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HQ Sonita Daughters for Sale (International Edition).
Nearly 15 million girls, including many in the U.S., are forced into marriage each year. Each of these girls have a price tag—and a story. Sonita Alizada was almost sold twice. Her price tag was $9,000. The money her family received for selling her would pay for her brother’s wife.
The first time Sonita was put up for sale, she was 10 years old and she thought that she was participating in a dress-up game. She quickly realized that, in her culture, a wedding is a kind of funeral for the bride. Sonita says, “It represents the loss of a future. The loss of a voice.” After the marriage fell through, she was placed on sale again. She was expected to form a family, sleep with a man she never met, and then repeat the terrible cycle with her own children. But Sonita wanted more.
In Sonita, the Afghan rap artist and activist shares the story of how she fled Afghanistan to pursue her dreams and evolved into a woman who is changing the world. She shares incredible highs, like winning the song writing contest that gave her the opportunity of a lifetime, and unimaginable lows, like when the cruel Taliban regained control of Afghanistan, and how some of her family escaped, and how some were left behind.
Sonita teaches us all to hold to hope. You were chosen to be part of this world and your dreams have power, too. You can be a difference maker. In these pages, Sonita shares her pictures, poems, and songs. Readers are invited to scan QR codes so they can listen to Sonita's music. This book is more than Sonita's story. It is a love letter for anyone who has ever dreamed of more and held onto hope that their story would be different than the ones that came before them.
The first time Sonita was put up for sale, she was 10 years old and she thought that she was participating in a dress-up game. She quickly realized that, in her culture, a wedding is a kind of funeral for the bride. Sonita says, “It represents the loss of a future. The loss of a voice.” After the marriage fell through, she was placed on sale again. She was expected to form a family, sleep with a man she never met, and then repeat the terrible cycle with her own children. But Sonita wanted more.
In Sonita, the Afghan rap artist and activist shares the story of how she fled Afghanistan to pursue her dreams and evolved into a woman who is changing the world. She shares incredible highs, like winning the song writing contest that gave her the opportunity of a lifetime, and unimaginable lows, like when the cruel Taliban regained control of Afghanistan, and how some of her family escaped, and how some were left behind.
Sonita teaches us all to hold to hope. You were chosen to be part of this world and your dreams have power, too. You can be a difference maker. In these pages, Sonita shares her pictures, poems, and songs. Readers are invited to scan QR codes so they can listen to Sonita's music. This book is more than Sonita's story. It is a love letter for anyone who has ever dreamed of more and held onto hope that their story would be different than the ones that came before them.
288 pages, Hardcover
Published July 8, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
June 29, 2025
"Can you buy me?" I asked the Iranian filmmaker who had been documenting my life for three years. Now, it seemed her protagonist was about to be sold into marriage. What a terrible ending for a documentary.
"You have six months before your wedding," my mother said.
Enough time to plan my escape. (loc. 65*)
Growing up in Afghanistan, Alizada's path seemed clear: at some point her parents would find a husband for her, and then she'd be married and have children. The end. As a child, she didn't question this—a wedding would mean new clothing, a party, excitement. And with girls not allowed to go to school, she couldn't conceive of another possibility. But the older Alizada got, the more she saw how bleak her projected future looked.
Now that her veil was up, I recognized her. We had been at her wedding just a few months before. Why was she marrying again? I was too young to understand what scared her so much that the spoonful of cake in her hand trembled: after her husband died, she had to marry her brother-in-law. (loc. 589)
What follows is a harrowing story of a girl growing up and desperately trying to outsmart a system that didn't allow her any choice. It sounds like Alizada's family was constantly on the brink of poverty; money aside, not only could she as a girl not go to school, nobody in her family could read, and none of them had a real concept of the wider world:
"I am from Herat too," the man said. "The war has scattered all of us like seeds. My oldest sister is in Turkey, and my brothers are in America. Do you know where Turkey and America are?"
"So far we only only about Afghanistan, India, and Iran—are there more countries?" asked Razeq. The man looked at all of us and told us that there are many more countries that we haven't even seen pictures of. (loc. 1351)
As refugees in Iran, their lives were safer—no threat of being snatched off the street by the Taliban—but not less fraught. As undocumented immigrants, they still had no rights; they still could not go to school. Besides, Alizada's parents didn't see the point: Nana and Baba reminded me that there was no need for me to know how to write names. Soon I would be married, and learning to write my husband's name was no accomplishment if I couldn't make him food. (loc. 1786) And they did not see a future in Iran, either; their homeland was Afghanistan, Taliban or no Taliban.
It's a difficult read. Alizada is so blunt about the things she saw and experienced, and it makes for the kind of painful and raw read that required, especially early on, reading in short bursts rather than plunging on through. The writing is a bit hit or miss, but it's a really valuable story. I read Khalida Popal's My Beautiful Sisters recently, and the similarities and differences are so striking—Popal's family had more financial advantages and was much more supportive of her going to school, using her voice, etc., but both women were trapped under the same regime and determined that there must be something better. They both got out (not a spoiler), but the details differ...except that for both women it required incredible amounts of determination and bravery. And it feels especially important to read women's stories from Afghanistan now, when so few women there can safely share those stories.
I won't get into the rap music part of things here, but it's an important part of the story—worth looking up Alizada's song "Daughters for Sale".
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
*Quotes are from an ARC and may not be final.
"You have six months before your wedding," my mother said.
Enough time to plan my escape. (loc. 65*)
Growing up in Afghanistan, Alizada's path seemed clear: at some point her parents would find a husband for her, and then she'd be married and have children. The end. As a child, she didn't question this—a wedding would mean new clothing, a party, excitement. And with girls not allowed to go to school, she couldn't conceive of another possibility. But the older Alizada got, the more she saw how bleak her projected future looked.
Now that her veil was up, I recognized her. We had been at her wedding just a few months before. Why was she marrying again? I was too young to understand what scared her so much that the spoonful of cake in her hand trembled: after her husband died, she had to marry her brother-in-law. (loc. 589)
What follows is a harrowing story of a girl growing up and desperately trying to outsmart a system that didn't allow her any choice. It sounds like Alizada's family was constantly on the brink of poverty; money aside, not only could she as a girl not go to school, nobody in her family could read, and none of them had a real concept of the wider world:
"I am from Herat too," the man said. "The war has scattered all of us like seeds. My oldest sister is in Turkey, and my brothers are in America. Do you know where Turkey and America are?"
"So far we only only about Afghanistan, India, and Iran—are there more countries?" asked Razeq. The man looked at all of us and told us that there are many more countries that we haven't even seen pictures of. (loc. 1351)
As refugees in Iran, their lives were safer—no threat of being snatched off the street by the Taliban—but not less fraught. As undocumented immigrants, they still had no rights; they still could not go to school. Besides, Alizada's parents didn't see the point: Nana and Baba reminded me that there was no need for me to know how to write names. Soon I would be married, and learning to write my husband's name was no accomplishment if I couldn't make him food. (loc. 1786) And they did not see a future in Iran, either; their homeland was Afghanistan, Taliban or no Taliban.
It's a difficult read. Alizada is so blunt about the things she saw and experienced, and it makes for the kind of painful and raw read that required, especially early on, reading in short bursts rather than plunging on through. The writing is a bit hit or miss, but it's a really valuable story. I read Khalida Popal's My Beautiful Sisters recently, and the similarities and differences are so striking—Popal's family had more financial advantages and was much more supportive of her going to school, using her voice, etc., but both women were trapped under the same regime and determined that there must be something better. They both got out (not a spoiler), but the details differ...except that for both women it required incredible amounts of determination and bravery. And it feels especially important to read women's stories from Afghanistan now, when so few women there can safely share those stories.
I won't get into the rap music part of things here, but it's an important part of the story—worth looking up Alizada's song "Daughters for Sale".
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
*Quotes are from an ARC and may not be final.
November 6, 2025
Urgent, clear, and alive with purpose, Sonita Alizada’s story arrives like a fault line, shifting everything beneath it. It’s the kind of memoir that refuses to be flattened by trauma or turned into spectacle; instead, it insists on voice, on agency, on the right to one’s own becoming. Sonita tells her story not from the safety of distance but from the pulse of survival itself— her words carry the weight of a life lived in defiance of erasure.
What sets this apart isn’t just her escape from forced marriage or the courage it took to speak truth through rap, but the consciousness she brings to her own telling. Every sentence feels declarative and sure, sharpened by reality and softened by reflection. She writes with the understanding that liberation is not a single act but a lifelong practice: of naming what tried to silence you, of reclaiming what was taken, of believing your story matters enough to tell.
Hers is not a narrative of victimhood but of invention. In music, she finds a language fierce enough to hold both fury and grace; in herself, a steadiness that inspires respect. There’s rhythm to her resilience— an artistry in how she turns resistance into sound, and sound into freedom.
By the end, you don’t simply admire Sonita— you trust her. You trust the clarity of her convictions, the tenderness of her hope, the way she transforms pain into a map for others to follow. This book is not a story about what was done to her, but what she made of it. And that distinction makes all the difference.
What sets this apart isn’t just her escape from forced marriage or the courage it took to speak truth through rap, but the consciousness she brings to her own telling. Every sentence feels declarative and sure, sharpened by reality and softened by reflection. She writes with the understanding that liberation is not a single act but a lifelong practice: of naming what tried to silence you, of reclaiming what was taken, of believing your story matters enough to tell.
Hers is not a narrative of victimhood but of invention. In music, she finds a language fierce enough to hold both fury and grace; in herself, a steadiness that inspires respect. There’s rhythm to her resilience— an artistry in how she turns resistance into sound, and sound into freedom.
By the end, you don’t simply admire Sonita— you trust her. You trust the clarity of her convictions, the tenderness of her hope, the way she transforms pain into a map for others to follow. This book is not a story about what was done to her, but what she made of it. And that distinction makes all the difference.
January 12, 2026
Sonita: My Fight Against Tyranny and My Escape to Freedom
by Sonita Alizada is not casual reading, not cozy and comfortable, and is not to be laid aside. Sonita has a message that is loud, proud and fierce. . . and so very brave.
Starting in Afghanistan, aged 10, she tells of her family and their day-to-day life. She has friends, but her family doesn't read or write, so their world is limited to known close-by borders. As the family needs to find marriage partners for brothers and money is scarce, it is decided that one of their assets can be found in the form of its female children. It has already been through one sister married, and now interest has been shown in Sonita, and a meeting is set. She realizes this isn't a game: that she (the female - being bought by a male stranger's family for his personal use) is the one who will lose her choices in future living (if she ever had it) while her brother (as the male in his pairing) rules the roost for the rest of his life. Something big and relentless awakes in her heart. She will NOT go down quietly. Sonita makes a plan - her dream book - and it starts with learning to read and write, and SING. She finds her voice.
In the meantime, that sale falls through, but another follows. And as always, when things just can't get any worse, they do. Afghanistan has just been taken over by an even stricter system of rule that is deeply rooted in gender apartheid.
Her family is caught in the crosshairs of culture, especially her parents - it brings them all to literal crossroads. Can minds be changed without losing everything? Without losing who you are?
To be sold as a child, have a price tag. . .Sonita's story is sobering and well-told. She could rant and rave, but she doesn't - she tells her story with respect, restraint and hope - a kind of anticipated victory all on its own.
I read and listened, and her pictures in the book along with her music in the listen are not to be missed if one has the opportunity to use both formats.
I'm so proud of Sonita, even though I am a stranger to her. Despite our distance in space and time, I'm so very proud of her, pleased to be a girl (albeit an ancient one) and know that she is out there fighting with all her heart, might, mind and voice, wrapped up in all that bright shiny courage. I'm also proud of her family, her Baba who supported her before he died, and her Nana, siblings, and other dear friends. It's always easier to fight the hard battles knowing your Circle of Beloveds are close by.
Lastly, I recommend her YouTubes, and her music can be found on spotify : https://open.spotify.com/artist/31QxE...
*A sincere thank you to Sonita Alizada, HarperOne, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.* #Sonita #NetGalley 26|52:18a
Starting in Afghanistan, aged 10, she tells of her family and their day-to-day life. She has friends, but her family doesn't read or write, so their world is limited to known close-by borders. As the family needs to find marriage partners for brothers and money is scarce, it is decided that one of their assets can be found in the form of its female children. It has already been through one sister married, and now interest has been shown in Sonita, and a meeting is set. She realizes this isn't a game: that she (the female - being bought by a male stranger's family for his personal use) is the one who will lose her choices in future living (if she ever had it) while her brother (as the male in his pairing) rules the roost for the rest of his life. Something big and relentless awakes in her heart. She will NOT go down quietly. Sonita makes a plan - her dream book - and it starts with learning to read and write, and SING. She finds her voice.
In the meantime, that sale falls through, but another follows. And as always, when things just can't get any worse, they do. Afghanistan has just been taken over by an even stricter system of rule that is deeply rooted in gender apartheid.
Her family is caught in the crosshairs of culture, especially her parents - it brings them all to literal crossroads. Can minds be changed without losing everything? Without losing who you are?
To be sold as a child, have a price tag. . .Sonita's story is sobering and well-told. She could rant and rave, but she doesn't - she tells her story with respect, restraint and hope - a kind of anticipated victory all on its own.
I read and listened, and her pictures in the book along with her music in the listen are not to be missed if one has the opportunity to use both formats.
I'm so proud of Sonita, even though I am a stranger to her. Despite our distance in space and time, I'm so very proud of her, pleased to be a girl (albeit an ancient one) and know that she is out there fighting with all her heart, might, mind and voice, wrapped up in all that bright shiny courage. I'm also proud of her family, her Baba who supported her before he died, and her Nana, siblings, and other dear friends. It's always easier to fight the hard battles knowing your Circle of Beloveds are close by.
Lastly, I recommend her YouTubes, and her music can be found on spotify : https://open.spotify.com/artist/31QxE...
*A sincere thank you to Sonita Alizada, HarperOne, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.* #Sonita #NetGalley 26|52:18a
September 21, 2025
Over time, I became increasingly aware of the idea that some human rights issues had to remain issues, so the profitable business of human rights would continue to benefit some people
💯
💯
December 13, 2025
Ingesting to hear about Afghanistan refugee experience.
August 26, 2025
I first listened to Daughters for Sale/became familiar with Sonita back in either late 2017 or early 2018, and have been a fan since, but I was never able to find a place where I could watch the documentary film online (still can't). So, fair to say, I am really glad that Sonita wrote this memoir. When I first saw it announced on Instagram, I knew that it was something I was going to have to buy and read, and I'm glad I did so that I could learn more about her story, fully in her own words! Of course, it's also been a decade since the documentary came out, so there was also even more in here than there would've been in the documentary.
Sonita's story is heartbreaking and inspiring, and one that I'm glad she's been able to share publicly. The book is well written. I also enjoyed the new songs at the end of the book, my favorite of the three new ones was "Go Away War," with "Human Rights is a Brand" a very close second (also loved "So Loved," though, and of course "Daughters for Sale" was already perfect).
I'd definitely recommend others to read and listen to Sonita's story.
Sonita's story is heartbreaking and inspiring, and one that I'm glad she's been able to share publicly. The book is well written. I also enjoyed the new songs at the end of the book, my favorite of the three new ones was "Go Away War," with "Human Rights is a Brand" a very close second (also loved "So Loved," though, and of course "Daughters for Sale" was already perfect).
I'd definitely recommend others to read and listen to Sonita's story.
July 10, 2025
Sonita by Sonita Alizada is such a beautiful and inspirational story.
Sonita tell us her life story, beginning when she was extremely young. Their family rules, their religious dos and don’ts as Muslims.
She has a hard life and real struggles trying to navigate through a very stiff regime as a woman. The taliban are everywhere, ready to punish anyone stepping away from the laws they have put on the residents of Afghanistan and beyond.
She finds music,(also banned for women) and finds her outlet for her rage.
I can’t believe what that poor girl went through, it made me very grateful to live in such a liberal country. I am very lucky. Her story gets better, but the fight goes on….
Many thanks to HQ for the opportunity to read this arc copy via Netgalley. My opinion is my own.
#Netgalley, #HQStories, #SonitaLizadeh..
Sonita tell us her life story, beginning when she was extremely young. Their family rules, their religious dos and don’ts as Muslims.
She has a hard life and real struggles trying to navigate through a very stiff regime as a woman. The taliban are everywhere, ready to punish anyone stepping away from the laws they have put on the residents of Afghanistan and beyond.
She finds music,(also banned for women) and finds her outlet for her rage.
I can’t believe what that poor girl went through, it made me very grateful to live in such a liberal country. I am very lucky. Her story gets better, but the fight goes on….
Many thanks to HQ for the opportunity to read this arc copy via Netgalley. My opinion is my own.
#Netgalley, #HQStories, #SonitaLizadeh..
August 30, 2025
A memoir for our times
Sonita begins her story as a five year old living with her large family in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. Through her innocent eyes, we watch a family struggle to contend with the oppressive environment. Sonita shows spunk and independence even in her preteens, skipping Korhan school to play in the river, deciding on her own she can make money begging, being dazzled by the fashions during holidays and weddings. After a harrowing escape to Iran, the family has to contend with the prejudice against Afghanis which forbids Sonita to attend school. Saved by a social worker who instructs Afghani children, Sonita is encouraged to dream big and, given her intellect, creativity, and joie de vivre she surpasses her wildest dreams and becomes an international rapper who encourages other girls to believe in their dreams.
Sonita begins her story as a five year old living with her large family in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. Through her innocent eyes, we watch a family struggle to contend with the oppressive environment. Sonita shows spunk and independence even in her preteens, skipping Korhan school to play in the river, deciding on her own she can make money begging, being dazzled by the fashions during holidays and weddings. After a harrowing escape to Iran, the family has to contend with the prejudice against Afghanis which forbids Sonita to attend school. Saved by a social worker who instructs Afghani children, Sonita is encouraged to dream big and, given her intellect, creativity, and joie de vivre she surpasses her wildest dreams and becomes an international rapper who encourages other girls to believe in their dreams.
June 5, 2025
Sonita Alizada's autobiography starts with her youth in Afghanistan before her family flee the Taliban regime. Once that group is toppled by American intervention she returns. Later she moves to the USA, turning this autobiography into a world-trotting tale. Sonita's story is interesting, though not unique to that part of the world, and the autobiography is engaging and quick moving.
If you are looking for in-depth analysis of how the lives of women are impacted under an oppressive regime you will gain no answers here, the political insight is minimal. What you do get is a very human, very real and engrossing story of a young woman attempting to find her place in the world.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.
If you are looking for in-depth analysis of how the lives of women are impacted under an oppressive regime you will gain no answers here, the political insight is minimal. What you do get is a very human, very real and engrossing story of a young woman attempting to find her place in the world.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.
June 23, 2025
This was a very inspiring and heartfelt memoir and one that is very necessary. Sonita's story is not uncommon, and in telling it, she's helping countless other child bride survivors. It must've been very scary to release "Daughters for Sale," but it also shows what a strong and remarkable young woman she is.
The only slight downside was that I felt the ending was a bit rushed, and the pacing throughout threw me off course a bit. These are only slight things that made it hard for me to follow at times, but I did struggle to keep up with how old she was. That said, it could just be the memoir genre is difficult for me to keep up with on audio.
Overall, it's an important book and one that I won't forget. Thank you to Libro FM and the publishers for the ALC.
The only slight downside was that I felt the ending was a bit rushed, and the pacing throughout threw me off course a bit. These are only slight things that made it hard for me to follow at times, but I did struggle to keep up with how old she was. That said, it could just be the memoir genre is difficult for me to keep up with on audio.
Overall, it's an important book and one that I won't forget. Thank you to Libro FM and the publishers for the ALC.
August 19, 2025
A wonderfully powerful book with vivid descriptions of life in Afghanistan and being an illegal immigrant in Iran. Sonita Alizadeh’s life has not been easy but despite this, she has through hard work achieved goals that even she couldn’t have imagined when she created her dream book - which every child should be encouraged to have. Her honesty in the telling of her life story is refreshing and must have been hard for her to expose. I hope through this book, her music and activism her message can be heard by many.
June 10, 2025
She was brought up in Afghanistan and she explains how she was not allowed to go to school, and how her and her family flee to Iran, she secretly manages to do to a school, which her family had no knowledge of. She was extremely brave, and became a rap artist. The book gives you a better understanding of what her and her family have gone through. In parts the book is sad, but it has a lovely ending.
July 8, 2025
From refugee to rap artist. Sonita Alizadeh’s story is gripping, heart-rending but also joyous. Her family fled Afghanistan for Iran when she was a child, returning later when it felt safer. As a Muslim girl, she was expected to marry young to a man of her family’s choice. She wanted more. She wanted education and to live a less restrictive life. A life not controlled by men. She achieved this through rap, education and perseverance. A book you won’t forget.
June 25, 2025
A thoughtful read about 10 year old Sonita. Travelling from Afghanistan and escaping her fate as a child bride she becomes a human right activist. An inspirational and empowering read.
August 22, 2025
Sterk verhaal van een dappere vrouw
October 14, 2025
Love her music.
September 10, 2025
The world is a pretty manic place at times and I may have overwhelmed my brain slightly by picking up two biographies that deal with major social issues at roughly the same time. The thing is, I find these stories interesting, but they are often fairly heavy reading, even the ones with an optimistic outcome involve a degree of hardship to get there. Still, the whole point of such books is to bring new details and perspectives to stories, especially as we tend to pick up books on things we're at least somewhat familiar with. Which is where I started here. Sonita is new to me as a person and an artist, but there's been a lot of general coverage of Afghanistan and the Taliban over the past couple of decades so I felt somewhat aware of the core of the book - child brides who would be traded for various reason.
And the book did what I expected in that regard - more details and new perspectives. Some were simpler than others, reminding me that all those various abstract ideas of life under the Taliban weren't just separate data points - they all came together to create a way of life. And likewise, it's one thing to know about things like women being denied access to education and the such, but here they take a more concrete form. As an outsider it's easy to look in and nod sagely, but it remains distant without that personal story.
Which is where I land on the whole book really. I've been pondering what I can say for a few days now. It's not a book people are likely to pick up randomly. You're likely reading this for a reason, to which I can say it's a worthy read. You'll get the highs and lows you expect. But it's well told, and Sonita does bring a fresh angle with her music career. And no, I didn't sync the music to the book, it's not practical for me. I listened at other times though and I can see it working. As I didn't try it though I don't know if it would really enrich the experience. I can see it working for some, but personally I've never really got on with books having soundtracks. I think if I'd tried this as an audiobook I'd be very excited about that multimedia approach.
So yeah, if you're this far down a review on a book like this you should probably just read it. It'll be good. Even if you just skimmed down to the bottom, the fact you're even considering it means you probably should. It's not always fun, and I found it relaxing to swap in something lighter every so often when I was feeling tired, but it's a worthy read.
And the book did what I expected in that regard - more details and new perspectives. Some were simpler than others, reminding me that all those various abstract ideas of life under the Taliban weren't just separate data points - they all came together to create a way of life. And likewise, it's one thing to know about things like women being denied access to education and the such, but here they take a more concrete form. As an outsider it's easy to look in and nod sagely, but it remains distant without that personal story.
Which is where I land on the whole book really. I've been pondering what I can say for a few days now. It's not a book people are likely to pick up randomly. You're likely reading this for a reason, to which I can say it's a worthy read. You'll get the highs and lows you expect. But it's well told, and Sonita does bring a fresh angle with her music career. And no, I didn't sync the music to the book, it's not practical for me. I listened at other times though and I can see it working. As I didn't try it though I don't know if it would really enrich the experience. I can see it working for some, but personally I've never really got on with books having soundtracks. I think if I'd tried this as an audiobook I'd be very excited about that multimedia approach.
So yeah, if you're this far down a review on a book like this you should probably just read it. It'll be good. Even if you just skimmed down to the bottom, the fact you're even considering it means you probably should. It's not always fun, and I found it relaxing to swap in something lighter every so often when I was feeling tired, but it's a worthy read.
July 9, 2025
Sonita is a truly inspiring memoir about one womans journey to freedom and her role as an activist against child marriage.
Growing up in Afghanistan, Sonita always knew that her family had her future mapped out for her. One day, they would find her a husband, she would marry, and then she would spend her life as a wife and a mother.
Girls didn't go to school, so as far as Sonita was concerned, this was the norm. She was just 10 years old the first time she was put up for sale as a child bride.
Sonita talks candidly about her life in Afghanistan, her hopes and dreams of receiving an education, the lows of having to flee her country for Iran due to being under the control of the Taliban and the highs of finding her voice through rap music and her future of activism.
There were parts of this story that made me sob uncontrollably, and my heart broke for that little girl, but reading her memoir also made me angry and share the frustration that the seriousness of children being forced into marriage is not given the full attention it deserves. Sonita says something in this book about human rights issues being spoken about, but action is not taken because it benefits the people in charge of human rights financially, and this, for me, is profound. Even now, with everything going on in the world.
Sonita's story is ultimately one of freedom and triumph and left me feeling hopeful, but there are still as many as nearly 15 million young girls being forced into marriage in the U.S. alone every year. Each one of those girls has a story, and I'm thankful to Sonita for being their voice.
Growing up in Afghanistan, Sonita always knew that her family had her future mapped out for her. One day, they would find her a husband, she would marry, and then she would spend her life as a wife and a mother.
Girls didn't go to school, so as far as Sonita was concerned, this was the norm. She was just 10 years old the first time she was put up for sale as a child bride.
Sonita talks candidly about her life in Afghanistan, her hopes and dreams of receiving an education, the lows of having to flee her country for Iran due to being under the control of the Taliban and the highs of finding her voice through rap music and her future of activism.
There were parts of this story that made me sob uncontrollably, and my heart broke for that little girl, but reading her memoir also made me angry and share the frustration that the seriousness of children being forced into marriage is not given the full attention it deserves. Sonita says something in this book about human rights issues being spoken about, but action is not taken because it benefits the people in charge of human rights financially, and this, for me, is profound. Even now, with everything going on in the world.
Sonita's story is ultimately one of freedom and triumph and left me feeling hopeful, but there are still as many as nearly 15 million young girls being forced into marriage in the U.S. alone every year. Each one of those girls has a story, and I'm thankful to Sonita for being their voice.
August 16, 2025
Sonita: My Fight Against Tyranny and My Escape to Freedom by Sonita Alizada is an inspiring memoir about the author's youth in Afghanistan, and her desire to be treated equally to boys/men. We watch her fight the constraints placed upon her, become an activist against child marriage, and escape to the United States. But we also see the sacrifices she makes to get there.
Sonita knew that she had no say in her future. Her parents would choose her husband, she would marry while still a child, and begin a life as a wife and mother. But, she wanted to attend school, to learn, to grow up, and to choose her own future. When she discovered rap music, she also found her voice. She began to sing and rap, writing songs about her life, the unfairness of life for girls and women, and how she saw her future. She became an activist.
Her story is one of triumph. Important and profound. And child marriage is not a problem only found in the middle east. Child marriage is still legal in 34 states of the USA, and many politicians are seeking to lower the marriage age in their home states!
I listened to the audiobook and was happy to find that she included recordings of her music.
At times the book was devastatingly sad. It angered me. It taught me. It reminded me to be grateful.
Sonita knew that she had no say in her future. Her parents would choose her husband, she would marry while still a child, and begin a life as a wife and mother. But, she wanted to attend school, to learn, to grow up, and to choose her own future. When she discovered rap music, she also found her voice. She began to sing and rap, writing songs about her life, the unfairness of life for girls and women, and how she saw her future. She became an activist.
Her story is one of triumph. Important and profound. And child marriage is not a problem only found in the middle east. Child marriage is still legal in 34 states of the USA, and many politicians are seeking to lower the marriage age in their home states!
I listened to the audiobook and was happy to find that she included recordings of her music.
At times the book was devastatingly sad. It angered me. It taught me. It reminded me to be grateful.
October 27, 2025
Sonita is an extraordinary memoir of resilience, courage, and defiance in the face of oppression. Sonita Alizada transforms her personal pain into a universal message of hope, empowerment, and freedom. Her story, from being nearly sold into marriage to emerging as a global voice for girls’ rights, is both heartbreaking and profoundly inspiring.
Through vivid storytelling and raw emotion, Sonita gives readers an unflinching look at the realities many girls face where marriage is not a celebration, but a loss of self. Yet what makes this book so powerful is not only its honesty but its insistence on hope. Every page radiates her belief that dreams have power, that art can become protest, and that one voice even when silenced can echo loudly enough to change the world.
The inclusion of her poetry, songs, and personal photographs adds a deeply personal layer, allowing readers to witness her journey in her own voice and rhythm. Sonita is more than a memoir; it’s a movement of survival and self-expression that reminds us why stories like hers must never be forgotten.
Through vivid storytelling and raw emotion, Sonita gives readers an unflinching look at the realities many girls face where marriage is not a celebration, but a loss of self. Yet what makes this book so powerful is not only its honesty but its insistence on hope. Every page radiates her belief that dreams have power, that art can become protest, and that one voice even when silenced can echo loudly enough to change the world.
The inclusion of her poetry, songs, and personal photographs adds a deeply personal layer, allowing readers to witness her journey in her own voice and rhythm. Sonita is more than a memoir; it’s a movement of survival and self-expression that reminds us why stories like hers must never be forgotten.
December 31, 2025
A powerful memoir that combines a coming-of-age story with political and societal commentary, and a tale of courage, resilience and defiance. And it is one of those books that immediately sends the reader off on a quest to find out more about its remarkable author, a young Afghan woman who journeys from a childhood shaped by the Taliban, war and exile to a new life as an activist and, surprisingly, a rapper. There’s an acclaimed documentary about her and numerous interviews, articles and online clips to discover and enjoy. Sonita’s own voice comes over loud and clear in the narration, and she writes vividly and candidly about her life and experiences with directness, clear-sighted self-awareness and honesty. This is an important and valuable book, and an eye-opening one.
June 7, 2025
I enjoyed this nonfiction / memoir book about a young Afghani girl; 10 year old Sonita narrowly escapes being sold as a child bride. The family move to Iran, and Sonita has the opportunity to learn at last. She discovers rap music, which ends up completely changing her life. A lovely and very heartfelt book; inspiring and uplifting.
With grateful thanks to NetGalley and HQ for my advance ebook copy in exchange for an honest review.
With grateful thanks to NetGalley and HQ for my advance ebook copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 19, 2025
Sonita’s resilience is inspirational—standing up for the freedom of girls who are forced into marriage in Afghanistan and bringing awareness to this issue on a global stage. Sonita’s determination to attend school and learn opened up doors for her to become the first female professional Afghan rapper where her messages went viral and she became a prominent women’s right activist.
“This book is more than Sonita’s story. It is a love letter for anyone who has ever dreamed of more and held onto hope that their story would be different than the ones that came before them.”
I highly recommend reading her empowering memoir. I couldn’t put it down.
“This book is more than Sonita’s story. It is a love letter for anyone who has ever dreamed of more and held onto hope that their story would be different than the ones that came before them.”
I highly recommend reading her empowering memoir. I couldn’t put it down.
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