Sold- McCormick

What a beautiful incredible read! This is a story about Lakshmi, a 13 year old girl sold into prostitution by her family. Patricia McCormick, when I saw the name I scoffed at yet another non-desi trying to capture the desi experience... but she did it so well. Her writing is more prose than novel each word flowing effortlessly into the next and her chapters capturing moments though brief expressed perfectly. The story shows how hope so carefully cherished can vanish to complete desolation.... And the fact that this happens in the here and now is all the more chilling for the reader. I've been waiting for a good depiction of the issues of prostitution in the desi world. I read a few others "Dancing Girls of Lahore" and watched "Born into Brothels" but neither captured the actual nature of the horror. Each sort of side stepped it in my opinion. This one tackled the issue head on putting you into the head of a girl living a life like this. And Patricia researched her story by traveling to India and Nepal and speaking to people who have lived the life of Lakshmi or currently are living that life.