Khalid by James Patterson
One of the most difficult books of mine to read was Khalid, by James Patterson. It has a beautifully written plot and introduces a powerful young woman that we begin to really like, yet then our attention is diverted in a major way toward a ruthless foreign policy that has many negative implications for us. While this book was enjoyable, I found it hard to read. In fact, it was a very frustrating read.
I was introduced to this young women by Patrick Philip and Philippe Barbarin, two French citizens who became embroiled in an accident that would cost them their lives. The next day, the French were left with no choice but to buy Khalid and take her in. Thus, I was hooked from the start.
Philippe’s friend and lover Cheryl is a very strong woman, yet she believes in nothing. Khalid had wanted to live her life as a European woman, but she didn’t want to do so. This just made Philippe very uncomfortable, so he decided to help Khalid find her path.
Philippe brings Khalid to America, and they spend time at his home. He has feelings for her and seems to be able to relate to her and the problems she faces.
There were some areas of concern that Philippe and Khalid tried to solve together, but it was not easy for either of them. Despite the problems that they encountered, this book was a pleasant and entertaining read.
Philippe and Khalid made it a point to find the answers to questions that Khalid would not even consider and helped her to gain a better understanding of her background and beliefs. I found this well done.
I’m glad that there was a definite tension between the two as they pushed each other to do the right thing despite their own struggles and ideologies. It was entertaining and provided me with some great reading material.
I didn’t feel that the book had anything to offer about our country. However, I would have liked to have been aware of the consequences of what this book did to its readers. However, I’m glad that the author and publisher of this book made sure that they included the discussion of its consequences in their brochure.
