"Lydia's Song"

by

Katherine Blessan

Description

Lydia's quiet expat life in Cambodia is dramatically turned upside down by the sudden arrival of Song, a young & vulnerable Vietnamese girl, and the flattering romantic attentions of a handsome, dashing local man. Just as she settles into this new-found happiness, everything is shattered as Song is kidnapped and sold into the child sex trade. Broken, Lydia returns to the UK, confirmed in her doubts about 'God', only to find the most unexpected guest on her doorstep one night many years later with the most incredible story to tell of hope lost and innocence restored. 

Purchase at the following locations: 

http://www.amazon.com

http://www.barnesandnoble.com

Biography

A British writer, Katherine Blessan was delighted when she managed to get her first novel Lydia’s Song, which is about child-sex trafficking in Cambodia, published by a small independent. She had spent eight years working on it so had had to remain committed to it in the midst of other pressing life events and work!      
She is writing her second novel as well as a few short stories and would describe her fiction as having a gritty edge and a compassionate core, as she likes to tackle issues that might make people uncomfortable such as trafficking and FGM. 
    
Having worked in publishing and as a secondary school English teacher, she is now doing the work that she loves most: writing and tutoring.
    
Katherine lives in Burngreave with her Indian husband and two small, perfectly formed little boys.

Website: http://www.sheffieldauthors.co.uk/#!katherine-blessan/iyl0e
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katherine.blessan


My thoughts ~ 

This British author has chosen a very difficult topic, human trafficking, but has done a wonderful job of presenting her topic with compassion and discretion. A Christian novel, Lydia's Song is carefully written without detailing the graphics of rape and prostitution.

The characters throughout this book are well presented, particularly Song as she relates her life throughout the years spent in captivity. Lydia is a bit difficult to like at times. I felt that she made hasty decisions without thinking them through, but that is a part of her character. I liked the changes that I perceived in her as she grew older and wiser.

Set in Cambodia, there were times that I was a bit confused due to my lack of knowledge of the country and its customs, and having been written by a British author some of the details and language are a bit different for American readers. Those are minor details, and don't really affect the story, however. 

I felt that this was a very well written story of an epidemic problem that exists around the world, not only in Cambodia. The trafficking of children and young adults is an extremely difficult topic, but this author told her story well. 

Disclaimer: I received a print copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review. All expressed opinions are my own, and no monetary compensation was received for this review.