Divya Arora
Sold
By Patricia McCormick
"Ugh, honestly can't wait for next vacation. Can't wait to graduate and get out of this place!" says every privileged student including myself. But in some parts of the world, there are kids who don't get a chance to complain about what a drag it is to go to school. Even when they really want to, they're not able to. Correspondingly, Lakshmi, the protagonist, is a 13-year-old who lives in a small village in Nepal. After the harsh Himalayan monsoons wash away all their family's crops, their poverty strikes them even harder. As a result, her father asks her to support her family by getting a job "as a maid in the city". But little does she know, she's been sold into prostitution as she reaches India with a stranger. She's forced to live in a brothel ruled by a woman named Mumtaz, who eventually drugs Lakshmi to make her customers happy. Since then she gets raped multiple times, by poor, rich, white, dark, indian, old, young, nice, and vicious men who pay her after being satisfied. Mumtaz is a cunning, selfish frightener who has instilled fear into all the girls of "Happiness House" (the brothel). But throughout this torturous journey, only one thing keeps Lakshmi alive: courage and determination. She doesn't give up. She decides to educate herself with the help of a boy, and sacrifice her body as much as he can to pay Mumtaz up so she can go back to her beloved mother.
I wholeheartedly recommend this book to all teenagers and older. It deals with reality and what goes on around the world. I feel like every teenager should read this and familiarize themselves with this account of sexual slavery as it exists now. Sold is not only inspiring but also thought- provoking, as it informs readers particularly teenagers, what other kids, who are the same age as them, are battling against issues they wouldn't even know exist just in different parts of the world. At times, McCormick can get a little too graphic, which I think should not be a bi deal since there are several TV shows, movies, and Netflix series that provide the same amount and even more details and insight into these "sensitive" matters. For example, after Lakshmi was stupefied with a drink, she was forced to sleep with a "Habib" who is "on top of me (Lakshmi) and something hot and insistent is between my (her) legs"(120). Her stepfather is paid a small amount of money when he trades away Lakshmi's life, dignity, self- respect, and her soul. I feel like readers need to read this book to connect to this on a personal level. This is a true story, and therefore should be more important than fictional TV series which affect young adults more.
In addition, theme of education has been highlighted in the book. Lakshmi has always shared her keen interest in reading and after being sold into this place, she begins stealing books from a boy. She describes " While the other girls are downstairs watching the TV, I take his brightly colored storybook and make it mine...I pretend I'm in school... and I am the number one girl in class again" (154- 5). I express dissatisfaction everyday towards school and then I read about this girl who has been taken everything away from her but she still finds herself in books. Education matters the most to her and kind of reminds us how privileged and fortunate we are. Even though I can't relate to her personally, i can definitely connect to her. I was moved by the way McCormick every detail because I was born in India where there is a fear in every parent to protect their kids from being kidnapped and sold into prostitution. Sold is a tear-jerker at times, especially when she portrays her helplessness and sometimes it can be frustrating. For example, the author focuses on cruel deeds of Mumtaz when she shoves a mixture of chili pepper up a girl's vagina. It's a meaningful read and an unflinching look at sex slavery. Again, I would recommend this book to young adults and older and people who are or choose to be a little ignorant of what's going on around them simply because they are not involved.
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