"In I Kick and I Fly, Ruchira Gupta has given young readers an irresistible story, and also one that could save lives. This book is a gift." Gloria Steinem
"Any work from Ruchira Gupta is sure to further the cause of liberating women, especially, and in this novel, girls. It takes a strong belief in us, and especially in our young ones, to persevere as she does in both art and politics. The absolute belief that if the heart is moved, so might be the positive activities for justice and freedom, of the mind." Alice Walker, author of The Color Purple
"I Kick and I Fly is a powerhouse of a debut. Ruchira Gupta has crafted a page-turner of a read, stepped in place and full of indelible characters, managing to be at once propulsive and enlightening, infuriating and inspiring. But maybe most important, Heera’s story is a beacon of hope to a generation of young people trying to transform an unjust world." Gayle Forman, New York Times bestselling author of If I Stay and We Are Inevitable
"Having been to the brothels and red-light district I Kick and I Fly so searingly captures, I can testify that this book is essential reading for anyone interested in how to empower girls to break free from intergenerational prostitution and sex trafficking. Ruchira Gupta is nothing less than a great hero, and in her book, she has created one in Heera, as she seeks to defy the destiny of rape that poverty and men have assigned her." Ashley Judd
"An empathetic and unflinching glimpse into a world little known to outsiders. We watch breathlessly, never sure until the very end how she will kick and punch her way past her circumstances to find her own path to freedom." Natalie C Anderson
"This book is a call to action, it an invitation for the rest of us to rise from the pall of apathy and join the movement to fight and fight and keep fighting—until we retrieve the last girl from the ugly jaws of the very worst effects of the patriarchy." Staceyann Chin
“Gupta renders Heera’s perseverance amid grueling circumstances via straightforward prose and imbues this searing tale with an ominous ambiance that complements its dark themes.” – Publisher’s Weekly
"The depth of the story’s details and its themes of bodily autonomy, community, and women’s empowerment reflect Gupta’s experience as the founder of Apne Aap, an NGO working to end sex trafficking... atriumphant debut." - Kirkus Reviews
2023-01-25
Fourteen-year-old Heera knows what fate awaits many girls growing up in Lalten Bazaar, a red-light district in Bihar, India, commonly known as Girls Bazaar.
Her neighborhood is controlled by gang leader Ravi Lala, who uses predatory loans and the support of corrupt police officers to keep families impoverished and force girls into prostitution. As a member of the marginalized Nat caste, Heera knows many obstacles await her. Her cousin Mira Di was auctioned off by her father to a traveling dance company. When a fight with a bully leads to Heera’s expulsion from school, she knows it will only be a matter of time before her father sells her to Ravi Lala. Fortunately, Heera receives help from Rini Di, a women’s rights advocate in charge of a hostel for vulnerable girls, and joins kung fu lessons at the hostel. As Heera’s strength and self-confidence grow, so does her desire to help the girls and women in her community break free, especially when Heera finds out that her best friend will soon be sold and smuggled abroad. Heera’s narration contains vivid sensory descriptions that, along with the Hindi words scattered throughout, bring the setting to life, quickly immersing readers in her world. The depth of the story’s details and its themes of bodily autonomy, community, and women’s empowerment reflect Gupta’s experience as the founder of Apne Aap, an NGO working to end sex trafficking.
A triumphant debut. (author’s note, resources) (Fiction. 13-18)
Ulka Simone Mohanty invites listeners into the perilous world of Heera, a teenager in India who is struggling against the limitations of her perceived future. Heera has watched her beloved cousin, Mira Di, and countless other girls being sold into the sex trade and fears that she is next. A crisis leads her to a hostel for at-risk girls, where she begins to learn kung fu and take control of her own body and fate. Mohanty's portrayal of Heera is soft but powerful; her confidence grows as she masters martial arts discipline. Mohanty expertly depicts the tension between Heera's desperation to avoid exploitation and her deep love for her poverty-stricken family. An endnote delivered by the author reveals the real-life stories that inspired the audiobook. N.M. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
Ulka Simone Mohanty invites listeners into the perilous world of Heera, a teenager in India who is struggling against the limitations of her perceived future. Heera has watched her beloved cousin, Mira Di, and countless other girls being sold into the sex trade and fears that she is next. A crisis leads her to a hostel for at-risk girls, where she begins to learn kung fu and take control of her own body and fate. Mohanty's portrayal of Heera is soft but powerful; her confidence grows as she masters martial arts discipline. Mohanty expertly depicts the tension between Heera's desperation to avoid exploitation and her deep love for her poverty-stricken family. An endnote delivered by the author reveals the real-life stories that inspired the audiobook. N.M. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine