I have recently began reading Sold, by Patricia McCormick. The setting starts in Nepal where a 13 year old girl named Lakshmi lives with her family in a small hut. Lakshmi's family is in extreme poverty only making a few dollars from her family's crops. However, when a monsoon destroys all the crops Lakshmi is forced to find work. Her father introduces her to a man who claims that she will be able to support her family in India as a maid. What she doesn't know is that her father had just sold her into the world of sex trafficking.Prior to this reading I read The Kite Runner, the story of two boys named Amir and Hassan in Afghanistan. Subjected to sexual abuse and the grim reality of poverty, Amir and Hassan are very similar to Lakshmi because all three live in third-world countries. I find it interesting how in third-world countries where poverty is caused by several reasons such as deteriorating economies and poor education, many are forced to do the unspeakable. Sadly countries like Afghanistan and Nepal have fewer options and therefore many are forced to do unpleasant tasks. I look forward to continuing to read this very interesting book.
