Amal Unbound

Amal is just a girl. She helps take care of her sisters. She likes poetry. She wants to be a teacher when she grows up. But one day, when she goes to the market, she encounters (and accidentally offends) the son of Khan Sahib. Khan Sahib is the richest and most feared man she has ever heard of, and his son is even worse. Soon, Amal learns her family borrowed money from him, and since her family is in debt to him, he can do whatever he pleases with them. Like take one of their children for a maid. Now Amal is reluctantly exploring the new and horrible world of indentured servitude. And the debt is growing larger. Many of the other servants have no hope of ever going home, and Amal fears she will be one of them. Will she ever go home?

I picked up this book and could not stop reading it. It was amazing! One of the things I found interesting about it was the time it was set in. At first I thought it was set back long ago. But as the story started to mention cell phones and things like that, I realized it was in our time. That surprised me, as some of the things it talks about, such as indentured servants and kids not being able to go to school aren’t very common for many of us today. One thing that you may not like is that the book mentions a murder, but it happens before the story takes place. That may not be good for little kids, but if you are comfortable with it, everything else is fine. This book captures real emotions and situations, including much joy and sadness. I ask you, please, read it!