263 pages
Lakshmi is a thirteen-year-old girl who lives with her family in a small hut on a mountain in Nepal. Though she is desperately poor, her life is full of simple pleasures, like playing hopscotch with her best friend and cuddling with her beloved mother. But then a harsh monsoon washes away her family’s crops, so Lakshmi’s stepfather says she has to leave home and take a job to support her family. He sends her with a beautiful stranger who tells her she will find her a job as a maid in the city. Lakshmi is excited about being able to help her family as she journeys to India and arrives at “Happiness House." But soon she figures out the unthinkable truth: she has been sold into prostitution. The cruel old woman who rules the brothel tells Lakshmi that she is trapped there until she can pay off her family’s debt. However, it doesn't take long for Lakshmi to discover that she's being cheated out of her meager earnings so that she can never leave. At first, Lakshmi just tries to get through each day. After being inspired by some of the women she meets in her prison, she finds her spunk again and vows to find a way to get out of the slavery she's been sold into.
Wow. This is a story that will stick with me for a long, long time. Although it's fiction, it opened my eyes to the reality that thousands of young girls (and boys) actually face every day. When I hear statistics about things like this, it horrifies me in a general way but it doesn't really hit home until it's personalized by something like this book. The story is paced well and I like the choppy format--the abruptness of the direct sentences and short chapters really fit with the story. My only complaint is that the ending is too hasty and a little too much like a fairy-tale--that's all I'll say to avoid the risk of saying too much and giving something away. Still, this is a fabulous book that I recommend to everyone. I felt incredibly heartbroken, furious, and helpless when I finished, but I'm so glad that I read it.
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