“My Name is Lakshmi
I am from Nepal.
I am thirteen years old.”
This is the phrase that Lakshmi, the main character of Patricia McCormick’s deeply haunting novel, “Sold.” While, this is not the book I had in mind when I first set out to write a review, after reading it I knew such a gem could not go on buried. This novel tells the story of a girl who is just what is stated above: a thirteen-year-old girl from Nepal.
Although, we are to discover that Lakshmi is much more than that. Hidden behind this simple string of words is the heartbreaking account of a girl smuggled out of her home country into India where she is sold into prostitution. Trapped in the so-called “Happiness House,” Lakshmi is repeatedly beaten and forced to sell herself to paying customers.
A series of poems in Lakshmi’s voice chronicles her experiences. Through her eyes, we witness the horror of living in a brothel and experience a wide range of characters from the cruel and conniving owner of the house, Mumtaz, to the kind, sisterly Shahanna. We also are shown the emotions that rule Lakshmi’s days: her despair at her situation, her fear to trust again after multiple betrayals and ultimately, her courage to rise above it all. “Sold” may be a quick and easy read, but it by no means is stingy on emotion or meaning.
Admittedly this is not a novel for everyone. Some might find themselves downright infuriated at the treatment that the girls at the Happiness House are subjected to. Others might be annoyed at the lack of details and explanations. Indeed, “Sold” does involve a great deal of ambiguity. Several characters are taken away or leave and are never heard from again. It’s these qualities, however, that actually makes this book wonderful to me. The uncertainty that we feel as readers is a reflection of the uncertainty that Lakshmi is experiencing. There is much deception and trickery in Lakshmi’s world, and when friends disappear there is no way of knowing their fates.
As for the anger or horror inspired by the cruelty present in “Sold,” it is good that we should feel this way. Both emotions spur audiences to action, and, in this case, action is definitely required. Stories such as Lakshmi’s are not mere works of fiction. McCormick interviewed countless girls in India who have been exploited and forced into prostitution just like Lakshmi in order to write thus novel. Many efforts are already being put forth to stop these abominable practices, but help is still needed. At the end of this book is information regarding those efforts. For anyone wanting to be inspired to end injustice throughout the world, I would recommend “Sold.”