Amal Unbound Review: A Lovely Story of Hope and Courage

Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed is the story of a 12-year-old girl living in Pakistan whose heart is full of hope and love. I’m a big fan of books that give readers courage, especially to the young ones, therefore this book gets a 8/10 from me. Read on for my detailed Amal Unbound Review.

The cover of the book has been designed by Pakistani illustrator and designer Shehzil Malik.

Aisha Saeed, the author, is an American writer with roots from Pakistan. This book is well-suited to be read by children 10+ all the way to early 20s. Even I enjoyed the book and would recommend it for adults if they are looking for a simple story.

The book is inspired by Malala’s story but this is fiction therefore I like how it has more grey characters and a happy ending.

Amal Unbound Review

Amal is a 12-year-old who wants to be a teacher when she grows up and loves going to school. Real life comes in the way of her dreams and she is forced to serve as a servant in the mansion of a local money-lender to help pay off her family’s debts.

I love the narrative from the eyes of a young girl and all her observations. There is also another interesting dimension of the story once she becomes part of the “Khan” household as help and navigates the politics of social orders.

Amal doesn’t loose hope though and continues on her journey in the face of apparent despair.

Indentured servitude is an issue not just in Pakistan but around the world. Amal Unbound talks about this issue along with other important ones such as education, injustice and the importance of the girl child.

The content and language of the story is well-suited to children 10+. Although written for young adults I enjoyed the story also.

[Read More: Best Parenting Books That I Recommend For All Parents]

Hope you enjoyed this Amal Unbound review. Have you read the book? What did you think?

I listened to the audio version of the book via the Libby app and my Calgary Library access card. You can also buy the book on all major stores and I have added my affiliate amazon links below (You pay the same amount but I earn a small commission).