I really wanted to like this book but I felt that it needed so much more. I mean, it was her story but it was so short and such light reading. I finished the book in 2 hours. There could have been so much more background into the culture of a society that married their girls off at age 9. There was so much co-author influence in the book that I had a hard time believing in some of the statements made by Nujood. Is that really the way a 9 year old thinks? ( )

I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced, by Nujood Ali and Delphine Minoui (pp 188). This is the story of a nine year old Yemeni girl, Nujood, who was married off to a man thrice her age. Despite promising her father to not begin marital relations with his daughter until at least a year after her first period, that delay did not occur. Instead, she had sex on the night of her wedding, was routinely physically abused by her husband, and mistreated by her in-laws. Amazingly, she ran away to a court and obtained assistance in getting a divorce at age 10. Unfortunately, this story is mostly written from a first person perspective, which given her age and illiteracy does not, to me, come across as her voice. However, Nujood’s story is important and is more important than how it was conveyed. It also lacks sufficient background about Yemeni practices, laws, and society, and there is no real explanation why or how her cause was taken up by the lawyers and judges who supported her. She, apparently, became an international figure in the 1980s, something I somehow missed. Overall, despite its shortcomings, the books is well worth reading, which can easily be done in a day. ( )

One of my favorite authors read this book, and rated it highly, so, I figured I'd give it a try. It had been too long since I'd read a non-fiction book anyway.

Nujood's story touched me. A young girl who should be playing, and thinking up fanciful stories, Nujood was forced to grow up well before her time. The story of Nujood is one of sorrow, pain, hope, and triumph. In successfully getting a divorce, Nujood won a small victory for Yemeni women, but it's not yet enough. ( )

The story of Nujood Ali is indisputably important and one that needs to be told. However, after reading this book, I feel that her story could have been told in a different, more effective way. This book is written in the style of a memoir, from Nujood's perspective, even though it was clearly ghostwritten. While I recognize the benefits of telling a story from the ten-year-old heroine's point of view, this story could definitely have been explored more. I crave an in-depth analysis of Yemen's culture and society. Nujood Ali definitely deserves respect and admiration but her story also deserves to be told in a better way. This book was almost shallow and leaves an inquisitive reader longing for more. ( )

Nujood was a simple village girl, enjoying playing with friends and going to school. Her life as she knew it came to an end in 2008 when her father agreed to a marriage proposal from a man three times Nujood’s age.
She tells her story in first person; beginning in the middle of the tale, the chapters alternate between the beginning of the end and her past. The reader is given a picture of her life in Yemen, living in the country in prosperity with her mother, father, and fifteen siblings. Life changes; she describes a life of poverty in the capital city. Her family undergoes several upheavals, which at her young age she does not understand. And then comes her marriage. This young girl, a ten year old child, receives no support through her ordeal from her family or her in-laws. Finally she acts on her own, seeking a divorce.
I found the book spellbinding. I did not want to put it down. The story flows back and forth in a very comfortable way. Her courage was amazing. I highly recommend this book from the 2012 list under Nurturing for the Community. Lisa Shipley ( )