A House in the Sky

Content Warning: The memoir includes detailed descriptions of physical and sexual violence, psychological abuse, and extreme hardship. It also discusses topics related to captivity and torture.

In the Prologue, Lindhout narrates her experiences being shuttled between different makeshift homes while held captive. She describes various houses by distinctive names like the “Bomb-Making House,” “Electric House,” and “Escape House” (1), each reflecting the unique situations she encountered. Alongside her fellow captive Nigel, they moved frequently and covertly, typically at night, traversing through landscapes dotted with mosques, markets, and isolated villages.

Lindhout introduces several captors: Hassam, known from the market; Jamal, who is infatuated with a girl he plans to marry; Abdullah, who harbors suicidal intentions; and others like Yusuf, Yahya, and Young Mohammed. She describes Adam, who terrorizes her family with ransom demands, and Old Mohammed, who manages the finances and is nicknamed Donald Trump. Another captor, referred to as Captain Skids, subjects her to a terrifying ordeal in the desert. Lindhout also reflects on the personal relationships and emotional complexities during captivity, including her past relationship with Nigel.