Sold

By: Patricia McCormick

Narrated by: Justine Eyre

Length: 3 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's summary

Audie Award Finalist, Package Design, 2014

Lakshmi is a thirteen-year-old girl who lives with her family in a small hut on a mountain in Nepal. Though she is desperately poor, her life is full of simple pleasures, like playing hopscotch with her best friend from school and having her mother brush her hair by the light of an oil lamp. But when the harsh Himalayan monsoons wash away all that remains of the family's crops, Lakshmi's stepfather says she must leave home and take a job to support her family. He introduces her to a glamorous stranger who tells her she will find her a job as a maid in the city. Glad to be able to help, Lakshmi journeys to India and arrives at "Happiness House" full of hope. But she soon learns the unthinkable truth: she has been sold into prostitution.

An old woman named Mumtaz rules the brothel with cruelty and cunning. She tells Lakshmi that she is trapped there until she can pay off her family's debt - then cheats Lakshmi of her meager earnings so that she can never leave. Lakshmi's life becomes a nightmare from which she cannot escape. Still, she lives by her mother's words - simply to endure is to triumph - and gradually, she forms friendships with the other girls that enable her to survive in this terrifying new world. Then the day comes when she must make a decision - will she risk everything for a chance to reclaim her life?

Written in spare and evocative vignettes, this powerful novel renders a world that is as unimaginable as it is real, and a girl who not only survives but triumphs.

©2006 Patricia McCormick (P)2012 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Hard-hitting...poignant. The author beautifully balances the harshness of brothel life with the poignant relationships among its residents." ( Publishers Weekly Starred Review)

A must listen

This is a story about young girls, barely out of puberty who are thrust into a world of sexual and physical abuse by both their handlers and customers. Their parents, desperate for money and often with hopes they are sending their children off into the world often do not know they have been duped and their children are headed into an unspeakable existence. People do evil things in the world all in pursuit of lining their pockets. It's a sad state of affairs where young children are sold into prostitution. I want to shame all of those people out there who have no qualms about supporting the industry of child prostitution.

Excellent

A well narrated book with a powerful message. A tale of the other side . . . The side of humanity we don't want to believe happens, but also, a side of unspeakable strength that we can only hope we would have if needed.

Excellent listen.

Where does Sold rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Sold ranks amoung one of my favorite audible books!

Who was your favorite character and why?

Lakshmi the main charachter was definitely my favorite. She was naive but also had great wisdom. I loved her ability to do what she needed to do to protect herself.

Have you listened to any of Justine Eyre’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not listened to any other of Justine Eyer's erformances but would deffinitely seek them out after having listened to this one. She was wonderful, and so believeable as a young girl.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The end when Lakshmi ran down to the American and identified herself.

Any additional comments?

I loved this audible book, I'll listen again, and again.

For Older Teens

Well done! Beautifully written and narrated, but also a very sad and haunting tale. If you're going to listen with your younger teen, be prepared to answer some very difficult "real world" questions. I'd suggest 16 and older.

Past, yes. Present, yes,. Future? U decide.

Past, yes. Present, yes. Future, ?. You decide. A global issue and clean up starts at home.

Importance of storytelling . . .

The story was well written and read from beginning to end. I slipped immediately into the main character's role and in her world. It is important for every child, every molested, raped, abused, and or sold child to be able to tell their story and be heard. Every woman (and men) needs to listen . . . to hear this child's story.

A great read. Couldn't put it down.

This book is written through the eyes of a poor and innocent girl who thinks she is going to be work as a maid but is sold into sex slavery. The author unfolds a gripping story about the trafficking of children, the oppressed life they lead and their struggle to stay alive and gain freedom. It is sad but also inspiring and informative.

Well written character study

I enjoyed this story very much. It was well written and full of wonderful characters. It is not my normal genre. I listened to it twice none time right after the other.

Horribly sad. A must read

Very well-written. Sad. Depressing. Motivating. More must be done to stop such an awful practice.

Wow

It is so hard to believe that families are still selling their female children in this day and age. What a sad state. This story like so many encourages me to get involved with the human trafficking efforts in any way I can.