Sold by Patricia McCormick, narrated by, Justine Eyre

Sold by Patricia McCormick, narrated by, Justine Eyre

This is a sad story and a tough book to read but such a good story. Lakshmi is 13 and her stepfather sends her away to work as maid to help out the family but when Lakshmi gets to the house she is not a maid, her stepfather has sold her to a brothel to pay off his debts. These young girls have all been sold into slavery as prostitutes, it is heartbreaking and the abuse is not just from the men that pay, it is also from the “Madame”, she is an awful woman. Throughout this all Lakshmi keeps an attitude she got from her mother to endure and triumph. She assumes once the debt is paid she will get to go home but of course that isn’t how it works at all because as she is told it cost money to feed, clothe and keep a roof over her head and that isn’t cheap so of course they will keep her there as long as they can.

The authors notes at the end really bring this story to reality and the numbers of girls who are sold by their fathers, brothers, uncle’s is staggering, some were fooled as much as the girls were, but some know exactly where these girls are going which is so much worse I just can’t imagine selling your child.

This is a short book the audio was only 3 hours but so powerful. I do wish it had been longer and told more about what happens to these girls when they do get out because once they’ve been in this life they are “damaged goods” so I would like to know what happens if they are able to escape, either through their own hand or by someone coming in to rescue them. What happens to them do they just go home to the people that sold them in the first place? How do they start over with nothing, some with even less than they had when they got there? This would have been a solid 4 star book is some of my questions had been answered. I would still recommend this YA book because I will now be doing some research and trying to find some answers to my questions.

Justine Eyre’s narration is so fantastic, she does an absolutely fabulous Indian accent if I hadn’t known it was Justine Eyre I wouldn’t have guessed it. She brings this realism and feeling to Lakshmi’s voice through all the awful things she goes through.

Highly recommend listening to this on audio!

3 ½ Star Book

5 Star Narration

I received this book from edelweiss and the publisher Tantor Audio