In the skin of a jihadist: Anna Erelle

This is an interesting book in several different ways. A journalist starts talking to a terrorist over SKYPE using a false Identity. She is trying to figure out how young adults get caught up in the "freedom fighting" leaving their country to become a terrorist. Surprisingly enough he reaches out to her because she is a "young woman lost in the world" It was creepy how confident this "Bilal" was on getting this young woman to see things his way. He seemed to truly fall for her, but was outrageous in his demands and attitude. How would a woman want to leave her home to go to a desert and be treated like a slave? It is all very bizarre, especially how he claimed he would marry her and treat her like a queen. What do these people think that means? Bilal insisted no one see "Melody's" face and she come to Syria to be with him. Without her consent he claims they have become husband and wife online because he spoke with a priest who did it. Would a young woman ACTUALLY think that was a valid marriage and she had a husband? How can these new recruits be so naïve- I had a hard time trying to figure out why anyone would do this, he came across soo creepy in addition to being a terrorist and murderer! I appreciated that the author put in the book the trouble she had becoming two people - the rage she would have to hide while being melody and the frustration she had not being able to do more to help innocent people. I was also glad to have her add the human side to further differentiate herself from this man. When she heard he died it really bothered her and she needed to know if her dealings with him had something to do with it. She couldn't stomach the thought that she could have been responsible for someone's death.