Sold – Patricia McCormick
You might have read McCormick’s book”CUT” that was quite popular a couple of years ago. Her new book, SOLD, is a terrific and difficult book that I know I’ll be suggesting.
Lakshimi is thirteen and lives in Nepal. Her family is poor – but happy. Her mother is kind, and although her stepfather is selfish and gambles the money, they say ‘any man is better than no man’ – until money gets very tight and her stepfather arranges for her to become a “maid” in the city.
Knowing nothing about the world outside her village, Lakshmi is excited at the idea of helping her family and hopes to send back enough money to patch the family’s roof -so for once they won’t have to watch the rain pour in during the monsoons.
She discovers, however, that her stepfather hasn’t arranged for her to be a maid- but instead she’s been sold into prostitution.
This is a emotional, difficult read but worth it.
This book is written in a free verse style – if you liked Burned or Glass by Hopkins you might like this one.
