Helpful Score: 18
I have to admit that I have written and rewritten this review a number of times. How to describe this book? Powerful and emotional; a true story; a must read. I found myself cringing at times, but I could not put it down and read it in one night.
Nujood is a 10 year old girl from a very large and very poor family in Yemen. She is told that her father has arranged a marriage for her to man who is 3 times her age. She marries this man, even though she doesn't want to. She doesn't want to leave her family - all she wants is to go to school and play with children her age. Her husband and his family have other plans.
Nujood shares with us her physical and sexual abuse at the hands of her husband and his family. She not only shares her fears and insecurities, but also her strength. The strength to stand up for herself at such a young age, when no one else does. She persevered and I can only hope that as she grows up, her life is what she wants it to be.
This is a book that will stay with you long after you are done reading it. It is an eye-opener. It made me want to jump on a plane and get this little girl and protect her. I recommend it.
Nujood is a 10 year old girl from a very large and very poor family in Yemen. She is told that her father has arranged a marriage for her to man who is 3 times her age. She marries this man, even though she doesn't want to. She doesn't want to leave her family - all she wants is to go to school and play with children her age. Her husband and his family have other plans.
Nujood shares with us her physical and sexual abuse at the hands of her husband and his family. She not only shares her fears and insecurities, but also her strength. The strength to stand up for herself at such a young age, when no one else does. She persevered and I can only hope that as she grows up, her life is what she wants it to be.
This is a book that will stay with you long after you are done reading it. It is an eye-opener. It made me want to jump on a plane and get this little girl and protect her. I recommend it.
Jeannie H. (ilovebooksanddogs) -
Helpful Score: 5
I wish I could say "I loved this book" but I didn't. I did really LIKE it though! Her story and this genre itself is fascinating for me but it just felt so rushed. This book didn't go into a lot of detail on her life, I found myself wishing this book to be 400 pages instead of 188. Other than me feeling this book could of been written in more detail, (it was a super fast read) it did hold my attention and stir my emotions. I think she wasn't only one brave, tenacious little girl but I'm hoping she's grown into a powerhouse of a woman and has accomplished all that she hoped to be.
Helpful Score: 4
Brief but pitiful tale of a 10-year-old sold off as a bride. She is an amazingly feisty little girl who single-handedly overcomes her intended fate.
Helpful Score: 3
This book is amazing! After reading I had to look at the youtube videos of young Nujood! I am so glad she was able to move on with her past. What a brave abd spirited little girl. Sad too. Great book. Would reccommend to a friend!
Helpful Score: 3
I enjoy reading about the lives of people from other cultures. The read was short but emotionally appealing to those of us who take so much in life for granted. Nujood had no control over her life but was courageous enough to seek a divorce after she was married at the age of 10. Not an easy task in a culture such as hers. If a reader has read nothing about cultures in countries like Yemen go for this read. It's enlightening and the courage of a small girl who wants to just live her childhood makes you smile.
Helpful Score: 2
This book was very captivating read. The writing isn't that great; the point of view is fairly limited. The subject matter is another matter into itself.
There is just enough to give you the sense of what life must be like for Nujood, and just enough context to understand why a family who knows better than to marry off a child so young would ultimately do so. The background exposition of facts and figures seems plopped into the story, I wish the writing were more subtle, but this is a necessary addition to the book.
While inspirational and captivating the book leaves one with a bittersweet message. Nujood has made history by speaking up and demanding a divorce, and things are slowly changing for other girls in her situation. Unfortunately such changes are slow, as there are many cultures that promotes this and similar practices. This story speaks volumes; although it is but a small light in the darkness of misogyny, it may have helped change the world.
There is just enough to give you the sense of what life must be like for Nujood, and just enough context to understand why a family who knows better than to marry off a child so young would ultimately do so. The background exposition of facts and figures seems plopped into the story, I wish the writing were more subtle, but this is a necessary addition to the book.
While inspirational and captivating the book leaves one with a bittersweet message. Nujood has made history by speaking up and demanding a divorce, and things are slowly changing for other girls in her situation. Unfortunately such changes are slow, as there are many cultures that promotes this and similar practices. This story speaks volumes; although it is but a small light in the darkness of misogyny, it may have helped change the world.
Helpful Score: 1
Heart wrenching story; full of hope that one young girl can be so brave. A quick read, very worthwhile.
Helpful Score: 1
I first heard about this book in the People Magazine, and normally I don't read this type of book, however I could not put it down. Her story is very touching and its amazing at what kind of hardships she had to put up with at such a very young age. In the end there is a happy ending, definitely worth the read.
Helpful Score: 1
Wonderful story, but not beautifully written. I wanted to like this book, but it almost felt as if it lacked any depth or emotion. The book was too short- she only spent a few pages describing her ordeal, and a few more descirbing her court case. Barely scratched the surface- I'm amazed by reviewers who said they were deeply moved.
Helpful Score: 1
I read this book in one day. You can tell it's been written by a 10-year-old. Although there was an adult co-author, the words are clearly Nujoods. The story is straight forward and moving. You feel like you know this little girl when she's finished telling her story. It was a good read.
Very wonderful story about how a little girl forced into a marriage at the age of 9 finds courage to get herself out of her oppression. Nujood also talks about her family and this book gives you a good sense of what life is like for the people who live in her country. I love her open honesty!
Good book that should open all of our eyes to the injustices in the Middle East to their own people. We see a world that we think happened 100 years ago but is actually still happening today. I had to keep asking myself when did this happen? It is great that the author puts the dates at the beginning of the chapters. Sad but it brings hope for better day in the Middle East as more and more people are aware of what is happening there.
A brave girl who was able to get out of a very bad situation.
Super quick read. Eye opening and remarkable.
I could not put this book down, finished it in one night. Nujood tells her story with the brave voice of a child who has survived a situation beyond imagination.
There are times when the voice of Nujood seems to be taken over by the voice of her co-author, who is obviously the one that really did the writing here. Yet, despite that, this is a very eye-opening and critical book to read in order to learn first-hand about the plight of many young "women" (I use that word very loosely, since I certainly don't believe any ten year-old is a woman, rather than a child) in the Middle East. You will feel a great deal of pain as you learn exactly what life these young girls will be forced to endure.
Nujood is a typical child in Yemen from an average poor family until, at the ripe old age of ten, her father basically sells her for marriage to a man three times her age. Her husband proceeds on their wedding night to break his vow not to touch her sexually until after puberty, and proceeds to be further abusive to his young bride. This in itself is apparently not at all an unusual practice in Yemen, or in other areas of the Middle East. What makes Nujood's case unusual is the fact that she had the courage and strength to defy her father, brother, and husband (which simply isn't done), and to seek and win a divorce, thereby inspiring other young brides in the region to challege their marriages.
Nujood's story is tragic, not just in its details, but also from the fact that the book makes it clear that what happened to her is not an exception in that region of the world. It also makes it clear that this young girl has many challenges still ahead for her. From updates online, I see her and her family are doing better (due to the proceeds from the book, and the support her story has gotten), but I can imagine she will be in for a difficult time in the future. Fortunately, the international fame her story brought her will certainly continue to lend her some protection. Hopefully, she will one day achieve her dreams, and will continue to be the voice of all the young girls who cannot speak for themselves.
Nujood is a typical child in Yemen from an average poor family until, at the ripe old age of ten, her father basically sells her for marriage to a man three times her age. Her husband proceeds on their wedding night to break his vow not to touch her sexually until after puberty, and proceeds to be further abusive to his young bride. This in itself is apparently not at all an unusual practice in Yemen, or in other areas of the Middle East. What makes Nujood's case unusual is the fact that she had the courage and strength to defy her father, brother, and husband (which simply isn't done), and to seek and win a divorce, thereby inspiring other young brides in the region to challege their marriages.
Nujood's story is tragic, not just in its details, but also from the fact that the book makes it clear that what happened to her is not an exception in that region of the world. It also makes it clear that this young girl has many challenges still ahead for her. From updates online, I see her and her family are doing better (due to the proceeds from the book, and the support her story has gotten), but I can imagine she will be in for a difficult time in the future. Fortunately, the international fame her story brought her will certainly continue to lend her some protection. Hopefully, she will one day achieve her dreams, and will continue to be the voice of all the young girls who cannot speak for themselves.
An absolutely heartbreaking account of a young girl's marriage and then her bravery in seeking a divorce. In fact, she was the first girl to do so in her country and her actions brought world wide attention to the issue of child marriage.
A great book, but a heart-breaking book. Very well written,and a tribute to a very brave young girl. If not for her strength an extreme bravery, the ending would have
been tragic.
been tragic.
Nujood is a brave young girl to have summoned the courage to fight for herself.
It's shocking to think what these young girls must endure! I applaud her courage!
It is so sad to read this, I had just spent the holidays with my nieces, who are the same age as Nujood was when she was married off. My nieces, playing with toys, sneaking deserts off the buffet, opening hatchlings, laughing and being kids. Then reading of Nujood, the horrors she went through when her "husband" did not honor the wishes of her father. Her strength to get away. She was the first to be able to get divorced, but hers is not an isolated case. Sadly, this happens hundreds of times a week to hundreds of little girls.
"I'm a simple village girl who has always obeyed the orders of my father and brothers. Since forever, I have learned to say yes to everything. Today I have decided to say no."
Forced by her father to marry a man three times her age, young Nujood Ali was sent away from her parents and beloved sisters and made to live with her husband and his family in an isolated village in rural Yemen. There she suffered daily from physical and emotional abuse by her mother-in-law and nightly at the rough hands of her spouse. Flouting his oath to wait to have sexual relations with Nujood until she was no longer a child, he took her virginity on their wedding night. She was only ten years old.
Unable to endure the pain and distress any longer, Nujood fled--not for home, but to the courthouse of the capital, paying for a taxi ride with a few precious coins of bread money. When a renowned Yemeni lawyer heard about the young victim, she took on Nujood's case and fought the...
Forced by her father to marry a man three times her age, young Nujood Ali was sent away from her parents and beloved sisters and made to live with her husband and his family in an isolated village in rural Yemen. There she suffered daily from physical and emotional abuse by her mother-in-law and nightly at the rough hands of her spouse. Flouting his oath to wait to have sexual relations with Nujood until she was no longer a child, he took her virginity on their wedding night. She was only ten years old.
Unable to endure the pain and distress any longer, Nujood fled--not for home, but to the courthouse of the capital, paying for a taxi ride with a few precious coins of bread money. When a renowned Yemeni lawyer heard about the young victim, she took on Nujood's case and fought the...
nice books
