Factory Girl

Reviewed by: Kris Zuidema - retired school librarian, Standish, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: May 6, 2018

Review

This well written novel of a Uyghur girl, Roshen, is a must read. Roshen is a sixteen year old Muslim girl from the northern region of China. She has plans to become a teacher. She loves her family and a young man, Ahmat. Suddenly she is taken away with other girls to work in a factory in southern China. Her life now is a far cry from what it was in her beloved homeland. The girls must learn to cut, piece, and sew clothes in extremely harsh and dangerous conditions. This story of survival, loss, and compassion is important since it is a contemporary story. The author's note further explains the plight and struggle of the Uryghur people.

Overall Book Score: excellent