Sold

De: Patricia McCormick

Narrado por: Justine Eyre

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

Reseñas de la Crítica

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

Haunting. This story will stay with you.

I do not want to destroy the effect of this story on you by giving too much information, but want you to know that it is not a lighthearted tale. The description tells you it will not be fun, but realize that it is real, and the effects are strong. As a mother, it was hard sometimes to listen, but I am glad I did. I am not any kind of activist, nor do I give much thought to human rights around the world, but this gives me pause to consider it more - without telling me I was a bad person for not considering it before now.
Highly suggest this for those strong enough to face harsh truths about this world.

Sad that this is happening

An innocent Nepali girl, 13, lives with her family in a village far enough away from cities that she has never been to a city. She wants to go to "the city" to work as a housemaid, so when her stepfather sends her off with a woman, she believes she is going off to do housework. She's horrified to learn that she has been sold by her stepfather and is now part of the sex trade in India. It's a very sad tale, and although fictionalized it seems likely that this happens to many impoverished young girls.

Tragic but full of hope. We must do more.

This type of story is always a bit of a tough one for me. These stories are so horrific yet true and current even today. I believe we NEED to hear these stories. So many children, so many PEOPLE are being held against their will and truly have no idea that it is possible to escape. That said, the narration was excellent as was the story telling itself. If you'd like to help young women like the girls in the story, there is a group called "LOVE146" that is doing amazing work with these girls (and boys) around the world.

Listen to Sold

Such a heartbreaking story 💔
I highly suggest this book! It is short and very captivating.

GREAT BOOK

I thought I would be boring but It wa interesting from beginning to end , loved it great job 👌💕👏