Belonging - Sameem Ali

Abandoned by her parents, Sameem Ali spent six and a half years growing up in a children's home. When she was told that her family wanted to take her back she couldn't wait to start her new life with them. Instead, she returned to a dirty house where she was subjected to endless chores. Her mother began to beat her and her unhappiness drove her to self-harm. So Sameem was excited when she boarded a plane with her mother to visit Pakistan for the first time. It was only after they arrived in her family's village that she realised she wasn't there on holiday. Aged just thirteen, Sameem was forced to marry a complete stranger. When pregnant, two months later, she was made to return to Glasgow where she suffered further abuse from her family. After finding true love, Sameem fled the violence at home and escaped to Manchester with her young son. She believed she had put her horrific experiences behind her, but was unprepared for the consequences of violating her family's honour ...Belonging is the shocking true story of Sameem's struggle to break free from her past and fight back against her upbringing.

Why Read - Again I was lent this book by a friend. I have steered away from this type of novel as I went through a phase of reading lots of them. I found my favourite authors that I stick to in relation to these topics. However when lent this one I thought i would give it a go, and the type of background - which is different to what i have read about perviously, would interest me.

This is an understandably very sad story, but interesting at the same time. Its from a world, or type of culture that you never used to hear much about, but with modern media we are finding more and more about.  Reading about this particular family although sad you can see why these families can be commonly ignored by outside interventions. Fascinating reading about her culture, the family values and the thin line between religion and child abuse that happens within the walls of her home.

Its a well written novel (this tragic life topic is popular subject at the moment so you do get ones that are not as well written).  Its interesting, fascinating, pointing and sad.  It kept me gripped throughout, and was one I didn't want to put down once I started reading.