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kelleemoye's review against another edition
5.0
Full review at: http://www.unleashingreaders.com/?p=5657
When I started Never Fall Down, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I began it because Ricki recommended it to me, but I didn’t read the back or have any prior knowledge about the book. So, when I began, I had no idea how tough this book was going to be.
I also have to preface with my ignorance of the Cambodian Genocide. I blame my lack of world history education because this is a time of history that should be taught. It, along with the Holocaust and Armenian Genocide, was based in racism and the attempt to purify a country. Reading Arn’s story throws you right in the middle of the genocide, and Patricia McCormick doesn’t hold anything back. Every time you think nothing can get worse for Arn and the Cambodians, something does, but you also have such hope for Arn’s survival as you seen him overcome every obstacle he faces. Even though death actually stares him in the face throughout the book, this young boy somehow continues. He continues through starvation, excessive work, lack of sleep, and murder surrounding him. Arn stated in interviews with McCormick that music saved his life, but I think it was more about his willingness to do whatever was needed to survive and especially anything to help those he cared for to survive.
Patricia McCormick tells our story in a broken English dialect that was influenced by “Arn’s own beautiful, improvised English” that McCormick heard in her head after interviewing him and traveling with him to Cambodia over a couple of years. The extent that Ms. McCormick went to ensure that Arn’s story was a true representation of his trials and heroism is honorable.
When I started Never Fall Down, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I began it because Ricki recommended it to me, but I didn’t read the back or have any prior knowledge about the book. So, when I began, I had no idea how tough this book was going to be.
I also have to preface with my ignorance of the Cambodian Genocide. I blame my lack of world history education because this is a time of history that should be taught. It, along with the Holocaust and Armenian Genocide, was based in racism and the attempt to purify a country. Reading Arn’s story throws you right in the middle of the genocide, and Patricia McCormick doesn’t hold anything back. Every time you think nothing can get worse for Arn and the Cambodians, something does, but you also have such hope for Arn’s survival as you seen him overcome every obstacle he faces. Even though death actually stares him in the face throughout the book, this young boy somehow continues. He continues through starvation, excessive work, lack of sleep, and murder surrounding him. Arn stated in interviews with McCormick that music saved his life, but I think it was more about his willingness to do whatever was needed to survive and especially anything to help those he cared for to survive.
Patricia McCormick tells our story in a broken English dialect that was influenced by “Arn’s own beautiful, improvised English” that McCormick heard in her head after interviewing him and traveling with him to Cambodia over a couple of years. The extent that Ms. McCormick went to ensure that Arn’s story was a true representation of his trials and heroism is honorable.
laura_m_j's review against another edition
5.0
I must like stories of genocide because I read so many of them. The Khmer Rouge seemed to be ruthless just for the sake of being ruthless. I don't really understand their political objective except to over turn the status quo.
This account, retold by Patricia Mccormick, is about one amazing survivor, a young boy named Arn, who has spent his life after leaving Cambodia in 1979, speaking about the Khmer Rouge and promoting traditional Cambodia music, which nearly died out as the educated were exterminate.
Our sophomores research genocide and man's inhumanity to man each year, and this would be a great book to include in the study.
This account, retold by Patricia Mccormick, is about one amazing survivor, a young boy named Arn, who has spent his life after leaving Cambodia in 1979, speaking about the Khmer Rouge and promoting traditional Cambodia music, which nearly died out as the educated were exterminate.
Our sophomores research genocide and man's inhumanity to man each year, and this would be a great book to include in the study.
readwithpassion's review against another edition
5.0
I just finished reading Barbara Ward's review, and I can't help but agree that Patricia McCormick illuminates stories that are often untold. This is the true story of Arn Chorn-Pond, who is now a powerful human rights activist. I had not heard his story before this book, and I can confidently say that I will never forget it.
This title can be appreciated by audiences of all ages, and while Arn is only eleven years old when the harrowing tale begins, I am not sure if all readers of his age could handle the horrid acts of violence. The book gave me terrible nightmares, so I can imagine it might be very traumatizing for a child who is not ready to handle the content yet.
Written in broken English, McCormick sheds light on the Cambodian genocide of the 1970s--the largest act of genocide of a country against its own people. Arn is separated from his family and works in the "Killing Fields," where he bears witness to the dark side of man. Arn's story will stay with me forever.
This title can be appreciated by audiences of all ages, and while Arn is only eleven years old when the harrowing tale begins, I am not sure if all readers of his age could handle the horrid acts of violence. The book gave me terrible nightmares, so I can imagine it might be very traumatizing for a child who is not ready to handle the content yet.
Written in broken English, McCormick sheds light on the Cambodian genocide of the 1970s--the largest act of genocide of a country against its own people. Arn is separated from his family and works in the "Killing Fields," where he bears witness to the dark side of man. Arn's story will stay with me forever.
rvarghese's review against another edition
5.0
Intense read - very graphic and authentic first-person narrative tracking a young boy's journey through the war in Cambodia and even life as a refugee in America. It was hard to swallow at times and gripping. It probably wasn't my most favorite book ever, but another timely, challenging read that was well-written.
czarot's review against another edition
4.0
This was horrifying to read especially in the voice of a child who is just trying to survive. How I wish more chapters were dedicated on how Arn dealt with the PTSD and how he found the voice to tell his story.
linzer712's review against another edition
2.0
Because of the subject matter, a young person's experiences of the Cambodian genocide under Khmer Rouge (which is, of course, so painful and important), I think it's hard to say that you "like" or "don't like" this novel, but I sure do wish I liked it more.
Patricia McCormick novel is based on Arn Chorn-Pond's experiences as a young boy thrust into incredibly trying situations as he is separated from his family, witnesses countless deaths, is forced to become a member of Khmer Rouge himself, and must find a way to survive. The story stretches over about five years of Chorn-Pond's life, and he experiences more than most could imagine in that time.
McCormick chose to write the novel from Chorn-Pond's perspective and in broken English with simple, fragmented sentences. For me, this is where the problem lies. The narrative style is completely matter-of-fact, devoid of much depth of emotion, and completely lacks any imagery, metaphor, or abstractions. Unfortunately, as a result, I had a very difficult time emotionally connecting with the novel, and this very short book became very difficult to read.
Arn Chorn-Pond's story is essential for people to know; however, I think I would prefer to hear it in his true voice and in his words.
Patricia McCormick novel is based on Arn Chorn-Pond's experiences as a young boy thrust into incredibly trying situations as he is separated from his family, witnesses countless deaths, is forced to become a member of Khmer Rouge himself, and must find a way to survive. The story stretches over about five years of Chorn-Pond's life, and he experiences more than most could imagine in that time.
McCormick chose to write the novel from Chorn-Pond's perspective and in broken English with simple, fragmented sentences. For me, this is where the problem lies. The narrative style is completely matter-of-fact, devoid of much depth of emotion, and completely lacks any imagery, metaphor, or abstractions. Unfortunately, as a result, I had a very difficult time emotionally connecting with the novel, and this very short book became very difficult to read.
Arn Chorn-Pond's story is essential for people to know; however, I think I would prefer to hear it in his true voice and in his words.
beths0103's review against another edition
3.0
This book was difficult to get through simply because the subject matter was so gruesome but it's definitely a story that needed to be told. The Holocaust is so often the genocide story we read about in school, but there are many other genocide stories that dot the landscape of world history that seem to be ignored. The Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia is one such genocide that is only recently becoming more commonly known.
I categorized this book as historical fiction and nonfiction because it is one of those books that's difficult to tell, especially once you read the author's note at the end.
I categorized this book as historical fiction and nonfiction because it is one of those books that's difficult to tell, especially once you read the author's note at the end.
caitcoy's review against another edition
5.0
This was one of those books that I always wanted to get around to reading but was too intimidated by its subject matter. Never Fall Down is the story of Arn Chorn-Pond, a Cambodian boy who survived the Khmer Rouge regime by volunteering for a band that played propagandistic songs for both their fellow workers and the high ranking Khmer Rouge officials. Arn's story is every bit as heartbreaking as I was expecting but it's absolutely impossible to put down once you start it. The author, Patricia McCormick, did some serious research for this book and it absolutely shows. She interviewed Arn, many of the other survivors in the book and even went with him to Cambodia on visits to the areas he was in at the time. The narration can occasionally be difficult to follow because it mimicks Arn's voice in simple sentences and broken English but this made it seem more authentic to me and wasn't anything that bothered me. The best thing about Arn's story is how human it is. Arn took part in both heroic and horrific things and it makes your heart break to see what he and the other Cambodian kids went through during the genocide including forced marches, random killing, starvation, force labor and the eventual use of them as child soldiers. I'd recommend it mostly to older teens and adults simply because there's a lot of graphic brutality, as you would expect in a book about genocide. These kids were constantly surrounded by death and brutality and as Arn puts it, the only way to survive was to never fall down. It's absolutely a must read!