Sold by Patricia McCormick (Book Talk #7-2)

In India, Lakshmi and her mother struggle to make ends meet while her stepfather gambles and drinks their money away. Eventually his debts grow enough to cause him to send Lakshmi away to work as a maid in the city. She is sold and passed from person to person numerous times. Lakshmi willingly goes because she wants to give her mother the opportunity to have a tin roof to keep the rain out. A tin roof is a luxury in India.
At the age of 13, she is eventually sold into a brothel owned by a woman, named Mumtaz. When she refuses to submit to sleeping with the customers, Mumtaz is starves her for weeks. Finally, Mumtaz agrees to allow Lakshmi to live and gives her a mango lassi drink. Shortly after, Lakshmi realizes that the lassi was laced with drugs. She becomes victim to countless rape acts as countless customers are allowed to use her any way they wish. Her horrible reality becomes a sick dream in which she has no control over herself. 




The other girls in the brothel are given the illusion that once they pay off their debt, they are free to go. However, with Mumtaz charging for everything including television that is virtually impossible. The only way girls ever leave the brothel is if they catch a disease that cannot be cured. In the brothel, protection such as condoms are forbidden. Also the girls heads are shaven, which is a sign of disgrace in their culture. If they try to run away, no one will help them on the outside.
This book definitely has explicit material, but I think it would be wonderful to tie into human trafficking that also happens in the United States. I recently watched a documentary titled Very Young Girls (Trailer->). This doesn't just happen in other countries but our own. Knowledge is key in prevention of this happening to anyone.


One day an American customer visits Lakshmi and asks her about her life in the brothel. All the girls have been previously warned that Americans will say that they will rescue them but turn around and parade them through the streets naked. Still Lakshmi takes his card although she cannot read the print on it. The American tells her that he will bring soldiers to rescue her. Once he comes back, the other girls hide in fear. However, Lakshmi makes herself known and gets rescued. 


The book stops abruptly there after. We don't know if Lakshmi is truly rescued or just submitted to more abuse. However, in the acknowledgements the author mentions that every year over 12,000 girls are submitted to this life. Extensive research was needed to help develop the characters but also explain the setting. There were many constraints keeping Lakshmi in this toxic environment. It helped me as a reader understand why she just couldn't escape.