very interesting to hear details of her upbringing.
It is extraordinary to hear of the atrocious jail conditions inflicted on this family that was used to such a lavish existence. If you have any interest in human rights or the politics of Morocco then you will be fascinated by this read!

Yes, it could have been written, and yes, she lived a life of privledge in her formative years, but the fact remains this was NOT of her choosing. To live through this incredible ordeal and survive it is awe inspiring. It is so hard to imagine these things happening in our lifetime; but they do. The fact that Malika Oufkir had the courage and insight to write about what she and her family endured pays homage to the human spirit. I think about this family all the time and wish them peace. The book moves slowly in the beginning, but is a real page-turner after the story gets started. I highly recommend this book to those who love stories of the strength of the human spirit. God bless the family!!

The story as a whole was very tragic and I felt for the captives but the writing left a little to be desired. An event of this nature is horrible and for it to last that long is mortifying and a reader should be left with that feeling when they are reading it. Yet, the book lost me about half way in. I kept wanting there to be some human element to the story but it was sadly lacking. It was a quick, blow by blow, run down of 20 years of hell. For readers now seeking to understand life in the Middle East this is the wrong book. It does not go into enough detail about why things like this happen. It is not enough to just reveal that they do. I feel that authors have the responsibility to enlighten their readers with a complete image rather than half of one.
Overall it was a good book but I was not overly impressed with the writing style or the text.

Stolen Lives had me from page 1 until the very end, I literally couldn't set it aside! Not usually one for an Oprah book selection, I took a chance since this is a true story. I've found that by reading Malika's story and realizing that she and her family made it through, I can do anything I set my mind to. All through the book there are great parallels to practically anyone's life and struggles. Malika Oufkir's writing style is easy to read and captivating since it tends to remind you of sitting down with an old friend over coffee as they confide long hidden secrets. After only a few paragraphs, you'll find yourself deep inside beautiful Morocco experiencing palace life, lonliness, the joy of freedom and youth, disaster, imprisonment, and the triumph of familial love and the human spirit. This book is a must-have for you home library!!

One reader has given this book one star; that is much too extreme. Poor writing is also a comment; I would say it is good, but certainly not great. I believe emotion got in the way of some of the mechanics of writing yet this is a fine story that does get confusing at times. The royal treatment in the beginning juxtaposed with the status of a criminal the rest of the way through the story gives a riches to rags flavor. There is tragedy and raw survival and during the escape section, real excitement that everyone should find well worth reading.
One also better understands the social and family relationships of the middle eastern society as related in Stolen Lives which is very different from the West.

A girl from a privileged class is adopted - against her will and that of her family - by the royal house and spends years imprisoned along with her natural family after her father tries to kill the royal leader. Her journey through various prison sites is riveting.

The book is another example of how different the rest of the world is from our small Western world. It is important to remember that the accident of birth can place you anywhere.

Oufkir's tale of tragedy and horror takes the reader from privilege to the bottom of despair to escape and emergence into another life and time. A sad tale for sure. Good reading for anyone who is interested in different cultures. Her descriptions of the landscapes and prison environments are excellent.

Stolen Lives chronicals the life and imprisonment of the Oufkir family. Malika, the eldest child, details the horror that she and her family endured for twenty years.
The Oufkir's were a prominant Moroccan family, they had ties to royalty and were known in many political arena's. When Malika's father, Muhammad Oufkir, is implicated in an attempt to murder the king, lives forever changed.
This was heart-wrenching book to read. It is difficult to believe that this level of autrocity could occur in our modern times. The Oufkir's endured twenty years of torture, abuse, and inhumane conditions. The strength and resilency of the Oufkir family and individual character was prevalent throughout.
This is a book that should be shared. It will awaken your emotions, leave you sleepless, and have you questioning why. I applaud Malika Oufkir for sharing her story with the world.

Stolen Lives is by far the most inspirational books I have ever read. It is based on a true story and that's what makes it so amazing, because someone actually went through that hell. Malika Oukfir re-lives her story through this book. Her childhood was actually very luxurious but when her father is found guilty of treason, Malika and her family are imprisoned. Twenty years of their lives were held in numerous jails. Some jails were okay but most of them were horrific to live in, especially the one that caused pure starvation and cruel living arrangements. My heart went out to Malika and her family because throughout the whole process they managed to stick together and fight their way to freedom. I definitely recommend this book if you're interested in a real life story that is inspirational.

An incredible story of the human spirit and its ability to withstand tremendous adversity. Stolen Lives is a nonfiction account of a Moroccan family imprisoned for twenty years after a failed royal coupe orchestrated by the father. The Oufkirs, once prominent members of the Moroccan government and royal court, were banished by the King to a desert prison after he had their father executed. While imprisoned, the family endured horrendous mental, emotional and physical abuse. After fifteen years of desert isolation, the family masterminded the greatest coupe of all when they escaped their captor's jail by digging a tunnel using the most rudimentary of tools (hands, spoon, sardine lid). The chapter detailing the escape was the most well written section of the book. Suspenseful and engaging, the escape read like a superbly crafted fictional piece. Unfortunately the action was real, the characters flesh and bone, their suffering authentic.
Stolen Lives is a testament to the vitality of the human spirit, and the grace of a loving God. It speaks to the love of family and friends and its ability to sustain us at our lowest points. I was overwhelmed by the loyalty expressed by Achoura and Halima. The Oufkirs were forced into exile by the King, Achoura and Halima chose exile in support the family they loved. That's a choice not many would make. I applaud and honor them for their commitment. This story is one that will join many others in the annals of human rights violations. It adds to the collective suffering of the world and should serve as a reminder that injustice anywhere is indeed a threat to justice everywhere. That power in malevolent hands spawns corruption. Hurrah! Hurrah! to the Oufkirs! May your courage and strength be contagious.

This book is Stupendous!
It is incredibly to me how this could have transpired in modern times... in my lifetime. My path could easily have crossed hers in Morocoo, as I considered going there as a college student in southern Spain. I realize now that I'd have looked upon her with scorn and I am ashamed for that now.
I never believed in Amnesty International and now I too have reconsidered that perspective. I always thought that if people are in jail, there is a good reason for it. But here you see that a 3 year old boy is jailed for 18 years and there is no excuse for that.
Even though this is a horific story being told, it left me uplifted. I can only believe that the author is still deeply in shock to be able to have told this story and have left out what must be some very gruesome details.
I've seen her on 60 minutes and on Oprah and I am in awe. Malika, you are truly a woman of courage. I salute you and hope that one day you will be whole.

I bought this book based on the reviews and Ms. Oufkir's discussion on the Oprah Winfrey Show. I don't feel that it is necessary to discuss what this book is about but it left me with wanting more and a with more than a few questions on my mind. I sympathize with the family and understand how difficult it must have been to live under the rough conditions after living such a life of luxury. However, I finished this book in anticipation of a discussion of why General Oufkir felt the need for a coup. I kept reading only to understand - What were the differences between father and son such that General Oufkir protected the father and attempted to oust the son?
Perhaps I was a spoiled by the historical themes intertwined with the main story in the Poisonwood Bible but I expected more on the political climate. I believe it would have helped the reader understand why the family was subjected to the torture that they endured for such an extended period. It would also give the outside world an idea of the cultural and political differences between the US and Morocco.
It was a decent book but I probably would have felt better borrowing it from the library or a friend - free.

I was a bit confused in parts of the book and sometimes bored. I felt like I really never knew the people in the book, especially Malika, but it was still a very interesting book, just not told very well. The book had such potential. It was a lot or boring descriptions of her encourters with the King and her relatives, but I really did not "feel" her anger, her pain, her happiness. A lot of the time, I was confused! I felt like reading it was chore, but I am glad I read it. I feel a new sense of family and determination in difficult situations (no where near as difficult as Malika's though). I would give the book a five, if it was not soooo poorly written.

Beautiful, poignant, heart-warming, and touching. This is a story of survival, of determination, love, respect, and a strength of will in testing one's abilities. Malika takes you into her world, being vulnerable, soft and yet with such strength. The daughter of General Oufkir, she and her siblings suffer the consequneces that were given because of her father's attempt to assasinate the King. From a small country of Morrocco, with fragility, she tells of her love for her country, her King, her family, and her life before and her life after as she struggles to keep her and her family safe from enduring twenty years in a desert prison. It is a truly touching story. I recommend this book to anyone who is inspired by true stories, survival, and most especially, those who love to read about the strength and bond between a family and their country. It's not about the bitterness of suffering but through one woman, a story that gave her a voice, a strength of character and will. Enjoy.

After reading STOLEN LIVES, I was able to grasp (as much as is possible) what it must have been like for Oufkir and her family to live in the horrific prison conditions they did, but I wasn't able to grasp how long "20 years" of captivity is. So, I went back to the book. It's 294 pages long, which is approximately 10,800 lines of text (if every page is full). If I divide the text into .7 line segments and read one segment a day, it will take me 7300 days, or 20 years, to read the whole book. That is an excruciatingly long time, longer than I'd care to imagine.

An unbelievable story of a horrible experience, poorly written - very amateurish, too many adjectives, too many clichés. I do mean unbelievable. Too many contradictions, unbelievable events. Malika thinks way too well of herself.

Wow! If you were feeling sorry for yourself before you started this book, your life is probably looking charmed by the time you finish it.
This is the story of a young Morrocan girl taken from her family at the age of 5 to be the companion of the princess. Raised lovingly by the King and sheltered by the luxuries of the royal palace, she still longed for her own family.
Reunited with them at the age of seventeen, she enjoyed two years of happiness before her life would change forever. Her real father, a high ranking military official is killed after a failed attempt to assasinate the King. Malika, along with her mother and younger siblings, is immediately imprisoned. Living conditions quickly deteriorate, as does the family's health.
The horror that the Oufkir family endured for 20 years is beyond belief.
Imagine eating nothing but moldy carrots & chickpeas, and making a rare treat of "french toast" with rotten eggs and moldy bread.
Imagine sleeping on a filthy cot with the corpses of rotting mice inside your mattress.
Imagine helplessly watching as your mother and siblings physically deteriorate to within inches of their lives.
There you have just a sample of what this incrediby courageous family experienced. In their struggle to survive, they emerge with such an appreciation of the simple things in life.
You will seriously reevaluate your priorities after reading their story.
Their daring escape will leave you holding your breath with anxiety and worry for their safety.
Trapped between loyalty for her real father, and remembering her affection for the King who imprisoned her, Malika's spirit and determination will amaze you. My only criticism of the book is that I wish it ended less abruptly. After dreaming of freedom for so long, I would have liked to hear more about the family's experiences when they were released.
A thrilling and emotional page-turner, made all the more compelling because it is a true story!

FIrst of all, those bitching about the writing, do keep in mind that the story is translated from French to English. Perhaps they just chose the wrong translator. While the writing certainly isn't top-notch, this is a memoir- a genre that rarely sees excellent writing.
The story is interesting. Reading about the palace life was insightful (assuming it was fairly accurate) and it creates an excellent contrast to the dreary life she lived in exile with her family.
Even though the author and her family managed to survive and seem to have strong will-power, I still did not like the author. She comes across as a self-centered woman who has a very high opinion of herself. Unfortunately that makes me wonder how accuarte her story really is. While it certainly is unjust to be imprisioned for someone else's actions, I wonder how bad her plight really was.

...I wish it were written better. This is an incrediable story which shows what happens when unaccountable lunkheads get to run a country. The Oufkir family overcame so much to escape from their unfair imprisonment, it truly is an amazing story. But, someone that went through such misery in their lifetime deserves a better editor. The whole first two-thirds of the book breaks the first rule of writing: "show, don't tell". I wanted some dialogue, some insight into the other people in her life, some wrapping up of loose ends. I wanted to know more about the politics of the coup. There's one sentance in the book about how she was (nearly?) engaged?! It would have been nice to know a little more about this huge piece of information. I could go on and on. Still worth reading, all political prisoners should write books that become best sellers.

This is a story of unbelievable punishment administered by the powerful King and Queen of Morocco against a young family (including children) written by courageous escapee, Malika Oufkir. The book highlights the tragedies that can occur when an outmoded, archaic, leadership structure rejects modern principles like fair trials, justice, or morality.
In the beginning of the book, the lonely Princess Lalla Mina needs a companion, so the King plucks the author from her family, and presents her as a "gift" to the Royal Princess. The author then describes her pampered lifestyle of decadence and excess while living in the Royal Palaces of Morocco. Through the author's eyes, we explore the world of a Royal girl, where the Princess values horses more than people. We are taken to see harems, where Queens and concubines bathe naked for the King. The girls were educated by a private German tutor, followed later by private French schools. This puzzled us: doesn't Morocco have a school system?
After the author's father, General Oufkir, fails in plotting a coup d'etat, the Oufkir family become outcasts and prisoners of the state. For twenty years, the prisoners are cooped up in desert jail cells riddled with diseased rat packs, slithering snakes, venomous spiders, and hungry scorpions. The book is simply written, without fanfare or extravagant language, but cuts to the true, often horrifying facts: Malika's innocent little brother was jailed at age three, then released at aged twenty-three.
After the heroic family escapes by digging an underground tunnel, Royal Princess Lalla Mina and Prince Sidi Mohammed try to befriend Malika Oufkir, in a "just like 'ole times" fashion. This made us wonder: If the Royals were such good buddies, why didn't they rescue Malika Oufkir from jail when she needed their friendship the most? These Royals certainly had the power and influence to have had them released from prison...AT ONCE!
As soon as Ms. Oufkir succeeds in her dramatic escape, she hires a French attorney to defend her human rights. That was a smart thing to do but, this made us wonder: are there no Moroccan lawyers that can be trusted? At this point, Malika forsakes her Muslim religion and thinks about becoming a Catholic.
We felt completely heartbroken after finishing this tragic story. The outmoded Royal Family who represent the important nation of Morocco, have surely disgraced their country and it's people.

2.5
What happened to Malika Oufkir and her family was absolutely horrendous. It's difficult for most 21st century minds to comprehend imprisoning families for the sins of the father (literally) and the 'prison' conditions described in the book. And this all happened a couple decades ago! The way this family persevered and survived, both physically and mentally, is uplifting. The stories that Malika would invent and tell her family comes to mind.

Unfortunately, this book was not that well-written. In fact, I was bored several times during the long chapters leading up to the imprisonment. I think this story deserved much better.

Stolen Lives would be a great book for a more mature audience. The age group would probably be from 15 and on, because of the graphic details and language. The book starts out with Malika Oufkir being adopted by the King of Morocco because his daughter wanted a live in playmate for his daughter. Malika�s biological father was accused (and then murdered) because of an accused assassination attempt on the King, and as a result, choose to imprison the whole Oufkir family. They spend twenty years in various jails and experienced unimaginable situations.
The book uses literary techniques very effectively. The first technique I found to be in abundance was imagery. I found that this book appealed to the five senses and really gave a reader a sense for the images that were present. The vivid description of what they ate was unbelievable. �We never had any milk, butter or fruit, except a few shriveled dates and mouldy oranges from time to time. Rotting vegetables, two bowlfuls of flour, a bowlfuls of chick peas and one of lentils, twelve bad eggs, a piece of spoiled meat, a few lumps of sugar, a litre of oil per month and a little tub of Tide-that was all we were usually given.[SIC]� Another literary technique I found to be very effective were details. The details put into the book support the somber, sad tone of Stolen Lives. They also support the emotion difficulties going through Oufkir�s head. �In the dark I could hear my mother sobbing. Alone in her bed, she wept over the loss of her husband more than the loss of our freedom. Her life as a woman had ended at the age of just thirty-six. By dying, my father had condemned her to solitude. During the day she often read the Koran, and I could see from her sad eyes, always puffy with tears, how much she suffered.� These are only a small sample of the many literary devices used to enhance the book.
My emotions were like a roller coaster when I read this book. I was happy at the beginning when the main character Malika was adopted by the king, but I was sad and depressed when the details of the imprisonment were given. The conclusion of the book was rather exciting and shocking.
Stolen Lives was truly a wonderful book. The thorough account of the experiences brought a sad memory of Malika�s life back to reality.
The ending was very interesting and brought about more positive events for the family.

I finished this book in two evenings, whereas it took me so many weeks to wade through Ahab's wife (see review posted 6/30/01). And it certainly holds firm to the "truth is stranger than fiction" adage. It is almost inconceivable that these kind of sadistic, politically motivated crimes against humanity are going on daily in our world and that is certainly an issue that needs more attention.
Although I was riveted, repulsed and astounded that anyone would be able to survive conditions of such deprivation for such a duration, I wanted more. I could've easily read another 150-200 pages.
I do not feel the book was particularly well written and long periods of time were glossed over: for example, the last three years of their captivity was pared down into a few pages and the level of demoralization was not extensively elaborated on. Three more years is a lot of time, even though their conditions had improved to livable. I did get the sense that Malika was numb to all that she had endured or perhaps just sick of reliving it. Certainly the most exciting section was their escape and recapture and there was no way I could put the book down during all of that. That is one of the factors I feel constitutes a good read and why I have given this book a fairly high rating.
However, I want to know more about how they all have reconstructed their lives to live in some semblence of normalcy after such an ordeal. I want to know if Raouf ever got his teeth fixed and how they all restored their health. What's King Hassan II up to these days? I want to know more about Malika's life today, her days in Paris, her marriage to Eric. Perhaps that also is a sign of a good book to me....tell me more, don't leave me here. How can I help so this kind of thing can't happen to anyone else? This book had a chance to motivate many of us to action but I do feel it fell a little flat at the end.

The eldest daughter of General Oufkir, Malika Oufkir, was born into a world of luxury and expensive clothing. The king of Morocco adopted her at age five, where she was to be raised with his daughter, the princess. Here she also lived in a luxurious palace, ate the finest foods and played with the best toys. It was only a few years later that her father was to participate in an attempt to assassinate the King and in result was captured and executed. The Oufkir family was also punished. The mother and five children, including Malika, were sent to an abandoned fort and desert prison to be imprisoned for twenty years. The only way her family was to survive was by will power, which is what they did. The descriptions of their lives in the confining walls of an almost unimaginable prison cell were breathtaking. For almost a decade they did not feel sunlight or taste any food that was appropriate to eat. At the mere age of three, the youngest brother of the Oufkir family tried to commit suicide. Malika's story was an unforgettable account of a woman who had a will to live her life and see her family do so as well. One can only imagine how millions of others' lives have been stolen and their stories not told. Stolen Lives is an attempt to do just that, Malika's stolen life should be read by all.

I don't have much time for reading, so I choose the books I read carefully. This was well worth my time. I couldn't put the book down. While Ms. Oufkir recounts her family's life of 20 years in prison for the sins of their father, if the reader has any awareness of self, of human compassion, you will be moved beyond any words I can write here. This book will make you think about your own life, what's important and what isn't, and put in perspective all the senseless minutia we spend our time obsessing about. Without your freedom, little else matters. To have not seen daylight for years, to live with meager rations of food (and I use that term loosely), to spend childhood without the things we have come to accept, and more accurately expect, (toys, holiday celebrations, Sesame Street, a bicycle), weighs on one's spirit. But somehow this family drew strength from each other, never gave up hope, and miraculously made it out. Sadly, there are others currently in the same predicatment as the Oufkir family, only we haven't heard there stories. Let this book serve as a jolting reminder of the human injustice that exists not 1,000 years ago, not 100 years ago, but TODAY all over the world.

For Malika Oufkir, childhood was not about Popsicle stands and late games of tag. Instead Malika was introduced to the politics in which she was a victim of. At the
young age of five, Malika was adopted by King Muhammad V. Though her true family
was competent in her care, the King gets what the King wants. For years Malika lived in
the splendor and disrespect of the palace. She was given material goods to her hearts
desire, yet she could never find the love that she needed. Nor did she understand why her
previous family would so easily give her up.
This irony in her life was subsided by the attempted assassination of the King. Her
father, General Oufkir (A well respected, and highly successful military man) put the call
out for Muhammed V's head. With no knowledge of her fathers actions, Malika, her
mother, and five brothers and sisters were sent to prison. Malika's father, was
consequently executed.
Prison was at first easy to swallow. Malika's family was allowed to bring several
articles of their fine clothing, as well as books and toys. Yet as their situation worsened,
these privileges were stolen along with their basic human rights.
Malika's family was moved into a desolate desert prison. Here they were treated
horribly. Malika's account gives the reader a detailed image of the conditions in which
she lived.
Unable to go on, and starved of life, Malika helps put her family members out of their
misery several times. Cutting at her siblings wrist with any sharp object she may find,
Malika realizes that they must escape for good.
Her determination and triumph is the basis for a excellent story about the mistreatment
of humans. This book is a reality check for anyone who has not been opened up to the
deterioration of human morals in this part of the world.

Imagine; at age five having all the luxuries available to a princess and having a king treating you just like a daughter. Malika Oufkir, the adopted daughter of Moroccan King Muhammad V and then King Hassan II, had almost everything she could ask for in her childhood years. Following a political coup, which her father played a role in, Malika and her family were stripped of all luxuries and imprisoned. The childhood portion of the book is a little too in-depth, the appalling imprisonment years were over in a flash, but while the book keep the audiences' attention throughout; this story had the potential of being a whole lot more interesting.

The book is broken down into clearly defined parts-the childhood years, the imprisonment years, and after. The emphasis is on the childhood years; this major portion of the book details most of Malika's moves and thoughts throughout her time at the palace and her rebellious period back at home. Stolen Lives contradicts itself in some instances especially in the childhood years. Repeatedly the author's use the metaphor of the palace being a prison is contradictory to the accounts of a happy Malika having fun with the princess and getting into trouble like any normal child does. The fact of the matter is, is that Malika had a lot of freedom-her punishments for misbehaving were not as severe and she was `allowed' to speak very freely, and at times disrespectful, to the king with minor or no repercussions. There are several more contradictions throughout this book such as loving, in her own way, the king, yet calling him her jailor.

The childhood years section went on and on to the brink of becoming tedious, yet never managed to become boring because of all the escapades, that although were irrelevant to the imprisonment years kept the making the book hard to put down. There were times in the section that I could imagine myself doing some of the very same things-the clubs, etc.-and there were times that I could sympathize with the hardship of separation from your family. Malika does a good job to explain all of her escapades and anxiety that allows a tenuous understanding of what was going on in her mind, and a means for the audience to relate to her childhood and rebellion years.

The imprisonment portion of the book moved by very quickly and lacked an in-depth description that would make it more appalling and more easily understood. The narrative of the different prisons and situations went so fast it was hard to keep up where they were, and who was in charge, and what were the conditions. The way the authors describe the conditions it seems like only a few years have gone by, when is really was twenty years that went by. It is hard to grasp that the little boy is now a man, and that Malika is not a rebellious youth anymore. This part had the potential to be a very strong part detailing the atrocities that occurred during these twenty years, and how people blindly followed the king's instructions. It is amazing that such a powerful tale was not written to its full potential.

The author had plenty of information to work with and yet, the weak part of the book was an area that should have been a very powerful part. Although it is lacking in some parts (like the description of the prison years), overall this story of one family's life in prison is very emotional. It fulfills what the authors wanted to do: evoke a strong emotion about the atrocities that happened to innocent women and children because of something that they had no prior knowledge of and were not involved in. That is what this story is about and it does a very good job at evoking strong emotions that make people realize that there are injustices in this world that can and do happen.

Honestly, I was bored for the first 50 pages and I must have put it down several times. Then when I got to about page 80 or so, I could not put it down. She's a prim little princess basically before her father tries to assassinate King Hassan II. Her father is executed and her and her family are sentenced to pay for their father's treacherous acts. They spend twenty years. This book focuses on her palace life inside the harem, prison life, and escaping the disease-infested prison. This book is quite touching and almost brought me to tears at one point, even though the point of the book is not to make you feel sorry for Malika and her family as stated in the introduction. This book is a collaboration between Malika and Michele Fitoussi, and was first record in French. Anybody who is interested in Muslim culture and able to read about unbelievable hardships will enjoy this book.
Thought Provoking.

Have you ever been stripped from your life, your family, and your freedom? Most of us can proudly say that we have never been subjected to this kind of torture, but for one girl this was all to true. Malika Oufkir was at the tender age of five when she was asked to live in the Palace with the King and his court and to become the princess' "play mate". This was not common at all for these times in Morocco, so that is why it was such a privilege for her to be hand picked by the king, but on the other hand she was being stolen from her family. As the years went on she became accustomed to palace life and grew to like it there, so when she returned to her real family she has some adjusting to do. Not long after returning to normal life Malika's father was accused of attempting to over through the king and his policies. He was immediately killed and the whole Oukfir family was taken into custody by the King and placed in a deserted fort. Here they were still able to lead somewhat of a normal life, they were able to keep many of their nice clothes, furniture, and were treated well and feed normal food. After years there the family was moved to a desert jail where they endured what no human should ever endure. They were all separated into different cells, fed only dirty water and bread, beaten and kept from any form of sunlight, condemned to waste away in their cells. This would surely drive any person insane, but the Oufkir family was amazingly strong, they even created a phoning system so they could talk to each other every night. At this point in the book it was hard to put it down, with every page you would discover a new invention the kids had invented and, remarkably, kept hidden from the guards. With every chapter that passed, I realized more and more what a impressive, motivating, innocent and yet incredibly strong family this was. The book continues on to reveal how three of the kids escape and are fleeing from town to town attempting to find someone they know who is still alive, or who will not turn them into the police. One can only imagine that feeling: knowing that you have no one in the world to trust and having to watch your back constantly. Their story does not end there, the book continues to describe how the family was considered heroes for surviving such conditions, and yet the King placed them under house arrest again! After everything settled down the family then had to face probably their biggest challenge, returning to normal life. But what is normal life? They had to re-teach themselves how to trust, love and life, they no longer knew the meaning of the word freedom and didn't like how it had treated them in the past. This book is one that will leave a lasting impression on you. It will pull at your heart and stay on your mind, it will make you mad, sad, and yet amazed all at the same time. "Stolen Lives" is a definite must read!!

Malika Oufkir's Stolen Lives: Twenty Years in A Desert Jail is her autobiography about the time she, her mother, five siblings, and two close family acquaintances spent in Moroccan jails. The entire family was unjustly imprisoned for twenty years after Malika's father, General Mohammad Oufkir, attempted to overthrow the reigning monarch, King Hassan II. In the aftermath of the resulting coup, General Oufkir was assassinated himself and by association his family was imprisoned, as the King was fearful that they too might be an internal threat to his legitimacy. The resulting punishment meant that the Oufkir family was imprisoned against their will for a crime that they did not commit, which was a human rights violation.
In writing down her story, Malika Oufkir set out to make the rest of the world aware of what was going on under the Moroccan monarchical regime. After emerging from her years in prison, Malika feared that her unjust case had been unknown the rest of the world. She expressed a desire for others to know and understand her side of the events so that they could react externally and put international pressure upon the Moroccan regime for judicial reform and fairness, as well as a greater tolerance for opposing opinions. In effect, Malika's experiences from both within prison as well as examining her experiences outside it from free and democratic France make her even more attuned to the problems within her native Morocco. She desires that her writing be a catalyst towards reform.
It is obviously very difficult for Malika to write down her prison experiences and reveal herself to the world. What makes this book very special is how she is able to convey this sense of insecurity throughout the book. This is done through her looking back upon her experiences as traumatic. Rather than simply graze over the tough issues that her and her family were forced to confront and endure daily in their prison setting, Malika points to them with a sense of hard-headedness and determination that manages to expose herself from the outside. Despite her determination, the reader is brought into her inner world, along with all of the insecurities and vulgarities that haunt her through the present day.
Their time in prison was one in which the human spirit prevailed. There was an overarching theme of persistence among the Oufkir family as they lived with the false hope that the King would realize their unjust imprisonment and would quickly release them. As General Oufkir was in the inner circle of Moroccan government, his family had a false impression of that government, believing it was free and open because they were among the few that received extensive benefits from it. Due to their (former) prominent status, the Oufkirs believed that their imprisonment was only temporary and their state influence would help them in securing their release. With this small hope, the Oufkirs held on to a diminishing belief that they would be released. Throughout, their spirit was kept alive by this, and continued to be maintained through years in solitary confinement, and ultimately provoked them to plot their escape from prison and survival in the outside world.
Malika's representation of her time in prison brings to the forefront issues that are common throughout the Middle Eastern Muslim world. Repeatedly throughout the region, a ruling monarch who is insecure with his power controls the government, which means that the ruler will do anything in order to hold onto power and stifle all opinion against him. This is precisely what happened with the Oufkirs in Morocco. King Hassan felt that the Oufkirs, even though General Oufkir was the only family member accountable, were a civil challenge to his power and national control; thus he imprisoned them in order to stifle any further political challenges. Hassan II not only imprisoned the Oufkir family, but also several hundred other political prisoners, whose causes are mentioned in the book's postscript. Therefore, the reader comes to realize that political imprisonment is a dominant problem in the Middle East, with the Oufkir case examined in order for the reading audience to understand and reflect on the problem.
Malika Oufkir's biography of her imprisonment is poignant. She is able to recount her traumatic life in vivid detail, not only in a pleasing manner to the reader, but also in a way exposing herself to the horrors she encountered throughout her imprisonment. This is exactly what Malika set out to achieve in writing her biography, and she did so in such a clear and eloquent manner. The reader is engrossed in the story to the point that they have little choice than to show empathy for the Oufkir cause and issue a call for greater human rights and justice, not only in Morocco, but in the rest of the Middle East.

This story was so amazing that I could hardly believe it could be true. For me, living in the USA with all the freedoms that we have I found it sadly true that in other countries there are people being jailed for nothing. This story was a true account of a family who was jailed because of their father's actions. This was royalty!
I found myself absorbed in the story and how this woman kept her siblings alive by 'telling a story' to them every night for years while being jailed in inhumane conditions. Malika Oufkir not only gave her entire family the courage to press on and hope for 'someday,' but she also gives the reader the courage to realize that we all have courage inside of us. I came away from this book inspired, and I hope that you will also.

First, I will admit that I am ignorant about the historical basis of this book. Also, if all that is described truly happened, it is of course a terrible and inhumane thing. The book, however, is so poorly written and rife with contradictions, it makes it difficult to believe that this is an accurate account. For example, the author describes the physical condition of herself and her siblings at the time of their escape as near death, starved, diseased, etc. Yet they manage to tunnel out of jail with a spoon and their bare hands, run for miles from their captors, and make their way to relative's home. (?) The photographs taken at the police station upon their capture show five healthy visages. (?) The author also portrays herself as the only reason she and her family are alive today. She gives virtually no credit to her siblings or the faithful family retainers who shared their fate. Finally, she does not seem to have been transformed from her experience. She is the same self-centered, bratty, spoiled teenager whe was when she was imprisoned. Not a good read.

Malika Oufkir became a princess. Her story takes us into the normally inaccessible eidos of the Islamic Moroccan royal family. The consequent oppression and the resultant rush of freedom delivered to her as an immature teenager brings us to the middle of the book and the beginning of the twenty-five years of imprisonment she, her mother, her siblings, and two female relatives endured for the crimes of their patriarch, General Oufkir. I remain puzzled by certain behaviors--the irrational internal assurance they continued to have for the release that never came, the reason why they never resisted, or why it wasn't mentioned if they did. The hunger strikes they held intermittently through the years only seemed to injure themselves, not affect the King with sympathy, yet they continued with this tactic. They eventually escaped. Her tale of the days before their recapture is the best written section of the book. She never blames those who wouldn't help her, but she convinces the reader to. This book deserves reading and an honest try at understanding Malika Oufkir and the Moroccan culture that delivered her into the world.

This book had me from the first word. I won't make this a long
review because you have to read it to understand what the family
went through. There life wasted in a desert jail for 20 years
and treated so badly that at times its hard to get through.
Specially from a family from wealth only to be treated worse
than dogs. Its A MUST READ. You will be left with an everlasting
image of there lives. I shall never forget this book. And I thank
Malika for writing this book.......

This story was so amazing that I could hardly believe it could be true. For me, living in the USA with all the freedoms that we have I found it sadly true that in other countries there are people being jailed for nothing. This story was a true account of a family who was jailed because of their father's actions. This was royalty!
I found myself absorbed in the story and how this woman kept her siblings alive by 'telling a story' to them every night for years while being jailed in inhumane conditions. Malika Oufkir not only gave her entire family the courage to press on and hope for 'someday,' but she also gives the reader the courage to realize that we all have courage inside of us. I came away from this book inspired, and I hope that you will also.

First, I will admit that I am ignorant about the historical basis of this book. Also, if all that is described truly happened, it is of course a terrible and inhumane thing. The book, however, is so poorly written and rife with contradictions, it makes it difficult to believe that this is an accurate account. For example, the author describes the physical condition of herself and her siblings at the time of their escape as near death, starved, diseased, etc. Yet they manage to tunnel out of jail with a spoon and their bare hands, run for miles from their captors, and make their way to relative's home. (?) The photographs taken at the police station upon their capture show five healthy visages. (?) The author also portrays herself as the only reason she and her family are alive today. She gives virtually no credit to her siblings or the faithful family retainers who shared their fate. Finally, she does not seem to have been transformed from her experience. She is the same self-centered, bratty, spoiled teenager whe was when she was imprisoned. Not a good read.

Malika Oufkir became a princess. Her story takes us into the normally inaccessible eidos of the Islamic Moroccan royal family. The consequent oppression and the resultant rush of freedom delivered to her as an immature teenager brings us to the middle of the book and the beginning of the twenty-five years of imprisonment she, her mother, her siblings, and two female relatives endured for the crimes of their patriarch, General Oufkir. I remain puzzled by certain behaviors--the irrational internal assurance they continued to have for the release that never came, the reason why they never resisted, or why it wasn't mentioned if they did. The hunger strikes they held intermittently through the years only seemed to injure themselves, not affect the King with sympathy, yet they continued with this tactic. They eventually escaped. Her tale of the days before their recapture is the best written section of the book. She never blames those who wouldn't help her, but she convinces the reader to. This book deserves reading and an honest try at understanding Malika Oufkir and the Moroccan culture that delivered her into the world.

This book had me from the first word. I won't make this a long
review because you have to read it to understand what the family
went through. There life wasted in a desert jail for 20 years
and treated so badly that at times its hard to get through.
Specially from a family from wealth only to be treated worse
than dogs. Its A MUST READ. You will be left with an everlasting
image of there lives. I shall never forget this book. And I thank
Malika for writing this book.......

I must first give credit where credit is due to the Oufkir family for surviving the conditions they did, for as long as they did, and for devising an escape plan. They are to be admired for their resilience and resourcefulness. However, this story is not well-written, unfortunately. As much as I wanted to be, I was just not sucked in. The narration was slow. Like this. And choppy and dry. The sentences were short. The style was off-putting. Originally, this book was written in French, so perhaps the reason that it was such a dull read was the translation. In the hands of a different co-author or translator, perhaps, this would have been much more gripping.

This is the first truly amazing book that I have read in a long time. After reading it, I wanted to change the way that I lived & acted. The strength & will to survive that this family had is like nothing I have ever seen in my life. I could not put the book down. It had so many different aspects to it: it was funny, serious, heart-breaking, political, and a happy ending. I've been to Morocco & after reading this book, I look at it in a whole new light. I still cannot even begin to imagine experiencing the things that her family went through. I have recommended this book to everyone I know. After reading, it will change your life & not many books can claim that.

Annotation:

At first, Malika's story seems to be centered on pretty dresses, jewelry and the royal life as an adopted princess. She was adored and never wanted for anything. Eldest daughter of General Outfir and his wife, Malika grew up among royalty. That all came crashing down when her father is assassinated for planning a coup to overthrow King Hassan of Morrocco. Malika and her brothers and sisters and mother spent the next twenty years in jail

Author Bio:

Malika is an excellent story teller and has lives on the inside of the royal family in Morocco so it is very interesting to hear details of her upbringing. Malika Oufkir was a teenager in the prime of her life when she was put into horrible prison conditions for twenty years with her family.

Evaluation:

Horrifying, true story. This book is depressing, yet inspiring. This book is a story of human survival under conditions that are almost unimaginable. It's amazing that it happened not to long ago in a country we hear little about. This has to be one of the most moving books I've ever read. I highly recommend it.

The author began her life as a child of privilege in Morocco; she lived as an adopted daughter of the king having nearly everything she wanted - except her family. Although she knew the royal family loved her, they were not demonstrative and she didn't receive affection from her family because she so rarely saw them. She compares the isolation of palace life to her future confinement in exile.

True, the story doesn't elaborate on the political situation which resulted in her family's years in prison, but the story is told from her perspective, what she knew, when she knew it. Occasionally she includes facts which she learned later.

Sometimes she seems impassionate with respect to the horrendous conditions which her family experienced during their nearly 20 years of exile. I feel this is in part a product of the emotional disappointments she experienced in her early years at the palace. Also, depersonalizing the situation became a survival strategy for the family. This detachment is reflected in the tone of her writings.

This is a very human story about an inhumane situation. I found it amazing that all of the family members and their two friends were able to survive such deplorable conditions.

I very much looked forward to reading this book after seeing Ms. Oufkir on "Oprah", but after finishing the book, I am left with
many questions and more than a fair amount of skepticism. Ms. Oufkir's descriptions of the brutal conditions she and her family endured sent chills down my spine, but at the same time, raised my antenna in terms of authenticity. So many things seemed utterly implausible, such as her description of their starved, emaciated bodies digging their way to freedom using only the lid of a sardine can and a spoon handle, and then being too "bloated" to fit through the tunnel they had dug. At one point, Malika's brother molds a "fake" gun from a mixture of flour and other materials, swearing that it passed for real. She describes her torn, swollen, and bloody feet in one sentence, and in the next, she is donning a pair of high heeled sandals. This family spent more sleepless nights than would be humanly possible to endure- staying awake to avoid the rats that crawled all over them, but miraculously never bit anyone. I now intend to do my own research regarding the historical accounts of the political climate in Morocco during this time. Too many questions remain unanswered, primarily why this punishment was chosen, and why their plight was ignored by international human rights organizations for so long. Taken with a very big grain of salt, however, this could be an interesting read.

"Stolen Lives". A sad and painful case of yet another flagrant miscarriage of justice! No one deserves to go through what Malika Oufkir and her family have endured. No one!
Oufkir Dynasty touched so many Moroccan lives in so many painful ways, dating back to the days of the French occupation. During the so-called dark years, my people's lives were wiped out by the thousands in Morocco. Courtesy of the infernal machinery engineered and sat in motion by Mohamed Oufkir! The General (as his father before him) provided all the lead that's needed to engrave the names of friends, family, and some of our brightest fellow countrymen in the yet unwritten Moroccan history books..
Not even a footnote about it in your book Malika! Thanks anyway for sharing you misery with all of us since privilege and fame are so hard to share. Even for a good Christian.
Indeed Malika missed a great opportunity for the story of the millennium that would have rivaled "Gone with the Wind"
Hollywood? Malika left out all the juicy staff: Violence, killings, betrayals, rackets, sex, unthinkable orgies, power.. The WHOLE TRUTH. Hollywood would have loved it. Dommage!

Well, I was very excited to read this book & learn about Malika's imprisonment. I find it inspiring to read about people who have such courage & stength. The book didn't quite measure to my standards though. First, I felt the story could have been better told if it was told as a "story". It was to some extent, but not quite, because she was narrating and not just leting the story come about. Second, I guess it was just hard to feel a lot of pity for her, after reading about the hollocaust & other cases of more "extreme" punishment. Don't get me wrong, a great injustice was done & it's horrible, because these people are scarred forever. But especially the first few places they were held, wasn't quite like the prison I expected. It was more of a house arrest. Also, it did leave you hanging- why did her father start a coup?? It was an alright read. It was just hard to stay interested at a lot of points. However, I wish Malika & her family all of the justice & happiness they deserve.

Malika Oufkir went through hell and back. She almost didn't make it back, though. The story is sort of a memoir of the twenty years she spent in a desert jail. Instead of the "from rags to riches", its the other way around. She grew up a spoiled, little rich girl, living with the King Hussian in his palace. Than, for disobeying him, she's sent off with her family to a desert jail. I don't wanna ruin anything, so that's all I'll mention about the plot. The writing in this book is not very good at all, but you can't expect it to be a masterpiece from some one who lost many years of education. In all, it's worth reading if your interested in the plot, or you're a huge Oprah book club fan. Otherwise, forget it.

Quit watching those plastic survival television shows and emerse yourself in this true life story of day by day life on the edge of death .
Malika's story telling the world of her family life within the walls of prisons was an inspiration to me to find the beauty and value in the usually overlooked , everyday items.She and her family treasured things that most of us toss out without a thought. Nothing was taken for granted.
My sense is that Malika and her family live in the present,always alert and aware of just where they are in this world. I thank her for this reminder to open my eyes to what is around us. She and her family are not" on automatic" as take each breath.
After reading this book, I am more aware that there are so many more political prisoners right now suffering as Malika and her family did. It makes me angry that we let weak and evil people in power. Why do we continue to allow this to go on?

I was completely unfamiliar with the Oufkir family plight until I read this amazing book. It is unreal to me that anyone could experience what this family did and still be sane today. I thought that kings and harems had been part of the long ago (the Cleopatra era), but was shocked to find out that this ridiculous ritual still existed in Morocco. And what totally heartless and cruel rulers these people were. I could hardly put this book down once I started it. Definitely worth the time to read to bring awareness so this sort of thing can be put to an end.

This was a book I couldn't put down. The pain and horror that the children and the adults endured had no end in sight. Yet something in them held on and found a way to find small amounts of joy in this concentration camp like prison. They somehow found humor in the darkest moments so they could hold onto their sanity. This is a book that will fill your soul with wonder, the wonder of how good can triumph in such evil circumstances and wonder at the human soul for thrusting such evil upon children and adults. There is no answer and to say life is unfair doesn't explain this story. I didn't find it depressing in the least, I found myself traveling at a safe distance for me with the author, her siblings, mother and other relatives who traveled this path into hell and out of hell.

As other reviewers have mentioned already, the prose and editing of the book makes it a difficult read. The book had all the ingredients for a splendid read, beautiful heroine as narrator to boot as well, (and a recommendtion from Oprah!).
I came away from the book with the perception that the narrator (malika) was haughty and self-absorbed, not quite typical of your long-suffering prisoner. This however might be the one good point of the author, as she showed the true colors of its characters.
There are big gaps in the story, mainly where there is an opportunity to associate blame on the narrator or her family, Malika only chose to show us the good side of her family and her life, and then the abject torture that they were put through. This of course, is natural human tendency, and perhaps a writer with more knowledge of both sides of the story could have given the readers an interesting spin.
There are several unanswered questions that the reader will have after reading this book, which is annoying, more than an invitation to thoughtful discussion. More importantly, a lot of characters are not followed up on in the book, which would have personally been more intersting to me, like lalla Mina, the title characters "step sister". Still, for those of us who clamour for a glimpse into the veiled worlds on the east, this book gave some good descriptions of what life is like there, from the eyes of a privileged girl who saw both the best and worst that life can offer in Morocco.

This really was the best book I have read in a while. I was torn between not wanting to put the book down and not wanting to finish. I noticed that some reviewers had difficulty following the book - I didn't encounter those problems. I found it very easy to immerse myself in the fascinating and sometimes extremely difficult situations that Mmes Oufkir and Fitousi described.
This book has forced me to think about what I value - it has challenged me to be more appreciative of all that I have.

I could not put this down! While I agree with some of the posts that the writing is not Joyce or Dickens, it's not childish nor tedious.

The glamour of the palace life and upper-class privelage decay into a horrendous existence that nearly drives her mad. I couldn't imagine how they were going to escape from it. She had me to the end.

I was deeply moved by this work, and it opened me up to an entire world I hadn't really given much thought to. If that is the point, then it has been made with me.

I won't go into too much detail but must agree with those who thought that the story had potential but the book was poorly written and edited. But I can't honestly blame the writer. Millions of poorly written books are submitted to publishing houses each year. It was up to the editor and publisher to really go to town on this book. It's possible they improved it from really bad to ok to print, but like other reviewers, i could hardly get through this for my book club. I felt like i was reading the diary of a middle school aged girl! Furthermore, Oufkir is clearly repressed or supressing her own feelings. Her explorations of her feelings were surface at best. I didn't feel any depth of emotion on her part, whatsoever. She also comes off sounding smug and superior, when I imagine she may not be that way in real life.

Had this not been for my book club, and had i not had integrity to finish it so i could fully trash it at book club, i would not have gotten past page 35.

This book really makes you realize how lucky we are to have our freedom. It starts out with Malika as a small chid who is adopted away from her parents by the king of Morrocco to be a playmate for his daughter. She lives the life of a princess and has everything she could ever want. Her father is accused of trying to kill the king and he is killed himself. Her mother and her brothers and sisters are imprisoned for the next 20 years for their Father's crimes. They are given very little to eat and live in horrible conditions with rats, scorpions and cockroaches. Malika finally decides to escape and beginsto dig her way out with a spoon. They finally escape and then try to live normally again after being locked up for 20 years. I really felt sorry for her youngest brother who went to prison when he was only 3 years old. He never knew any other life except for prison! This book is a must have for any collection.

I thoroughly enjoyed Stolen Lives. The ordeal Malika Oufkir and her family suffered is astonishing. It really pained me to read through her true accounts of riches to less-than-rags. The Oufkirs were fortunate and strong to have survived through it all.

I felt that the writing was fine. Even if it was not, the story was so powerful, I would have enjoyed it anyway. There are many books out there that are fluffy, shallow, and very well written. I prefer to read works that are deep, educational, and so powerful that they leave a lasting impression - like this book!

While I quickly read this book, I was left feeling strangely unemotional about it. Initially, I attributed this to the rather poor writing, which I may be tempted to blame on the factors of it's being an "as told to.." book, as well as a translation. While I have no doubt that Malika and her family were unjustly imprisoned for twenty years, (there could never be a just reason for imprisoning children) in often truly wretched conditions, there is much of the story that has many contradictions and inconsistancies, that you begin to wonder. I wish more time had been spent detailing certain things which would have given them more credibility-such as the method they used to communicate with each other while in separate "cells",(while the writer took the time to describe it, I was unable to visualize it even after several readings) how they managed to keep the radio fuctioning, how they were able to pass so much material back and forth to each other between cells.
What I began to understand after reading a bit of biographical material on both the King and her father from differing points of view (ie. obituries of King Hassan II from the Washingtom Post and from a worldwide Socialist newspaper) were that both men were tyranical and powerful/power hungry. And these are the men that Malika had as father figures. This combined with the fact that Malika was imprisoned when she was still an adolescent led me to realize that emotionally she has truly never left her adolescence -that intense period of self-absorbption, and egocentricity.(As the mother of a 16 year old, I live with it daily). And as Malika has said of her self-"I was a spoiled brat"
While this is the story that is being told by a 40 year old woman, emotionally, Malika has never left her adolescence.

I need not repeat the details of the story line here--but a good editor could have turned this unbelievable story into a great book. What is missing is an introduction that explains the context for this incredible story--what was going on in Morocco at the time? why did the coup attempt occur? what were the issues with the monarchy? The actions of the King are inexcusable, but why did he do what he did? I'd love to know.

Incredible story. I just recently returned from Morocco, and while there wondered how many such prisoners are still lingering in the country's prisons. The people of Morocco and kind and friendly, as a whole friendlier than in most countries I have visited. Not once did I hear an unkind word or saw a grumpy face on people I encountered. Absolutely lovely. With that in mind, in the story of her 20 years of imprisonment and the subsequent "Freedom" describing the return to life outside a prison system, the kindness and forgiveness she expresses are much easier to understand.

Not for the faint-of-heart, this book kept me up at night. Though I thought some of the scenes somewhat unbelievable, I can't honestly comment, having never been in prison. That said, I'd highly reconmmend this tale to anyone who likes a good story.
Also recommended: Bark of the Dogwood, Fortune's Rock, The Five People you Meet in Heaven

This was a very touching story. As some people have mentioned it is very simply written. But I believe it gets the story across even though it is written in this manner. She tells of the conditions she and her family and a family friend endured when imprisoned for 20 years. Going from a luxury jail to prison conditions that are beyond what anyone can imagine. It is not a story you read for fun but one to make you see what others go though. I am glad Malika shared hers and her familys' story with us. I will never forget this book. I would definatley recommend this book for all to read.

I would have like to have seen more photos in the book...of anything to give more of a cultural feeling of Morrocco having never been there. I also thought the writing was a little cut and dried and many interesting facts were left out which could have made the writing richer and then at the end ...it just ended. I feel like I read half a book.

This book, a true story written by a now adult woman who was jailed as a young woman, is not recommended. The family seems to accept the politics of their country when it provides them with wealth, comforts, and power. It's difficult to feel sympathy when they are suddenly on the flip side of their politics and jailed-mainly I believe because the story is so poorly written. It never engages you or draws you into the story, so sympathy for the "characters" never develops. Undoubtedly a very powerful story but this book doesn't do it or their cause justice. My 3 star rating is out of respect for the story, the writing would receive 1.

I honestly didn't finish this book.

When I purchased it, I just knew it would be the type of tale that would leave me horrified and full of indignation at the injustice.

The story is definitely one that needs light shone on it, but the writing was SO awful that I simply could not continue to read the book.

I'm not a terribly discerning reader. I love books of all kinds. I'm not one of those snobby literature geeks that can't bear to read a page-turner because it would just be too trite. Yet even I couldn't get through this book.

This story really should be re-written by a better author.

Malika Oufkir's father was a bad man. As the brutal king's top enforcer and chief of Morocco's internal security, he made a living by crushing Morocco's dissidents with imprisonment, torture and murder. For this, he and his family were rewarded with enormous wealth and privilege. He eventually tried to seize power from his royal benefactor, but failed in the coup attempt and was, as might be expected, executed. Malika, a spoiled rich girl, went to prison for her father's deeds.

Did Malika reflect, during her dark years, on the irony of her fate? Her father destroyed the lives of innocent people; then her own life was destroyed because of his actions. Her father's murderous deeds propped up the king's tyrannical rule; and Malika and her family fell victim to the king's unchecked power.

But this is not the story Malika tells us. In her version, her father is an innocent and the king is a bogeyman. She does not admit that her fairy-tale palace childhood was bought by the blood of Moroccons her father killed. Nor does she have a shred of sympathy for his victims -- people who, lacking her lucky attributes (the famous last name, palace upbringing, attractive face and foreign benefactors), never were rescued, never became cause celebres, never were feted on Oprah. Malika's pity is only for herself.

Please, readers: see through Ms. Oufkir's stunning egotism and revolting hypocrisy. As a child, Malika may not have understood that her father made a living as a torturer and killer -- but by now she certainly does. Additionally she is most definitely aware that her rescue from prison -- her benefactors, book deals, and celebrity -- are all perks of her position as the Torturer's Daughter.

I would have liked to read a book by a different Malika Oufkir. In that book, a spoiled party girl suffers a long and unjust imprisonment and comes through many hardships, emerging years later as a thoughtful, clear-eyed person devoted to justice for all. (I am thinking of a certain popular, flirtatious teenager in Amsterdam 1940 whose noble character was forged during her years of imprisonment.)

Unfortunately, the real Malika Oufkir has no interest in justice and is not much concerned with truth. What she wants is an audience that will throw roses, applause, and oodles of pity at her feet, while she struts and pouts in her rhinestone tiara. Oprah, what were you thinking?

There is nothing "gripping" about this book. The beginning of the book, the tale of life with the King, is interesting. Once the family is arrested and incarcerated, it becomes boring beyond belief - and this is the part of the book that should be riveting! Instead, I found the narration totally self-centered and the "story" absolutely colorless. I quit reading about page 138 (just after the escape) because at that point I could have cared less what happened to this family. The travesty is that these events were real and I should feel outrage and compassion for this family. Instead, I'm annoyed I spent money on this horribly written/edited/translated book!

This book describes in detail the pain and torment the Oufkir family suffered for over twenty years.Malika was adopted by the king and raised like a princess.When her father tried to assassinate the king, he was murdered and his family would suffer the consequences. Malika's brother was only three at the time and her sister also suffered epilepsy.They were kept in isolation,starved and denied their freedom.They had no choice but to eat the molded bread with rat droppings and rotten eggs that turned green.When the guards realized the children liked pigeons,they would cook them two at a time to torment them. Their love for life is what kept them sane throughout all those years.They were robbed of their youth and freedom.Malika tells her story as if it happened yesterday.Her strength is admirable and you could feel her pain as if you were there.You experience her emotions throughout the book and become attached to her. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone.I read the book without putting it down until my eyes hurt.I never lost interest and felt so much compassion towards Malika and her family.

This is one of those books that everyone should read. It teaches a valuable life lesson about resilience and the strength of the human soul, and it also teaches us to be thankful for the everyday things that we take so much for granted.
The bad reviews of this book were most, as far as I can observe, based on people's expectation that this would read as a novel, with a straight time line, neat plot twists, happy ending, etc. Keep in mind that this is all coming from the authors memories of these events, and of course at times they are not in order, which is to be expected in a work of this type. The fact that she was able to complete this work at all is amazing.

After reading all the previous reviews I don't have much to add to the fact that it is an excellent read. I watched the 60 Minutes interview of Malika Oufkir before I read the book and the name seemed very familiar to me. It took me a while to realize that I had read about General Oufkir's coup attempt in a semi-fictional novel : The Spy Wore Silk by The Countess of Romanones Aline. Since I feel a sense of unfinishedness among some of the reviewers, I would like to recommend the above book for people who would like a better idea of who General Oufkir was and just how big a betrayal of his king his coup attempt was. Of course this in no way justifies the imprisonment of his family. But I do think that the two books should be read together to get a better view of the context in which the incident took place, and an outsider's view of the Morocco of the time. The author of The Spy Wore Silk is an American married to a Spanish Count.

Malika speaks to the world in this heart-wrenching account of her life. Her story is one of courage and the ability of the human heart to triumph over the worst of situations. Malika endured terrible hardships and lived in unspeakable conditions. Yet she survived and her story is one to be heard.

A vapid stream of consciousness. Not only is the story shallow, the writer didn't even make an attempt to make it interesting. One sentence the vapid protagonist is whining about life in the palace, the very next sentence, "(w)hen we were 12 we all had our ears pierced . . ." I quit caring about this bimbo early in the book. There is no continuity in the story. Someone must have paid big payola to get this drivel onto the NY Times best seller list. A complete waste of trees.

I enjoyed reading the book for the 4th time already. I am amazed by this family's strength. I find it shocking that the many times I was in Morocco during her incarceration, no one ever mentioned her name. A friend who is Moroccan and lives in Rabat told me many ppl were afraid of King Hassan and only pretended to love him. I told him I was glad I lived in a country where we are free to express our opposition to anyone; within reason. I carefully viewed the photos of Ms Oufkir as a child and she bears a very strong resemblance to King Hassan. I am curious if she is actually his biological daughter along with Abdel, the baby in the family. My friend said Malikas mother was having an affair with the king and that is part of the reason General Oufkir wanted him dead. It kind of makes sense, but the general also seemed power hungry.

What no one ever mentions is the fact that the king was a pedophile if he was screwing girls as young as 12, maybe younger. Good heavens! That is horrible, but he was also a modern day slaver and their decendents are still slaves in the palace today, so the legacy of slavery continues.

How could this man have been so cruel, so evil and so vindictive esp toward children? What is not really explained is his hatred toward Malikas mother and why the king blamed her for encouraging her husband to overthrow the king. Was there a love affair between them? Or a sexual relationship that she could not refuse since he was the idol?

I wonder how many illegitimate children this man had? I am sure the concubines and slaves also gave birth to his children. What happened to them?

What will change within the kingdom with the young king? I met a man in Rabat named Imadi who knows Princess Salma. I wonder what kind of influence and impact she will make?

I cannot believe the horror this family has endured, but God, Jesus Christ, the real true and living god has seen them thru, whether they realize it or not.

What a story and what a storyteller.

I will pray for her and her family, but I wonder how many more are out there. Obviously, the king had planned their torment for some time and then he kept f*&^ing with them with lie after lie and game after game. He was the Master of the Game, but evil will not flourish in the long run.

Praise God, the king is dead.

I recommend this book if you want to escape from your normal daily life to experience the trials and tribulations of the author. I felt as though I was her at times and felt her pain and joy. It is an excellent read and also informative of a different culture.

This book was one of my all time favorites. The story the author tells keeps you on the edge of your seat--truly spine tingling. It's a book that provokes alot of soul-searching and inner questioning. What's life really about? How do people survive such things as those described in this book? A thought provoking book.

I found this story to be an inspirational account of a young girl's struggle from the palace to a jail cell. The orginial controversy of punnishing children for their father's actions developed the story into a thrilling drama. It was a compelling and gripping story, but they way it was written was a little off. Some of the sentances were difficult to read because of the way the words were written. I did not like how the writer kept jumping to the past and present to explain events. This made it confusing to determine what details were current and which already occured.

After reading this nightmare, perspective was given in my own life. Struggling with my Americanized problems suddenly seem so trival in comparison. The need for material possessions are put in perspective, learning to love what you have and realizing that you could lose everything in the blink of an eye will make you take inventory of your own life and find out what really is important. Malika and her family are the true Survivors. This was no television show...it was the real thing. God bless them. As Oprah put it.....You are my hero Malika.

This is a story that is told in the first person by the most inane, self-centered spoiled woman who has ever considered the undertaking. It is like listening to the story of a 12 year old brat who inserts themselves as the most important player in every moment of every life around her. The first half of the book could have been wonderful with insight into culture and life inside the palace, but instead it is one egotistical inane tale after another that serves almost no purpose except to relay to us how wonderful she is by how much attention and spoiling she receives due to her beauty, wit and charm. Life in the palace is an afterthought, the culture is an afterthought. You have to figure out what you can from the limited background in her constant me me me, and everyone thought I was wonderful when I, and wasn't I cute and cheeky when I.... It almost drove me mad.

Not only is the story teller obnoxious, but her tales lack credibility on every level. The contradictions are constant and blatant. She complains they locked all nine of them in two rooms with no electricity- but there is a refrigerator (electric?) which is in the kitchen, next to the livingroom where they put on shows down the hall from the two bedrooms that are really just "tiny alcoves" (although each large enough for nine straw mattresses to lay on the ground and they chose to all sleep together in one, how small could these rooms be?) and another small room at the end of the hall that holds their 20-something Louis vitton suitcases full of Gucci suits... They are locked up imprisoned, and barely fed but are taken to the local village for two hours each day where the ladies bake them delicious pies and celebrate their arrival- as is their due. She claims she chooses to stay at her "prison" each day instead of going, but that's not the point. There is no medical care available- only aspirin, and in the next breath she speaks of prescription drugs for her sisters epilepsy.

She's overwhelmingly melodramatic- she talks of two suicide "attempts". One where she cuts her finger and rubs dirt in the wound so it will become infected and kill her (while she lives in a palace with its own hospital mind you, and nannies and teachers and governesses who mind her- and get this- SLAVES). You figure it is a child's attempt for attention until in the next paragraph she takes the time to assert to us these were serious attempts to take her own life! This book is one more childish attempt at attention getting, just like her two "serious" suicide attempts. I hate to say it, but by the time bad things start to happen to her, you almost can't wait.

I am sure it was a horrifying experience, but rather than tell what I am sure is the moving truth of this family's horrifying ordeal, this books fails to mask the fact it is the blatant childish melodramatic hyperbole of a spoiled brat from solely her perspective where she is always the hero, the leader, the strong one, the smart one, the most beloved, the only one who can take credit for her entire family surviving because she is so beautiful and charming and clever blah blah blah. She doesn't tell you how she bolstered everyone, she just says she did, that it was all her. There are no heartfelt conversations, no touching moment- just that she saved the day...again...and wanders off into the next story. Its gross. My friends and I refer to the book as "Paris Hilton goes to Marrakesh". I would like to find a more serious work that deals with the subject that includes some geopolitical and cultural information as well. I think that would be moving and interesting. This book is neither.

After living off and on in Morocco for 7 years in the 90's I'd never actually heard of the Oufkirs but I did hear much of the supposed royal excess. I was always taken the stories with a grain of salt. To see them recounted on the pages of this book was interesting to say the least.
It's too bad that this is so poorly written because the story definitely deserves to be told....please someone tell it with a bit more depth.

Great book. Definitely a MUST READ. I was very touched. A young girl brought up as a princess when she was adopted by the King of Morrocco was brought into a prison when her father attempted to assasinate the King. The Mother and all of her kids (youngest is 2yrs old) were paired up into different cells. They couldnt even see each other for years, but can hear each other. They had Tide™ to wash their hair and rotten food to eat. This was once a very rich family that learned to live with nothing. Very sad, but I definitely recommend this book for everyone.

I could not put this book down once I opened it. I finished it in two nights. It will really make you think about things we take for granted everyday. It goes into great detail of her accounts. Be prepared to shed some tears.

This book is an excellent quick read. I found it to be very interesting, mostly because it's true. It's hard to believe what they endured.
If you're looking for good quality writing, however, this isn't your book.

This book has changed me in a profound way. I can no longer enjoy the ridiculous excesses and luxuries to which we Americans have become accustomed without thinking of the sufferings of the Oufkirs. After reading it, I am both uncomfortably aware of and eternally grateful for the simplest of freedoms and blessings that we enjoy in the United States. Malika Oufkir tells her horrifying story with honesty and courage. You will feel every emotion imaginable as you read this book. It is a must read.

i wished the book was more detailed and that it would have given an in-depth on everything. i was captivated in oufkir's journey. this was such a sad, yet brilliant story. i would love to see it made into a movie. somehow, i did not feel that the writing was justice to her story....needed more pampering to the information.

I read this books some years ago and still can't get it out of my head because of how incredible the real life events were. For a Westerner, the tale is imazing. As a woman, I was dumb-founded by the sentence given to an entire family by the Moroccan Royalty for a crime that none of them committed. The book really opened my eyes about the differences between democratic societies and those ruled by royalty dictators. This is a book I always recommends to others to read.

This book definetly was well worth reading. It made me sit and think of what i was doing when this women and her family was sitting there in a prison with no hope. It shows not to take advantage of things and to realize that things arent always that rough and there are people suffering more than you and you just need to be grateful of what you have. Unfortunetly this is a true story and because of that it hits you even more. I enjoyed this book and hope to see the Oprah interview if it comes on again.

This was such an intriguing book. My husband is from Morocco, and he remembers when this happened. He bought the book, and read it in 1 day, and he's not an avid reader. I just had to read it. It was so good, so sad. Such courage to go through everything the family went through! I would definitely recommend this book. It has turned me into a reader of memoirs.

When I read this book, I felt that I should never complain about anything again. Compaired to what these poor people went through, I have it pretty good. I recently read another horrific survivor story that gave me the same perspective: U.S Customs, Badge of Dishonor. These two books (Stolen Lives & U.S. Customs, Badge of Dishonor) demonstrate the true spirit of survival in the face of adversity. Everyone should read both of them!

I found this book very interesting and gripping. I admire Ms Oufkir's strength, sense of humour and spirit. It is a good book to read regarding human dignity. However, there are a lot of things which are very contradictary and rather unbelievable. I suspect the author is hiding something and may not be telling us the whole truth. The book could be better written. Ms Fitoussi is not doing justice to Oufkir's experience.

I am half moroccan and this book is so true. Hassan II was a very strict man that didn't want to be insulted. It's funny thought, when I was living in morocco, I even passed by the town she was prisior in. I had no idea they where starving and cruely punishing women and children. A great book, and i'm glad that oprah suggested it, so now they will git the publicity they need.

This is the most incredible book that I have read, for as long as I can remember. Malika Oufkir, her siblings and her mother, spent twenty years in prison for a crime her father committed. It is amazing that this happened within our time. This is the ultimate story of survival. Although it seems that it would be depressing, it is written with such clarity that I actually felt uplifted.

Malika Oufkir writes about her life as a princess and a prisoner. She by no means intends this story to be historical. I suppose it is more like a catharsis for what she and her family endured. It is her horrific account of 20 years in captivity where the rule of one man dictates the life of an entire family for 20 years without concern. I am humbled by her courage.

I started this book on one day and finished it the next. This book absolutely takes over your mind till you finish. It is/was unbelieveable in this day and time to read that something like this happened.Granted some of the names and places kept me confused but it was worth the struggle to read this book. God bless Malika and her family as they continue to pick up the pieces and heal.

I found this book mesmerizing. Malika's story is mindblowing. The most interesting parts of the book occured when I realized how the rest of the world just continued on as Malika's family suffered inhumane conditions for over 15 years! I agree that it could have been written better. The author often reveals information at inappropriate points in the story...

WOW! This is a moving and inspirational story of a family determined to survive. Told simply and concisely. While the Oufkirs' experience was horrific and unthinkable the book left me with a surprising feeling of warmth and inspiration about their survival and courage the simple closeness and support that got them through years of torture and imprisonment.

Oprah's selection of STOLEN LIVES allowed great injustices to be exposed. Malika Oufkir, once an adopted child of the King of Morroco, found herself thrown in prison because of political acts she had nothing to do with. She describes the horrors she was forced to endure. Fortunately, she found freedom and the courage to tell this story.

Here's a true account of a strong woman with faith in the future and determination to live her life. This is also about how thankful all of us who live in countries that allow us freedom should be. A book that should be read.

I have recommend this book from the moment I read it. The writer has the ability to take to there to the underground jail with the family and feel the struggle to survive. I am curious to know how the life of Malika Oufkir is today and if she has had any threats since writing this book. It makes you think before you travel.

how they suffered. What a tragic tale but also what courage they all had. This is a must read for every one. I hope it will open our eyes to the pain and suffering of others in our world.
Thanks Malika for sharing your touching story!

This is one of the most compelling books I have ever read and I am a voracious reader. You live the story right along with the family and it really captures your emotions. It was with GREAT sadness that I finished this book. It was written with such style that I felt like I was a part of the story. I recommend this book highly to all!

I waited with anticipation for the book to arrive and have to say that it was worth the wait. Incredibly written and translated, "Stolen Lives" was a fairy tale one moment and a horror story the next. Although, I could never relate with the main characters or even fathom being in situations that they had to face, it didn't deter me from reading the book in one sitting.
An incredible book!!

truly this is a story that should, and must be told. No one could believe that this could happen in this era, but it did. How she survived with dignity and courage will endear you to this magnificent woman.

Also recommended: Nightmares Echo, A Child Called It

It was a great story and it really gave insite to life in her country,but the story was often contridicting, her hair is gone and then...its back. The radio was ingenious, but no radio can last for 15 years. It could have been a great story, but unfortunatly it the writing ruined it for me.

I picked up this book in the original French while in Nice last year and found the story so intriguing that I finished it in only three or four days--amazing given that French is not my preferred language to read in!

I read 55 pages & found myself unable to "gel" with the main character or any of the characters. Perhaps, there was too little dialogue in the first 50 pages to get a real feel for the characters.

You have to read ths book...iT's amazing cause this book it's a true story about the lives of a family in jail.while i was altready ALIVE , and i am only 30 years old. so i am not so OLD , and i can't belive this people went o so much HORROR for 20 years ....I ask myelf were was the UNITED NATIONS and what about the HUMAN RIGHTS? The book is really great and i love the way they wrote the book. Congratulations and do not miss this book.

This book is a story of human survival under conditions that are almost unimaginable. It's amazing that it happened in our time in a country we hear little about. This has to be one of the most moving books I've ever read. I highly recommend it.

This book was awesome...I could not put it down. The author describes the background, scenery, and individual descriptions in such detail that its like you are right there. This true story puts life into perspective.

This book was a real eyeopener as to how the rest of the world, outside the united states, conducts their human affairs. It was a real look into the struggles for freedom and democracy and the consequences of fighting for them. Unfortunately this family was used as an example, of what could happen if one speaks out against government. Page turning

The author starts out by telling of her life prior to the arrest and confinement. She wastes far too many pages recalling the "good old days" in the palace. However, once she gets into the meat of her story it gets pretty interesting. Not the best real-life adventure story but an amazing tale of courage nonetheless.

This book was awesome...I could not put it down. The author describes the background, scenery, and individual descriptions in such detail that its like you are right there. This true story puts life into perspective.

This book was a real eyeopener as to how the rest of the world, outside the united states, conducts their human affairs. It was a real look into the struggles for freedom and democracy and the consequences of fighting for them. Unfortunately this family was used as an example, of what could happen if one speaks out against government. Page turning

I enjoyed it completely, especially knowing it's not just some make-believe tale. I found it to be written in a very honest straightforward way, despite bad reviews. Truth is truth and should be told as is.

I strongly disliked this book because of one main reason...there was alot of false information. She makes her father look like a hero when really he was a villain...not neccesarily for attempting to assasinate the King who might I add provided anything his children and wife could possibly want but because of this: The reason I know this is because I am from Morocco and yes my family lived through this event. What happened was that Malika's father General Oufkir was not a very good man, had killed several people in the name of the king and had enjoyed it. There was a scientist that worked for the king that proposed to pay the citizens a certain amount of money...the king didn't like this so the scientist went to france and began a plot to kill the king, he wanted a sort of communist government. So anyway, general oufkir goes over to france and brings the scientist back to the king. The obvious solution was to kill the scientist (to the pleasure and doing of oufkir) by dipping him in hot acid (talk about humane) A few years later Oufkir plotted to assasinate the king and he too was executed. Thus his family was thrown in jail. No i dont think it is great that they were but hey worse things have happpened so get over it and move on...fyi a platypus could write better then malika oufkir. So now you know...General Oufkir was a villain not a hero, The king may have been a tyrant but he got his way and he is dead now anyway... and Malika needs to get over her "ordeal".