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keberwick's review against another edition
3.0
This was one of the 2013-2014 Morning Calm Nominees. I thought that this book and [b:The Queen of Water|8621850|The Queen of Water|Laura Resau|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320449812s/8621850.jpg|13492509] were incredibly similar because both were written by two authors, one of whom actually lived the events that take place in the book. The only reason why I didn't love this book was because I really hated the way that it was written. The use of broken english to convey Arn's story felt incredibly disingenuine to me- almost like she was mocking the way he would speak- and while I'm sure this wasn't her intent, it was something that just got under my skin and prevented me from being emotionally invested in his story.
I think another contributing factor to my dislike of the book was my own personal experience of Cambodia. I went with my mother for three days; two were spent in Siem Reap, and one was spent in Phnom Penh. We saw Angkor Wat as well as the Killing Fields, but our tour guide in Siem Reap honestly kept me from enjoying the trip. He was kind and courteous and was very well educated about the history of Cambodia, but his breath was horrible. He obviously had many rotting teeth and since it was a private tour, we were in a very small car. The smell filled the car and clung to our clothes, making escape impossible. While reading this book, I kept imagining I could smell my tour guide's breath and I felt nauseated the entire time I was reading. So really, this book could have been amazing but because of my own experience I wasn't able to enjoy it. I honestly think it's a great way to learn about the Khmer Rouge, so if you're interested in that you should definitely read this book, but I just couldn't.
I think another contributing factor to my dislike of the book was my own personal experience of Cambodia. I went with my mother for three days; two were spent in Siem Reap, and one was spent in Phnom Penh. We saw Angkor Wat as well as the Killing Fields, but our tour guide in Siem Reap honestly kept me from enjoying the trip. He was kind and courteous and was very well educated about the history of Cambodia, but his breath was horrible. He obviously had many rotting teeth and since it was a private tour, we were in a very small car. The smell filled the car and clung to our clothes, making escape impossible. While reading this book, I kept imagining I could smell my tour guide's breath and I felt nauseated the entire time I was reading. So really, this book could have been amazing but because of my own experience I wasn't able to enjoy it. I honestly think it's a great way to learn about the Khmer Rouge, so if you're interested in that you should definitely read this book, but I just couldn't.
shell132001's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
5.0
hayleybeale's review against another edition
4.0
Fictionalized memoir of a boy who survives the killing fields of Cambodia and is taken to America. I was a little unsure about the use of broken English, but ultimately decided it made the novel work on a more visceral level than having it be grammatically correct. Grueling but readable: Arn's story is both tragic and uplifting.
alboyer6's review against another edition
5.0
A really powerful story that is mostly non-fiction. (The author notes in the end that there were parts that Chorn-Pond just didn't remember in detail so she would flesh out a bit.) Truly terrifying to know that things like this happened and are happening in the world. Powerfully written in Chorn-Pond's unique voice. I can see why it was a National Book award finalist.
lindsaysc310's review against another edition
5.0
An amazing, shocking, gritty, triumphant story based on a true account of a Cambodian teenager's life during the rule of the Khmer Rouge and the atrocities that occurred in Cambodia's Killing Fields.
Similar to Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys, I had no idea of the extent of the genocide at this period in history. McCormick writes in Arn Chorn-Pond's broken English to make the story that much more realistic.
Everyone should read this book.
Similar to Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys, I had no idea of the extent of the genocide at this period in history. McCormick writes in Arn Chorn-Pond's broken English to make the story that much more realistic.
Everyone should read this book.
jameshousworth's review against another edition
3.0
Great story, weak writing. The author made an intentional choice to write in short, choppy sentences with grammatical errors as a way of capturing the voice of Arn Chorn-Pond, but much of the time I felt like it limited the depth of the story rather than enhancing it.
It was also quite graphic for a novel intended to be read by young teens and preteens:
"Then, very quick, he slice the skin and pull out the liver...The kneeling guy, he's still living; his liver not inside of him anymore - in front of his face. Crying, only saying, 'No, no, no,' then he fall down."
"I hear, very quiet, wet, slicing sound, the bayonet going through the skin. One by one he kill the people, the mother, even the baby, always very quiet, with bayonet, or maybe just hit on the head with the rifle, silent, so no one can hear."
"I make him kneel on the ground, hand tie behind; and I have ax in my hand, and now this ax is hitting over and over, hitting this kid till now his head like only hamburger on the ground."
I will say that this book made me want to learn more about this crazy genocide that I'd hardly even heard of before, and toward the end I also thought she did a good job of showing the residual guilt, anger, and crisis of identity Arn underwent as an ex-child soldier. But it definitely left me wanting for more character and more story. I give it 2.5 stars.
It was also quite graphic for a novel intended to be read by young teens and preteens:
"Then, very quick, he slice the skin and pull out the liver...The kneeling guy, he's still living; his liver not inside of him anymore - in front of his face. Crying, only saying, 'No, no, no,' then he fall down."
"I hear, very quiet, wet, slicing sound, the bayonet going through the skin. One by one he kill the people, the mother, even the baby, always very quiet, with bayonet, or maybe just hit on the head with the rifle, silent, so no one can hear."
"I make him kneel on the ground, hand tie behind; and I have ax in my hand, and now this ax is hitting over and over, hitting this kid till now his head like only hamburger on the ground."
I will say that this book made me want to learn more about this crazy genocide that I'd hardly even heard of before, and toward the end I also thought she did a good job of showing the residual guilt, anger, and crisis of identity Arn underwent as an ex-child soldier. But it definitely left me wanting for more character and more story. I give it 2.5 stars.
oddreyloo's review against another edition
4.0
this book is amazing and makes me want to educate myself so much more on the cambodian genocide. growing up in a vietnamese household, i really only ever thought about the effects of one specific asian communist regime. this definitely opened my eyes to a something i’d never even heard of before.
only thing: why doesn’t it say the book is co-written by arn chorn-pond?? like in the acknowledgements it does. but otherwise i read the entire thing feeling really weird about this white woman writing in an asian voice (which just means incorrect grammar and incomplete sentences apparently??). like i get she interviewed him a lot and many asian people do have american accents like this but it’s just weird to me that it’s marketed like SHES writing this in her imagined/perceived “asian voice”. i just wish it could be more clear he basically co-wrote it at that’s why the voice is like that
only thing: why doesn’t it say the book is co-written by arn chorn-pond?? like in the acknowledgements it does. but otherwise i read the entire thing feeling really weird about this white woman writing in an asian voice (which just means incorrect grammar and incomplete sentences apparently??). like i get she interviewed him a lot and many asian people do have american accents like this but it’s just weird to me that it’s marketed like SHES writing this in her imagined/perceived “asian voice”. i just wish it could be more clear he basically co-wrote it at that’s why the voice is like that
mnstucki's review against another edition
3.0
Good, but very sad. Not much more to say about this one. Didn't quite grip me.
jwinchell's review against another edition
3.0
Genocide stories have to be told, but I have a problem with the fictionalization of real stories. McCormick's choices & product here remind me of Eggers' in What is the What: hours of interviews, meticulous research, then writing in the first person and filling in the gaps of the interviewee's memory. There's something false there; it doesn't sit well with me. And I just hated the way she adopted his English dialect--hated it.
I'd much prefer to give a young adult First They Killed My Father. Loung Ung's story & voice are her own.
I'd much prefer to give a young adult First They Killed My Father. Loung Ung's story & voice are her own.