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Katherine Blessan
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Lydia's Song: The story of a child lost and a woman found Kindle Edition

by Katherine Blessan (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 out of 5 stars 20 ratings
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.

‘This powerful novel gives a challengingly painful insight into the horrific truths of child sex-trafficking in Cambodia from the perspective of an 11-year-old Vietnamese girl, Song, who encounters "Safe Hands", an organisation dedicated to freeing and rehabilitating victims of trafficking. The book describes the raw suffering of sexual slavery and the poignancy of complex relationships affected by trafficking but concludes with a message of hope – that Christ’s power can enable love and forgiveness even in extreme cruelty and suffering.’ – Caroline (Baroness) Cox
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  1. Print length
    239 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    August 29, 2014
  4. File size
    779 KB
  5. Page Flip
    Enabled
  6. Word Wise
    Enabled
  7. Enhanced typesetting
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Katherine Blessan lived and worked in Cambodia and draws on this rich experience. She is currently an English teacher and mother of young children, and before this was employed in the publishing industry.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00MYHM0A0
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Instant Apostle (August 29, 2014)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 29, 2014
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 779 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 239 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 out of 5 stars 20 ratings

About the author

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Katherine Blessan

Katherine Blessan

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Katherine lives in Sheffield and is married to Blessan, from Kerala, India. As well as writing stories that touch on social issues and explore the space where cultures cross, Katherine is a social entrepreneur and English tutor.

Previously, she lived and worked in Cambodia, a rich experience she draws on in her writing. Her novel set here, Lydia’s Song, was a category finalist in the Indie Book Awards, 2016.

Katherine has drafted her third novel and is a short story and screenwriter. She has also ghostwritten two novels for the London Ghostwriting Company.

Lydia's Song was shortlisted for a category award in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards 2016.

http://www.indiebookawards.com/winners/2016

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
20 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Jocelyn E. Andersen
    5.0 out of 5 stars What an Eye-Opener!
    Reviewed in the United States on September 13, 2018
    I was hesitant to **read this book, as the subject matter of small girls being sold into prostitution was too horrible a thing for me to even contemplate. But I am so glad I read Lydia's Song. It is a novel--a heart-breaking fictional account of real happenings, but truly a story of hope in the end. God bless Katherine Blessan for her courage and tenacity in tackling such a horrific subject in such a tasteful way, without pulling any punches! I wholeheartedly recommend this book, both for the awareness it brings and as a well written, fascinating, read.

    ** I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author and was under no obligation to post a review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*
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  • K A Hitchins
    4.0 out of 5 stars A narrative of healing, restoration and hope
    Reviewed in the United States on March 16, 2017
    Lydia’s Song by Katherine Blessan is a powerful story about child sex trafficking in Cambodia, seen through the eyes of eleven year old, Song, a young Vietnamese girl who is sold into slavery by a man she should have been able to trust.

    It’s a story of two halves. The first is from the point of view of Lydia, a young and idealistic English teacher working in a school in Cambodia. When she finds Song in her garden late at night scavenging for food, she brings her into her home and into her heart. Unable to formally adopt the child, Lydia nevertheless takes on the responsibility of becoming Song’s ‘mother’.

    Taking Song for a health check, Lydia meets a handsome and charming receptionist at the doctor’s surgery. Radha woos Lydia, overcoming her reservations with his gentlemanly behaviour, work ethic and desire to be part of their multicultural ‘family’ of three. There’s a strong sense of impending doom, despite Lydia and Song’s happiness, when Radha moves in with them. As the relationship between Lydia and Radha deepens, dark secrets from his childhood emerge and there’s an inevitability about the way in which the domestic bliss unravels.

    The second half of the book tells Song’s story of imprisonment, rape and enforced prostitution. It’s a heartrending account of innocence brutally snatched from a child. This book does not pull its punches as to the nonchalant evil of the perpetrators of this sickening trade in human flesh. I don’t want to give any more spoilers than I already have except to say that Lydia and Song are reunited many years later and are able to come to a place of restoration and forgiveness.

    This is a gripping and challenging read. I would love to know more from the author how much of the book is fiction and how much is based on real life stories from Cambodia, particularly in relation to the narrative of healing, restoration and hope at the end of the story. Although it's fiction, it does read like a real life testimony, particularly in the way it concludes.
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  • Nancee
    4.0 out of 5 stars A difficult story well told
    Reviewed in the United States on January 21, 2016
    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.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • AMC
    4.0 out of 5 stars Can terrible circumstances ever be redeemed?
    Reviewed in the United States on October 11, 2017
    Katherine has written passionately about sex-trafficking in Cambodia borne from her experience of living in the country as teacher. There she experienced a fascinating yet impoverished world with evidence of injustice all around her. Her understanding of cultural differences resonates throughout her story-telling.

    The story is told through the eyes of Lydia, a British teacher living in Phnom Penh. Lydia bravely fosters a young Vietnamese girl. Both Lydia and Song are betrayed and the child is sold into prostitution. We follow Song through the horrors of the child sex trade and her redemptive journey.

    The writer looks at the unfairness of life; the choices that confront us; can terrible circumstances ever be redeemed? Her conviction is that there is a loving God who aches to be intimately involved in lives and brings healing to the most desperate situations.

    If you enjoy stories that bring insight into another culture and tackle distressing realities whilst containing a thread of hope within, then this is for you.(I received the book free from the publisher. A favourable review was not required)
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Top reviews from other countries

  • beckstar
    5.0 out of 5 stars A thought provoking novel about recovery & redemption from the darkness of sex-trafficking.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 7, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    I love how the author beautifully brought the awful atrocity of sex-trafficking to life through the power of story! We all need to be aware of what is happening in our world and what darkness is hidden at all levels of the sex trade. These girls and women are REAL people - someone’s daughter, someone’s sister. And yet, the author also presents light and hope in a dark and hopeless place. Restoration and redemption is not a quick and easy process. But with the right support and investment it is more than possible. We need more stories of hope and restoration in our often dark and broken world. So I commend the author for writing one so well. May we all choose to be part of bringing light into dark places!
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  • Crayola
    4.0 out of 5 stars Such a sweet book. Starting from the point of view of ...
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 29, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Such a sweet book. Starting from the point of view of Lydia, an English school teacher in Cambodia, it tells the story of how the title characters - Lydia and Song - meet, and how they are untimely ripped apart. The narrative then switches to a fully grown Song recounting what happened to her that night and afterwards. It's a very bittersweet book in that you feel such joy for the pair to begin with as this perfect little dysfunctional family is created before your eyes, then you feel such sorrow for both characters.
    My only criticism of the book is that it sometimes feel a little rushed - it could have been much longer and taken the time to really go into the ins and outs of particularly Song's life, which would only make us feel more for the character. It sometimes feels like just a surface glance at what is clearly a very complex real life issue that deserves to be heard about.
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  • Fa87
    5.0 out of 5 stars A story about a sad reality for many vulnerable children.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 23, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    The storyline was Sad at times. However, I couldn't stop reading it to see whether or not there was a happy ending for Lydia and Song. A really well written novel from a talented author. I have also read 'beyond her scream', which was tear jerking and thought provoking.
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  • Sonia
    4.0 out of 5 stars Very moving story of what is probably reality in Cambodia even today
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 27, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Brilliant story told in such a heartfelt way that you are compelled to read on.
    The story from both views keeps the reader intrigued and is written well. Would have liked a bit more description towards the end of Songs life after surviving the abuse before coming to England.
    My only down point is with regards to the apparent miracle scene re the cure of HIV? I read the book as I was interested in the theme rather more than the Christian aspect of it. It does get a bit happy clappy towards the end of the novel - take with a pinch of salt if you're not a Christian. Otherwise very worth while a read.
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  • Heather Cursham
    4.0 out of 5 stars knowing the worst was coming
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 16, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    This biographical style story opened my eyes to life in Cambodia and the plight of children sold into the sex trade. I read the early chapters with some trepidation, knowing the worst was coming, but the subsequent unfolding of the tale gave me great hope and reminded me of the incredible power of forgiveness to restore and heal hurts. A meaningful and very encouraging read.
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