Customer Reviews

Only 13

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is probably the most straght forward piece I've read on the subject. Clearly the subject of the piece has a mission in telling her story to the authors and that is that her story should be known and in some way, it may help to make a difference for others like her. The writing is uncomplicated and the story is compelling. While some of the subject matter is difficult to read, it bears reading and provides a unique perspective on an international sex industry that routinely abuses children who get swept under the carpet like so many crumbs.

I agree with Jeannie above - there were just so many excuses for why Lon chose the life she did. One thing she did make clear was that she could never have enough money - no matter what she had to do to get it. I don't even understand how she had so many people giving her money or offering to help her. Her high opinion of herself is incredibly annoying throughout the entire book. I agree with others that the writing style of the book is not very good either. It begins being written by someone else, goes into a book supposedly written by her (which I believe has been incredibly embellished by someone else, whom she likely lied to) and then ends with, I believe, a third person telling her story (also likely lied to). None of the three are very well written. Also unclear as to why it is being published under a number of different English titles. I give it two stars for being honest and insightful about the industry which is a huge problem in developing Asia.

This is a very hard review to write due to my conflicting feelings about this book.

I'm giving it 2 stars ONLY due to the horrible writing involved. The topic of this book is very interesting and deserves to be not only exposed but explored deeper, I only wish someone with writing talents had written it. Someone was obviously not paying attention to her style of writing, every other sentence (and most were fragments) had an exclamation point, that got old very quickly. She also repeated and repeated herself over and over saying the same thing. I fear that was to make this book much longer than it needed to be. On top of that, this has to be one of the most unlikable persons I've ever had the misfortune to read about. Between lies and cheating, she justifies all of her actions due to her culture. I was amazed at how she used people for her own benefit and then would laugh about it. That did not endear her to my heart!

Now that said, if I could I would give the TOPIC of this book 5 stars. I did enjoy reading all the statistics on the sex-tourist industry and the reasons why these girls become involved in it. Horrible living conditions, no hope for a future in a country where women are treated like the lowest of the low. I had no idea Thailand was this way! I for one will never venture over there as a tourist now that I know about the horrible human rights abuses perpetrated by not only the government of this country but by the people themselves upon each other! I fear this is one industry that will never be eliminated when so many benefit from it.

Only 13 is the story of Lon, a girl from rural Thailand who ran away from her home to escape a life of physical and emotional abuse. However, ending up in Bangkok with no education and no training, her only choice was to enter the dark and horrifying world of Thailand's sex industry. This is the story of Lon's life, struggling to survive, making herself available to the rich foreigners (European, North American and Asian), and living a life of degradation. But, even more, this book tells the story of all of the girls and boys caught up in the Asian sex industry, and what life means to them.

This is a very moving book, one that is highly informative, but one that is certain to leave you with tears in your eyes. I don't know what to say about this book. It was so moving, that you will want to do something about the sad lives of the poor people in Thailand, and that is a good thing. Do yourself a favor, and get informed about the sex industry in Asia, read this book!

When I first started reading this book I thought that it was only going to be another book full of statistics on human trafficking. I was getting a little disapointed as I had thought I was going to read a personal story about someone in the sex trade in Thailand. I'm so glad that I kept reading!
At the begining of the book Boontah a village girl from Isaan in Thailand tells a little about her childhood and then she explains the economics of her country allowing us to better understand why someone in her country would turn to prostitution. After this explination she tells the story of how she stopped being Boontah the poor village girl and became Lon the sex worker at the age of thirteen.
This is one of the saddest life stories I have ever read. The damage that is done to these young Thai women is beyond heartbreaking.