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The Trap
Terrorism, heroism and everything in between...
THE TRAP is a teen thriller about espionage, a missing brother and the ever-raging war on terror by million-copy-selling author, Alan Gibbons.
MI5 agent, Kate, receives a tip-off about an asset, who seems too good to be true. Amir and Nasima are trying to make friends at their new school but struggling to keep a terrible secret. A group of jihadists are planning something. And behind it all stands Majid. Brother. Son. Hero. Terrorist.
Spanning Iraq, Syria and England, THE TRAP grapples with one of the greatest challenges of our time.
THE TRAP is a teen thriller about espionage, a missing brother and the ever-raging war on terror by million-copy-selling author, Alan Gibbons.
MI5 agent, Kate, receives a tip-off about an asset, who seems too good to be true. Amir and Nasima are trying to make friends at their new school but struggling to keep a terrible secret. A group of jihadists are planning something. And behind it all stands Majid. Brother. Son. Hero. Terrorist.
Spanning Iraq, Syria and England, THE TRAP grapples with one of the greatest challenges of our time.
- GenresYoung AdultCrime
192 pages, Paperback
Published July 14, 2016
5 people are currently reading
52 people want to read
About the author
Alan Gibbons
165 books56 followersAlan Gibbons is an author of children's books and a Blue Peter Book Award. He currently lives in Liverpool, England, where he used to teach in a primary school. His father was a farm laborer, but was hurt in an accident when Alan was eight years old. The family had to move to Crewe, Cheshire where Alan experienced bullying for the first time. He began to write for his pupils as a teacher, but never tried to get any of his work published.
Gibbons trained to be a teacher in his mid-thirties and starting writing short stories for his students. Later, he began to write professionally. In 2000, he won the Blue Peter Book Award in the category "The Book I Couldn't Put Down" category for Shadow of the Minotaur. He was a judge for the 2001 Blue Peter Book Awards. He was shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal in 2001 and 2003 and shortlisted twice for the Booktrust Teenage Prize. He has also won the Leicester Book of the Year, the Stockport Book Award, the Angus Book Award, the Catalyst Award, the Birmingham Chills Award, the Salford Young Adult Book Award and the Salford Librarians' Special Award.
Gibbons trained to be a teacher in his mid-thirties and starting writing short stories for his students. Later, he began to write professionally. In 2000, he won the Blue Peter Book Award in the category "The Book I Couldn't Put Down" category for Shadow of the Minotaur. He was a judge for the 2001 Blue Peter Book Awards. He was shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal in 2001 and 2003 and shortlisted twice for the Booktrust Teenage Prize. He has also won the Leicester Book of the Year, the Stockport Book Award, the Angus Book Award, the Catalyst Award, the Birmingham Chills Award, the Salford Young Adult Book Award and the Salford Librarians' Special Award.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
February 11, 2017
With short chapters and only 186 pages, this story about an English family almost torn apart by terrorism (from the inside) will capture many who aren't that keen on reading, or haven't been able to find a book that grabs them.
The Trap deals with an issue that can destroy families on both sides of terrorism. Majid is training to be a doctor in the UK. His family fully support him in his education and dreams to help people, but when he begins spending more and more time with a man who talks of UK infidels, war, martyrdom and glory, they are worried for him. But Majid feels he has to make his own decisions. This story follows those decisions and Majid's path to war and back.
The tension rises throughout this novel, to a thrilling conclusion - or is it the end?
The Trap deals with an issue that can destroy families on both sides of terrorism. Majid is training to be a doctor in the UK. His family fully support him in his education and dreams to help people, but when he begins spending more and more time with a man who talks of UK infidels, war, martyrdom and glory, they are worried for him. But Majid feels he has to make his own decisions. This story follows those decisions and Majid's path to war and back.
The tension rises throughout this novel, to a thrilling conclusion - or is it the end?
August 16, 2017
Tense, edgy stuff. Also timely and challenging. No side is blameless. Sigh.
November 14, 2017
I'll be honest, I wasn't sure about this book when I first requested it. I heard about a book that was about a young Muslim falling into ISIS before and it received a lot of criticism for it's negative portrayal of the Islamic faith. I know this book used to have a different name and I was worried that this was it with a new title! Having read it now, I am breathing a sigh of relief that I actually did like it and the message it was promoting, even though there were some other problems with it.
This book switches between three different characters/places: MI5 Agent Kate, Amir & Nasima who are young Muslim twins trying to make friends in a new community after their brother has shamed their family by running to Syria to join ISIS and Majid, the aforementioned brother who is back in London, full of regrets and hoping to atone for his crimes by helping MI5 stop another attack. My favourite chapters were with Majid and the twins, because they displayed a vast amount of research that Gibbons had put into finding out about Muslims, their faith and how ISIS operates. Amir & Nasima's chapters were very sweet and perfectly represented the life of a real Muslim family, that is to say, the life of any NORMAL family. Majid's chapters were tense and reflective, and I think he was the most fully developed character of them all.
Sad to say, Gibbons didn't put a whole lot of effort into Kate or her chapters. I saw no reason to like her, didn't understand why she did the things she did later, and tried to get through her parts as quickly as possible because they almost hit 'boring' for me. I also wasn't a huge fan of Gibbons writing. It was pretty basic, and a little immature at times. If it weren't for the horrific crimes and death being talked about on the pages of the book, I'd almost think I was reading a children's book. Still, there were certainly some moments that give great pause for thought and I liked the doses of political commentary here and there. A book like this certainly has the potential to spark up debate and offer a different view on things, which is what we need in this day and age!
For a full review, see here: http://chasedbymyimagination.blogspot...
This book switches between three different characters/places: MI5 Agent Kate, Amir & Nasima who are young Muslim twins trying to make friends in a new community after their brother has shamed their family by running to Syria to join ISIS and Majid, the aforementioned brother who is back in London, full of regrets and hoping to atone for his crimes by helping MI5 stop another attack. My favourite chapters were with Majid and the twins, because they displayed a vast amount of research that Gibbons had put into finding out about Muslims, their faith and how ISIS operates. Amir & Nasima's chapters were very sweet and perfectly represented the life of a real Muslim family, that is to say, the life of any NORMAL family. Majid's chapters were tense and reflective, and I think he was the most fully developed character of them all.
Sad to say, Gibbons didn't put a whole lot of effort into Kate or her chapters. I saw no reason to like her, didn't understand why she did the things she did later, and tried to get through her parts as quickly as possible because they almost hit 'boring' for me. I also wasn't a huge fan of Gibbons writing. It was pretty basic, and a little immature at times. If it weren't for the horrific crimes and death being talked about on the pages of the book, I'd almost think I was reading a children's book. Still, there were certainly some moments that give great pause for thought and I liked the doses of political commentary here and there. A book like this certainly has the potential to spark up debate and offer a different view on things, which is what we need in this day and age!
For a full review, see here: http://chasedbymyimagination.blogspot...
May 23, 2017
In light of recent tragic events, The Trap is an important book that reminds individuals conflict is never as black and white as it seems, and that labelling an entire religion in such a derogatory way due to the actions of a minority expresses true ignorance and barbarity.
The Trap is about a Muslim family who are torn apart by the effects of modern terrorism. When Amir's brother is slandered in the news and believed dead, having fled his position as a medical student in the UK to fight in Syria, Amir and his family must move away to escape the discrimination they face and the media onslaught that surrounds them. However, when Amir encounters racist remarks during a peaceful march, he is unfairly arrested and his family must survive further discrimination, while struggling to cope with the loss in their family.
However, in mixture between past and present scenes Gibbons reveals what really happened to Majid: he is still alive, now serving as an agent for MI5 and providing information about an upcoming terrorist attack in the UK.
The Trap is certainly an intense read, and sensitively explores the reality of what the family must face on an everyday basis. The perspectives are certainly interesting, and intensity laces the story - especially with Majid's narrative as he fights to get hold of a phone to communicate updates. The short length of the chapters intensify the plot and what is truly at stake, until the satisfying yet heartbreaking ending.
I would recommend this for younger readers to learn more about the realities of Islamic extremism.
The Trap is about a Muslim family who are torn apart by the effects of modern terrorism. When Amir's brother is slandered in the news and believed dead, having fled his position as a medical student in the UK to fight in Syria, Amir and his family must move away to escape the discrimination they face and the media onslaught that surrounds them. However, when Amir encounters racist remarks during a peaceful march, he is unfairly arrested and his family must survive further discrimination, while struggling to cope with the loss in their family.
However, in mixture between past and present scenes Gibbons reveals what really happened to Majid: he is still alive, now serving as an agent for MI5 and providing information about an upcoming terrorist attack in the UK.
The Trap is certainly an intense read, and sensitively explores the reality of what the family must face on an everyday basis. The perspectives are certainly interesting, and intensity laces the story - especially with Majid's narrative as he fights to get hold of a phone to communicate updates. The short length of the chapters intensify the plot and what is truly at stake, until the satisfying yet heartbreaking ending.
I would recommend this for younger readers to learn more about the realities of Islamic extremism.
September 29, 2016
I'm not going to give away the plot of this fast-paced YA novel - the reader deserves to be allowed to read it without any spoilers or preconceptions.
Written in short, snappy chapters – the bite-sized chunks of text make this intelligent read easily accessible to all.
In a book of less than 200 pages it would be impossible to explore the issues of fundamentalism, radicalisation, jihad, and the UK security services in any great depth but Gibbons is skilful in addressing important issues in a non-partisan, albeit necessarily superficial, way. In raising the uncomfortable questions people are generally reluctant to face, this remarkably spare book deserves a wide readership.
Written in short, snappy chapters – the bite-sized chunks of text make this intelligent read easily accessible to all.
In a book of less than 200 pages it would be impossible to explore the issues of fundamentalism, radicalisation, jihad, and the UK security services in any great depth but Gibbons is skilful in addressing important issues in a non-partisan, albeit necessarily superficial, way. In raising the uncomfortable questions people are generally reluctant to face, this remarkably spare book deserves a wide readership.
November 3, 2016
A brilliant Y/A novel. Short snappy chapters, a very topical story and a believable set of characters. More please!
February 18, 2017
Realistic story about the struggles an Islamic family faces from the public and family conflicts. MUST READ!!!!
November 16, 2019
I appreciate the huge task that Gibbons takes on with this book. Exploring heavy topics such as radicalisation and terroism is challenging, but to do it in less than 200 pages and for a young audience makes it even more of a challenge. I think there's so much value in allowing young people to experience the perspective of Muslim children who are living through the devastating impact of radicalisation. Sadly, I felt that Gibbons missed the mark in many areas.
Before I get to that, let's start with the positives. The simple language and short chapters made the book a very easy read, despite how gruelling the story itself was. The pacing was fast and worked well with the terror plot that was the central focus throughout the book. Gibbons, for the most part, managed to take complex and misunderstood information, politics, groups and concepts and present them in an accessible way for young people.
Unfortunately, this is also the book's downfall. Because it's so condensed and simplified, it generalises and stereotypes a lot, and if anything, sometimes feeds into the general misconceptions that young people most likely already have about extremeism, radicalisation and ISIS. Adequate time needs to be spent in order to write a book on this topic in a rounded and satisfying way. Majid and his family are sympathetic characters, but the nuances of radiclisation and the impact that has on Muslims (and particularly, Muslim families that are directly affected by it, like Majid's family) are left unexplored. As a result, the whole thing falls flat and is quite underwhelming.
I'm trying not to judge too harshly, since I know it's intended for a younger audience. However, I The Trap could've been a much more insightful and enlightening read. It presents a fantastic oppourtunity to place non-Muslim children into the lives of Muslim children and to shatter any prejeducies or misconceptions they may have, to develop their empathy and understanding. But it fails to achieve any of this. If I had young children of my own, I wouldn't want them to read this book because I don't think it offers anything insightful or valuable. Dare I say it, this book suffers because it's a book written by a WHITE MAN about a MUSLIM MAN. An author's job is to create characters that they can empathise with and walk in the shoes of, but unfortunately, in this case, I think that Gibbons is lacking in ther real-life experiences and understandings of what it is to be a British-Muslim living in the current climate of Islamaphobia and panic surrounding ISIS and extremeism. There's only so far research can take Gibbons, and it doesn't take him far enough. Although, I must give credit to him for his effort.
Before I get to that, let's start with the positives. The simple language and short chapters made the book a very easy read, despite how gruelling the story itself was. The pacing was fast and worked well with the terror plot that was the central focus throughout the book. Gibbons, for the most part, managed to take complex and misunderstood information, politics, groups and concepts and present them in an accessible way for young people.
Unfortunately, this is also the book's downfall. Because it's so condensed and simplified, it generalises and stereotypes a lot, and if anything, sometimes feeds into the general misconceptions that young people most likely already have about extremeism, radicalisation and ISIS. Adequate time needs to be spent in order to write a book on this topic in a rounded and satisfying way. Majid and his family are sympathetic characters, but the nuances of radiclisation and the impact that has on Muslims (and particularly, Muslim families that are directly affected by it, like Majid's family) are left unexplored. As a result, the whole thing falls flat and is quite underwhelming.
I'm trying not to judge too harshly, since I know it's intended for a younger audience. However, I The Trap could've been a much more insightful and enlightening read. It presents a fantastic oppourtunity to place non-Muslim children into the lives of Muslim children and to shatter any prejeducies or misconceptions they may have, to develop their empathy and understanding. But it fails to achieve any of this. If I had young children of my own, I wouldn't want them to read this book because I don't think it offers anything insightful or valuable. Dare I say it, this book suffers because it's a book written by a WHITE MAN about a MUSLIM MAN. An author's job is to create characters that they can empathise with and walk in the shoes of, but unfortunately, in this case, I think that Gibbons is lacking in ther real-life experiences and understandings of what it is to be a British-Muslim living in the current climate of Islamaphobia and panic surrounding ISIS and extremeism. There's only so far research can take Gibbons, and it doesn't take him far enough. Although, I must give credit to him for his effort.
August 23, 2017
I thought that this was a brave and important book that was pitched just right for teenagers. I'm guessing many teenagers view of 'terrorism' and 'islam' isn't overly well-informed and this is an honest and open exploration of islamophobia and reasons why radicalisation can be and is successful. It is only an intro and I was left with lots more questions I needed to have answered, but this would make it perfect for opening discussion in lessons at school. The story follows the family of siblings Majid, Amir and Nasima and their parents as they deal with the consequences of Majid's radicalisation and misguided return to Syria where he thought he would be able to help people as a junior doctor. Believing him to be dead, they work hard to rebuild their lives and hide the shame that Majiid has brought upon them. It is pitched as a thriller, (though I'm not sure I'd agree) and there is a plot development where all the anti-terrorist groups (MI5 etc) are fighting against time to prevent two terrorist attacks. It certainly does have a lot of action and tension builds up to an exciting climax. A real page turner with the potential for a sequel it is convincing, partly achieved by the use of very realistic dialogue. I guess it is a book that may date, but for now it is a great addition to any school curriculum or school library. If I'd been able to have had any input into the book's creation, perhaps because I am an adult reader, I would have liked it to be longer with characters that were further developed and the different viewpoints explored in greater depth. That isn't, though, to take anything away from the quality of the text that was entirely appropriate, interesting and informative exploring a massively important topic whilst being a 'really good page-turning riveting read'.
October 20, 2018
A group of Jihadists are planning something big in England. MI5 agent, Kate, receives a tip-off about an asset who was being trained to become a terrorist but now wants to aid in combating the war against terror. 'The Trap' is a thriller that covers terrorism, espionage and even heroism.
My top three thoughts on ‘The Trap':
1. This book looks at what most modern and urban Muslims fear... their children being brainwashed and being led astray into becoming radical extremists. Gibbons does a great job of covering the after effects of a poor decision, the shame that follows it and how it impacts loved ones.
2. ’The Trap’ has a lot of clichés in it right until the end. The writing is simple and straightforward (perhaps for a larger appeal) to drive home the seriousness on terror. The pacing is strongly written making the threat and the pressure feel very real.
3. There are some deeply heavy topics covered here like radicalization, etc in only 186 pages. I would have liked to see more detailing in the changes on both ends of the spectrum - being for and against terrorism. Overall, it's a good read.
My top three thoughts on ‘The Trap':
1. This book looks at what most modern and urban Muslims fear... their children being brainwashed and being led astray into becoming radical extremists. Gibbons does a great job of covering the after effects of a poor decision, the shame that follows it and how it impacts loved ones.
2. ’The Trap’ has a lot of clichés in it right until the end. The writing is simple and straightforward (perhaps for a larger appeal) to drive home the seriousness on terror. The pacing is strongly written making the threat and the pressure feel very real.
3. There are some deeply heavy topics covered here like radicalization, etc in only 186 pages. I would have liked to see more detailing in the changes on both ends of the spectrum - being for and against terrorism. Overall, it's a good read.
December 6, 2017
Another thought provoking book from Alan Gibbons. The fallout after one brother is killed in Syria - and how his family react. Yes, but it so much more than this. What happens when someone is radicalised? What happens when someone is disillusioned by it all? Terrorism on the streets of London, plotting more attacks - MI5........
All constructed skillfully into a tense, fast-paced thriller!
All constructed skillfully into a tense, fast-paced thriller!
September 15, 2017
Tackling important contemporary themes, The Trap deals with the effects terrorism, radicalisation and islamophobia have on a Muslim family in Britain. Brimming with suspense, it's a short but gripping espionage thriller that packs quite a punch despite not even filling 200 pages.
September 13, 2017
Intense and brilliant! It's the first book I've read of Alan Gibbons and I really enjoyed his writing style and idea of the story
November 17, 2017
Good short book.
August 25, 2018
3.5 stars
January 10, 2017
For the past couple of years, I've been really trying to get my hands on some books that my brother can read. He's 16 and he is, as my old English teacher would say, a reluctant reader. I'm always on the hunt for a short book with a fast pace and interesting plot that I can recommend to him. This one intrigued me and so I thought I'd test it out. In hindsight, it definitely wasn't the book for me, but I can understand it's appeal.
As I mentioned, this book was very short and took me only a few hours to read. The language is easy to understand and so is perfect for a younger YA reader (maybe 14-16... but I hate putting age ratings on books).
Although the book does contain 2 timelines with frequent flash forwards and flash backs, it was clearly marked and thus easy to understand. It definitely didn't make the story feel disjointed, but rather padded it out nicely.
This is where everything starts to go downhill, I really didn't like the 3rd person narrative. For me, it just felt a little too impersonal. I don't understand why it was written this way as Gibbons is writing about something he doesn't have first-hand experience of. However, I kind of wish it was a little more Martian-esque, with first-person narrative from Mijad and then third-person sections from Kate and his family.
Although on the surface, this story seems to be quite diverse, focussing on a Muslim family, I wouldn't be in a rush to use it for your diversity bingo. At the end of the day, Gibbons is a teacher with no evidence of first-hand experience. For that reason, to me the book felt obviously fictional, the events (in places) are extremely dramatic and overdone. I think a first-person narrative would have really helped with this, it would have given a greater dimension to the story rather than a war-time thriller.
It's always difficult to write about events that are so fresh in the public mind and that are still affecting so many and dominating the media. There are many people who will not see this book as informative, but rather as propaganda. Personally, I felt there could have been more effort to normalise more of the Muslim characters in the book. In reality, all of the Muslim characters we meet are involved with terrorism in some way. Perhaps, an effort to show the wider Muslim community would have helped with this.
The ending of this book is the one thing that I can honestly say I was pleased with. It was necessary to show that neither party was blameless and that it is not only the search for jihad that has trapped Majid. Bravo!
Overall, I would probably rate this around a 2.75, so I'll round it to a 3. It didn't make me angry or aggravated, like some YA does, but I also didn't find it especially eye opening or informative. I will try to get my brother to read it and hopefully convince him to write a little bit about what he thought.
The Trap comes out tomorrow here in the UK, and if you have your own reluctant reader (be it a child, younger sibling or friend) it might be worth a try!
(for more reviews, check out my blog at https://missabigailsite.wordpress.com/ )
As I mentioned, this book was very short and took me only a few hours to read. The language is easy to understand and so is perfect for a younger YA reader (maybe 14-16... but I hate putting age ratings on books).
Although the book does contain 2 timelines with frequent flash forwards and flash backs, it was clearly marked and thus easy to understand. It definitely didn't make the story feel disjointed, but rather padded it out nicely.
This is where everything starts to go downhill, I really didn't like the 3rd person narrative. For me, it just felt a little too impersonal. I don't understand why it was written this way as Gibbons is writing about something he doesn't have first-hand experience of. However, I kind of wish it was a little more Martian-esque, with first-person narrative from Mijad and then third-person sections from Kate and his family.
Although on the surface, this story seems to be quite diverse, focussing on a Muslim family, I wouldn't be in a rush to use it for your diversity bingo. At the end of the day, Gibbons is a teacher with no evidence of first-hand experience. For that reason, to me the book felt obviously fictional, the events (in places) are extremely dramatic and overdone. I think a first-person narrative would have really helped with this, it would have given a greater dimension to the story rather than a war-time thriller.
It's always difficult to write about events that are so fresh in the public mind and that are still affecting so many and dominating the media. There are many people who will not see this book as informative, but rather as propaganda. Personally, I felt there could have been more effort to normalise more of the Muslim characters in the book. In reality, all of the Muslim characters we meet are involved with terrorism in some way. Perhaps, an effort to show the wider Muslim community would have helped with this.
The ending of this book is the one thing that I can honestly say I was pleased with. It was necessary to show that neither party was blameless and that it is not only the search for jihad that has trapped Majid. Bravo!
Overall, I would probably rate this around a 2.75, so I'll round it to a 3. It didn't make me angry or aggravated, like some YA does, but I also didn't find it especially eye opening or informative. I will try to get my brother to read it and hopefully convince him to write a little bit about what he thought.
The Trap comes out tomorrow here in the UK, and if you have your own reluctant reader (be it a child, younger sibling or friend) it might be worth a try!
(for more reviews, check out my blog at https://missabigailsite.wordpress.com/ )
February 15, 2017
I really enjoyed this book! I picked it up last night and couldn't put it down - it's short, has a lot of short chapters that flick back and fore not in a confusing way but explain everything simply and why it's relevant.
I was just fascinated with the topic and seeing things through another persons eyes. A great read!
I was just fascinated with the topic and seeing things through another persons eyes. A great read!
September 27, 2019
I liked the premise of this book. The story is told from three points of view; Amir, Majid and Kate. Majid ran away to join ISIS a couple years ago and was presummed dead in an airstrike, he survived and became a spy for MI5, Kate is his handler. Amir is his little brother and is living with trying to not be known as the terrorists brother.
I really liked both Amir and Majid's chapters, I felt that there had been a lot of research into these characters. Kate seemed a bit flat, there wasn't really anything to her, we didn't know her motivations or background at all.
I really disliked the ending. It seemed all too Hollywood and I felt that the characters that had been developed wouldn't have behaved in that way.
I really liked both Amir and Majid's chapters, I felt that there had been a lot of research into these characters. Kate seemed a bit flat, there wasn't really anything to her, we didn't know her motivations or background at all.
I really disliked the ending. It seemed all too Hollywood and I felt that the characters that had been developed wouldn't have behaved in that way.
December 22, 2016
The UK security forces attempt to stop a terrorist attack.
I found the first half of this book slow / jumbled (plus there were a few plot points that I was a bit dubious about), but the second half was better and overall it was a reasonable read.
I found the first half of this book slow / jumbled (plus there were a few plot points that I was a bit dubious about), but the second half was better and overall it was a reasonable read.
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January 29, 2017Another brilliant book by the amazing author Alan Gibbons. He never disappoints. Very hard hitting, but that's how he writes.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews