Book Review: Karma by Nancy Deville

I didn't read the entire book...I couldn't. Karma by Nancy Deville is a detailed fictional account of an American doctor who is kidnapped and forced into sexual slavery. I was able to read thru Dr. Meredith Fitzgerald's breaking and transfer from Istanbul to Mumbai and then I had to skip chapters to see if Meredith was saved. When I saw detailed, I mean detailed.

Human trafficking is not a topic that I feel knowledgeable enough to speak about, but then again, I'm fairly certain I know more than the average person about the shear magnitude of the problem. And thus I think that added to my overwhelming feeling while reading the book. Perhaps someone unfamiliar with the problem might continue to read while thinking "I don't believe this." I kept reading thinking, "I know this, why am I reading this?"

The storytelling was great and too real for me.

My only qualm with the book is that I felt that it was stereotypical to set a story like this in Turkey and India. Human trafficking happens everywhere, including here in Chicago. Why not elsewhere? Deville addresses this at the conclusion of the book by telling readers that the story could happen anywhere. Was that enough for me? I'm still not sure.

But I can't say that I wasn't sucked into this book. I carried it around one weekend so much that my husband made a comment. Now, I read a lot and he rarely comments on how engulfed I am with a book.

If you do decide to pick it up, I ask you to do so at an indie bookstore or Powells.com.

The book will break your heart, but it also will be memorable. But I really hope it also moves you to learn more about human trafficking.

Disclaimer: The only payment I received was the copy of the book.