Nujood of Yamen was sold to her husband when she was the rip old age of ten. The man she was married to was three times her age. The promise was made to her family that her husband would not touch her until she became a woman. A promise he did not keep.
Nujood makes a daring escape and in a voice beyond her young years, she shares her story in these pages from the marriage to seeking help from the courts, doing the unheard of in her country. Nujood’s courage and her defiance towards her family and Yemeni customs, became an inspiration to other young girls in the Middle East.
Her story will break your heart.
As in many of the books I read, I have fellow book bloggers to thank for this one. I picked up on this book somewhere out in the blogosphere and this one refused to let go until I had read it. I always take read like this to heart as having walked the streets of Honduras and seeing young girls around the ages of 12 heavy with pregnancy, I can all too easy recall what it felt like to see these children growing up way too fast. This feeling rushed over me again as I read this book.
Nujood’s story within these pages is short, I read the book in a couple of hours. Yet don’t be fooled. Each page is powerfully packed with the truth of her situation where in some cases what I read felt like I was being punched in the gut. It literally took my breath away. Which I think makes the story even stronger when you read about this young girl deciding that enough was enough and she goes and fights for her rights, in a country where ever her own mother tells her that she must obey her husband even when Nujood tells her what he is doing to her.
Be ready for a book that will take you through cruelty, abuse,hope, courage, and triumph…. be ready for a rollercoaster of emotions.
My Amazon Rating
I borrowed this book from my local library
Book Journey 
I really want to read this one! My sister lived in Yemen for a year and she wanted to make clear to me about this case that this is not normal, that parents don’t normally marry their kids off that young. It’s Haram (shameful) and disgusting in their culture to marry kids off that young. I’d love to hear about this story from the point of view of that little girl.
Wow Amanda your sister was in Yemen for a year! What was she doing there?
The books said that they encourage that you are not married until you are 15, when Nujood went to the courts they were appalled and sickened by what she had been through.
In Honduras, families (in some cases) sell their little girls to older men for money, not just for a night, but for the men to keep them. The stories of course are heartbreaking.
I’m not sure I could read this. Books about young brides frustrate me so very very much. I realize the importance of reading them, but still I’m left with such a terrible feeling about the world after.
It is a sad story Trisha but because of what Nujood went through, other young girls felt brave enough to start up for their own rights to their bodies. It has a good ending.
In reply to Amanda, Nujood helped write this book so you do get her perspective, which I think makes it more interesting.
I also read this book and I think it isn’t the norm, but where she came from it wasn’t all that unusual either since she came from a very rural village.
I thought the book was an interesting read as well.
I was so surprised in the book Helen how submissive her mother was about the whole thing. I realize that is the culture but coming from the strong woman side of things living in a part of the world where women opinions are valued – it makes my blood boil. 🙂
That is such a trip to just imagine such a thing happening. But it does. What is childhood? Where did it go?
Lauren,
I am hopeful that they saved Nujood in time and it seems they have – her spirit is not broken.
This looks fascinating!
Sharon – it is short and powerful. You can tackle this one in one sitting.
Such a heart-breaking story.
yes.
I have heard a lot about this book and can’t wait to read it. Nujood’s situation is so harrowing and I’m truly glad that she got to get out of it. Most young girls hardly get to live their childhood before it is stolen from them.
Most young girls in some Middle-East and Asian countries I mean.
Right Aths. Good points. It is so different from what most of us know of childhood.
As the saying goes, “It is not one world.” The conditions for females around the world are often frightening and in some cases unimaginable to those of us not exposed to the rest of the world. In some cases the parents have the best interest of the girl in mind, but often there are other concerns and her welfare isn’t a consideration. I just checked our regional libraries, there are only 4 copies in the system. Will have to bug them to order this one. I want to read it.
Pat – yes, I am so glad you are pushing to have it ordered, this will be a book that will be checked out again and again. Its an important read.