Reviewed by Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com

SOLD tells the story of Lakshmi, who lives in a tiny mountain village in Nepal. She lives in a hut with her stepfather, mother, and baby brother. Poverty is all Lakshmi knows. She speaks of swallowing her spit and pretending it is soup, tightening her waistcloth to fool her belly into thinking it's full, and thickening her stew with dirt. Lakshmi dreams of going to the city like some girls and working for a rich family to send money back to her own relatives on the mountain.

One day her stepfather returns home with a woman he says Lakshmi should call Auntie. He has made a deal for Auntie to take Lakshmi down the mountain to work. It seems her dream has come true, and her journey begins.

Traveling down the Nepalese mountain and across the border into India is at once both exciting and frightening. Lakshmi, whose mountain life has been nothing but poverty and hard work, marvels at the sights and sounds of city life. Trains, buses, cars, and trucks amaze her. There are crowds of people and shops as far as the eye can see.

Lakshmi arrives at her destination. She is told she will be working for a woman she is to call Auntie Mumtaz. Prepared to work hard and earn her keep, Lakshmi is shocked to discover what her real duties will be. She is thrust into the arms of an old man with onion breath. He kisses her and begins to demand the unthinkable. Terrified, Lakshmi runs. Auntie Mumtaz orders her capture and locks her in a room. After days of starvation, beatings, and cruel treatment, Lakshmi realizes she will need to cooperate to survive.

Patricia McCormick uses a blunt and direct narrative style to present Lakshmi's horrific experiences. The story is heartbreaking, yet uplifting, as Lakshmi shows courage and determination to maintain her identity and survive her ordeal. Readers will hold Lakshmi in their thoughts long after finishing her story. ( )

Sold is a heartrending and sickening story about an innocent young girl who is sold into prostitution. Growing up in the mountains of India, 13 year old Lakshmi lives in abject poverty, largely because her lazy stepfather gambles and drinks away any meager profits she and her mother earn from their labors. She sometimes goes for days without food, and sleeps in a house that offers little to no protection from the harsh elements. Nevertheless, Lakshmi, with her optimistic and joyful spirit, finds pleasure and beauty in the surrounding nature, animals, and family. She willingly accepts that she must help support her family by moving to the city to work as a maid. But instead is shocked and confused when she finds herself, and many other young girls, imprisoned in a Calcutta brothel managed by a cruel and terrifying lady; and discovers her stepfather’s evil betrayal.

Sold is written in a series of powerful vignettes that capture Lakshmi’s voice as she experiences the joy, hope for a brighter future, bewilderment, betrayal, terror, anger, instinct and will to survive, friendship, and the array of intense emotions that spring from the life and events thrust on her. The book successfully straddles the line of being an easy read, while at the same time dealing with gruesome and repugnant subject matter. This book provides an appropriate and excellent avenue to raise teenage social consciousness and awareness about the realities of sexually exploited children. Though depressing, it offers hope and the knowledge that exposing the horrors other people have to live through often leads to positive change. Lakshmi’s story is universal and young girls especially will be able to connect with the plight of other young girls around the world who are mistreated, and possibly even recognize mistreatment of themselves or friends, and understand the value of taking a chance on trusting and talking to someone who can help the situation. ( )

Sold been sitting on my boyfriend's bookshelf for quite some time unread and when I was going through books he said that he would be willing to put it up on PaperbackSwap as he had never read it, it's YA, and it came from a librarian at the school he teaches at. So, I read the back of it and before I knew it, I was halfway through the book. I think it took me all of two hours or so to read it. It is the story of Lakshmi, a 13 year old from Nepal, whose stepfather sells her into prostitution. The way that McCormick wrote the book absolutely reminded me of a teenager or tween or whatever we are supposed to call them. It was sad yet hopeful and a good look at how someone can find hope in even the most horrid of circumstances. ( )

I don't know how you can love such a sad book, but I did.
I think there were several strengths in this book.
First I liked the way it was written with vignettes - I think the short accounts gave it a stronger portrayal of the events in the story.
I think any female would "squirm" reading it, therefore the author has certainly touched the reader.
I like the author's use of similes and metaphors.
I also think the cover is quite catching - perfect for the book.
I did not find a weakness in this book, but for the purpose of this class (I had to list one) I would have to say it doesn't tell us what the Americans do about the other girls. ( )

Lakshmi is a thirteen-year-old girl that lives in Nepal with her mother, stepfather and brother. Their living conditions are meager and food is often scarce, but they survive. One day after Lakshmi's stepfather squanders what money they had, he announces that it is time for Lakshmi to work. He sells her into a world of darkness under the guise of working in the city as a maid.

Whoa. I wasn't fully aware of what was going to happen to Lakshmi and frankly I was surprised. McCormick researched and interviewed women in Nepal making this story very accurate and in turn extremely disturbing. The writing - amazing. She delivered such a deplorable topic through a poetic style that swept me up. This fast-paced book helps build awareness through the life of Lakshmi that is truly palpable. McCormick is going on my "must read another soon" list. (4.5/5)

Originally posted on: "Thoughts of Joy..." ( )