What do you think?
Rate this book
Mud Lilies
The night fourteen-year-old Chanie Nyrider ran away from her abusive parents, she was saved by an older woman who eventually offered Chanie a new life working as a prostitute. With nowhere to turn, Chanie was drawn into Edmonton’s dark underbelly, where she survived until arrested four years later. She was given two options: jail or a high school program for troubled youth.
Chanie reluctantly agrees to attend the program so that she can maintain her freedom and get to know her new love interest, Blue. As she begins to make strides in the program and friends who share similar circumstance, her home life deteriorates. Blue becomes unstable, deceitful, and eventually violent. He is not the man she thought he was.
Mud Lilies is the powerful story of a young woman finding a path of hope in the darkest of places and defiantly choosing to pursue it.
Chanie reluctantly agrees to attend the program so that she can maintain her freedom and get to know her new love interest, Blue. As she begins to make strides in the program and friends who share similar circumstance, her home life deteriorates. Blue becomes unstable, deceitful, and eventually violent. He is not the man she thought he was.
Mud Lilies is the powerful story of a young woman finding a path of hope in the darkest of places and defiantly choosing to pursue it.
- GenresCanada
392 pages, Paperback
Published May 21, 2022
2 people are currently reading
60 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
May 26, 2022
"Mud Lilies" tells the heart-breaking story of Chanie Nyrider, who, at only fourteen years old, fled her abusive family home and started working as a prostitute to support herself. Four years later, the courts give her two options: She can either go to jail or join a program for troubled youth. Going with the second option, Chanie finds herself falling in love with literature and truly wanting to finally get her life together, but it's not that easy to leave a past like hers behind...
This book is a truly impactful read, but due to the subject matter it certainly isn't for everyone. Triggering subjects in this novel include - but are not limited to - neglect, emotional abuse, domestic abuse, sexual abuse, rape, prostitution, paedophilia, alcoholism and drug addiction. That being said, I was oddly captivated by this book. It's painful to read about the harrowing things Chanie has gone and is still going through. Some of her traumatic experiences are talked about in a lot of detail and it's just heart-breaking to read. It's fascinating to me that, despite the rather depressing storyline, this book still gives off an overall hopeful vibe throughout. It's impossible not to root for Chanie and hope for the best, but at the same time it's hard not to be skeptical when things seem to develop in ways that feel too good to be true, if you know what I mean.
I recommend this book to readers who enjoy hard-hitting and thought-provoking stories that feel very true to life. Just be aware of the potentially triggering subjects and know that you are in for an emotional rollercoaster.
This book is a truly impactful read, but due to the subject matter it certainly isn't for everyone. Triggering subjects in this novel include - but are not limited to - neglect, emotional abuse, domestic abuse, sexual abuse, rape, prostitution, paedophilia, alcoholism and drug addiction. That being said, I was oddly captivated by this book. It's painful to read about the harrowing things Chanie has gone and is still going through. Some of her traumatic experiences are talked about in a lot of detail and it's just heart-breaking to read. It's fascinating to me that, despite the rather depressing storyline, this book still gives off an overall hopeful vibe throughout. It's impossible not to root for Chanie and hope for the best, but at the same time it's hard not to be skeptical when things seem to develop in ways that feel too good to be true, if you know what I mean.
I recommend this book to readers who enjoy hard-hitting and thought-provoking stories that feel very true to life. Just be aware of the potentially triggering subjects and know that you are in for an emotional rollercoaster.
April 29, 2022
As I am sure you can tell from reading the synopsis that this is not a light and happy story. That does not mean that it is not a story that one should not settle in to read. It is not light and there are parts that are definitely not happy but the overarching tale is worth reading. Just be sure you are ready for a story full of hurt.
The protagonist leaves an abusive home bus as is often the case she ends up not with people who want to help her but rather with those that want to exploit her. This leads her to living in a situation that is in many ways worse than what she left.
Living the life of a prostitute is not easy by any stretch of the imagination but she manages until she is arrested one night and then the whole course of her life is altered. She is offered a choice – jail or a diversion program where she can go to high school, get her diploma and start to have a real life.
She chooses the program but it’s not always the easiest going but through ups and downs she sticks through. Once out she finds her life both free and restricted but she does her best to continue on her path forward away from those she knew and the one she loves.
But not everyone from her past life wants to let her go and this is her greatest danger. Love is both motivator and restrainer. What will she do?
Mud Lilies was a book I read in parts, sharing reading time with a lighter book. It was a good read, just a hard one due to the subject matter. I have, for the most part stopped reading books that impact my sleep but I am glad I took this one because it really was a compelling, rich story of redemption. Once it a while it is good to stray from one’s reading list to enter a world away from where you usually find yourself. This book was worth the trip, as hard a trip as it was.
4.5
The protagonist leaves an abusive home bus as is often the case she ends up not with people who want to help her but rather with those that want to exploit her. This leads her to living in a situation that is in many ways worse than what she left.
Living the life of a prostitute is not easy by any stretch of the imagination but she manages until she is arrested one night and then the whole course of her life is altered. She is offered a choice – jail or a diversion program where she can go to high school, get her diploma and start to have a real life.
She chooses the program but it’s not always the easiest going but through ups and downs she sticks through. Once out she finds her life both free and restricted but she does her best to continue on her path forward away from those she knew and the one she loves.
But not everyone from her past life wants to let her go and this is her greatest danger. Love is both motivator and restrainer. What will she do?
Mud Lilies was a book I read in parts, sharing reading time with a lighter book. It was a good read, just a hard one due to the subject matter. I have, for the most part stopped reading books that impact my sleep but I am glad I took this one because it really was a compelling, rich story of redemption. Once it a while it is good to stray from one’s reading list to enter a world away from where you usually find yourself. This book was worth the trip, as hard a trip as it was.
4.5
May 21, 2022
Thank you so much to @cormorantbooks for the copy of "Mud Lilies". "Mud Lilies" is the story of Chanie Nyrider, a young street worker with nowhere to go. A shiver ran through me when I got to the last page, and I had to sit for a moment. This almost never happens to me. This book moves you. It is a very difficult book and at times made me so angry and upset I had to take a short break. I was angry at everyone. At Chanie, at Blue, at Chanie's mom, at Brenda, at Mr. Tanji. Real life makes me angry at times too. This book is raw, and real and Indra Ramayan writes from a very deep and truthful place. The read is tough, but worth it. The need for hope and belief that there are some people who do good, who try so hard to help people, to make the world even a tiny bit better; finally cracks through and opens up your heart, just a little bit.
January 10, 2023
This was an emotionally difficult book to read. There were a couple of times that I wanted to put it down as it felt like it was too much. I don't know Indra Ramayana's story or how she was able to depict the life of this young girl in such a devastatingly honest way but I feel only a deep sense of gratitude that this story was shared.
June 30, 2022
Chanie had little choice in the life she was living, and frequently wanted out. But she accidentally found her way into a program intended to help her make a life worth living.
This story felt unique. It wasn’t the story of Chanie’s end of a typical teen-age life (although the history is eventually shared). It’s the story of Chanie’s eventual chance at salvation. She’s a hooker, and doesn’t expect anything different from life. It’s never a question of who deserves what, or if life is fair; it’s just survival, and the life Chanie knows.
Maybe even more than the life on the streets, this story really illustrates the challenges to getting out. How can a girl who is told she is owned by others find time to study, or uphold a promise to the program to not work as a hooker anymore, or drink, or use drugs? Is any of this a reasonable expectation if that’s all someone knows?
The book told Chanie’s story so powerfully, and probably the story of other women existing on the streets of Edmonton or any other major city. I gave it 5 out of 5 stars. I cried along with Chanie and her friends and wanted to reach out and make it all better. The characters were so touching and felt so real. I’d recommend this book for readers who enjoy true struggles for their beloved characters.
https://booksithinkyoushouldread.blog...
This story felt unique. It wasn’t the story of Chanie’s end of a typical teen-age life (although the history is eventually shared). It’s the story of Chanie’s eventual chance at salvation. She’s a hooker, and doesn’t expect anything different from life. It’s never a question of who deserves what, or if life is fair; it’s just survival, and the life Chanie knows.
Maybe even more than the life on the streets, this story really illustrates the challenges to getting out. How can a girl who is told she is owned by others find time to study, or uphold a promise to the program to not work as a hooker anymore, or drink, or use drugs? Is any of this a reasonable expectation if that’s all someone knows?
The book told Chanie’s story so powerfully, and probably the story of other women existing on the streets of Edmonton or any other major city. I gave it 5 out of 5 stars. I cried along with Chanie and her friends and wanted to reach out and make it all better. The characters were so touching and felt so real. I’d recommend this book for readers who enjoy true struggles for their beloved characters.
https://booksithinkyoushouldread.blog...
February 15, 2023
When I started reading this book I couldn't relate to it. All the talk about whoring, and Blow jobs just disgusted me; but then I realized that this was life. Chanie, Ginger, Jeremy, and Tuffy are trying to swim against the current and make it against all odds. Chanie in particular is not only a prostitute but an abused one. She is abused by her pimp and so-called boy-friend. I thought there was no hope of redemption for her but the title was a clue. Mud lilies are like lotus flowers growing from the mud. They symbolize rising from a place of darkness to a place of beauty and rebirth. Chanie does have some friends like her teachers at school and Mr. Tanji. I just wish the author had her facts right as far as Mr. Tanji was concerned. She gives him a Muslim name but the books he recommends like the Bhagavad Gita and the Upanishads are Hindu texts. Also the author indicates he wears a turban but it is Sikhs who wear turbans. But for these factual inaccuracies it is a well-written book. The ending is realistic.
September 27, 2022
Heartbreaking, hard to read at times, but ultimately hopeful. Beautiful book. Couldn’t put it down. Set in my hometown of Edmonton, Alberta. Loved it.
Favorite line:
“Those books are huge!" Ginger said, pointing at the massive stack of books on the floor.
"Yes. They are huge, Ginger," Mr. Lavoy replied. "The reason I assign big books is because they build big confidence. And they don't break your heart and leave you lonely as quickly as a novella or short story does. They give you something to think about - to wake up your minds. You'll learn to love and hate the characters cry with them, laugh with them, bleed with them, and parts of you will die with them. They will make you happy, sad, scared, and excited. They may even show you new ways of looking at the world."
Favorite line:
“Those books are huge!" Ginger said, pointing at the massive stack of books on the floor.
"Yes. They are huge, Ginger," Mr. Lavoy replied. "The reason I assign big books is because they build big confidence. And they don't break your heart and leave you lonely as quickly as a novella or short story does. They give you something to think about - to wake up your minds. You'll learn to love and hate the characters cry with them, laugh with them, bleed with them, and parts of you will die with them. They will make you happy, sad, scared, and excited. They may even show you new ways of looking at the world."
July 29, 2022
Mud Lilies is a story that will grab you, even if you’re not ready for it! I found myself compelled to read on and to follow these characters no matter where they took me. Wishing for some small relief to the chaos, something to sanctify the struggles and desperation, but Indra doesn’t allow it to unfold so easily. The author skillfully grabs the readers wrist and drags them to bear witness to the desperation of toxic relationships and a seemingly endless cycle of abuse to eventually find hope and redemption.
It’s true you may have to leave the book briefly and come back to it. But you will! The characters demand it and will live in your mind nonetheless.
It’s true you may have to leave the book briefly and come back to it. But you will! The characters demand it and will live in your mind nonetheless.
December 6, 2022
Mud Lilies is one of those stories that will stay with you long after you finish reading it.
Main character Chanie Nyrider was only fourteen years old when she was kicked out of her childhood home, leaving behind her abusive mother and step-father. With nothing but her bus pass and clothes on her back, Chanie is discovered at a truck stop by an older prostitute, Brenda, who takes her under her wing and shows her how to survive in the streets. Four years later, Chanie is given a choice—jail time or a reform program for troubled teens.
As she rediscovers her love of learning, makes new friends and tries to make peace with her past, Chanie starts to believe that a brighter future could be hers. This soon proves to be her hardest battle yet as life in the streets isn't so easy to escape.
I'll start by mentioning there are multiple triggers in this book including sexual assault, alcoholism, child abuse, drug abuse and emotional abuse. Indra Ramayan didn't hold back when she wrote this story, the characters and dialogue are well developed and vivid. While I was reading I felt like I was in Chanie's shoes, living her life. At times it was hard to read, but the writing is engaging and Chanie is a character you can't help but root for.
Mud Lilies is beautiful, heart breaking and important. I'd highly recommend adding it to your reading list, but do be mindful of the triggers.
Main character Chanie Nyrider was only fourteen years old when she was kicked out of her childhood home, leaving behind her abusive mother and step-father. With nothing but her bus pass and clothes on her back, Chanie is discovered at a truck stop by an older prostitute, Brenda, who takes her under her wing and shows her how to survive in the streets. Four years later, Chanie is given a choice—jail time or a reform program for troubled teens.
As she rediscovers her love of learning, makes new friends and tries to make peace with her past, Chanie starts to believe that a brighter future could be hers. This soon proves to be her hardest battle yet as life in the streets isn't so easy to escape.
I'll start by mentioning there are multiple triggers in this book including sexual assault, alcoholism, child abuse, drug abuse and emotional abuse. Indra Ramayan didn't hold back when she wrote this story, the characters and dialogue are well developed and vivid. While I was reading I felt like I was in Chanie's shoes, living her life. At times it was hard to read, but the writing is engaging and Chanie is a character you can't help but root for.
Mud Lilies is beautiful, heart breaking and important. I'd highly recommend adding it to your reading list, but do be mindful of the triggers.
April 14, 2022
“Mud lilies” is a compelling story of a young girl who survived rape at the age of 14 then, with nowhere to turn, became a prostitute. When she was arrested, to avoid jail time, she enrolled in a program for troubled youth where she discovered a love for literature and writing. As Chanie walks through the darkness of her life, her painful steps towards the light will touch reader’s souls. Read more about this book on my blog: https://shouldireaditornot.wordpress....
October 11, 2022
I was sent this book to review and I loved it so much more than I was anticipating. While I can’t relate to all the trauma that Chanie experienced, the author had an incredible way of making Chanie easy to connect to. I felt for her the entire time. I loved the found family trope and the friends Chanie makes that become her family as well.
January 11, 2023
A recommendation in the Globe Arts section for Canadian authors...a raw riveting account of a young lady who ran from abusive home only to be counseled by a prostitute and end up in a battle to have a second chance out of the life she was forced into. A story of grit and hope.
December 20, 2022
CW for rape, abuse, suicide, drug use. Definitely rough, definitely very real.
March 26, 2023
Absolutely loved this book. I couldn't put it down.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews