Princess Sophia Duleep Singh - Sufiya Ahmed

 At primary school, I couldn't add to my daughter's knowledge of any British Asian women who she could look up to. Thanks  to Sufiya Ahmed, my daughter and I enjoyed reading the My Story series. 

British Indian Noor Inayat Khan's story was the first one we read and totally loved it! And therefore the excitement for this one too.

Gist:

Little Sophia is travelling to India with her siblings and father when they are asked to get off the Ship and she watches her father Maharaja Ranjit Singh arrested. This is how we are introduced to Sophia and learn about an interesting life that works as an inspiration for many girls.

Review:

The story is told in bits and pieces through many significant events of the princess's life. The style is simple and the narrative flows well to keep interest.

It is not a straightforward tale of struggle and identity but a more subtle one since the princesss leads a so called privileged life. Ahmed succeeds in showing how this princess's life had its own set of complications and yet she manages to rise above those restrictions and crave an identity for herself.

An enlightening, pacy read for adults, an endearing read for young minds.