Morning Monday: Book Review of First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers by Loung Ung

Morning Monday

Book Review of 

First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia

 Remembers by Loung Ung

Hello! Hidden Wallflower here. Monday is here once again...this means we can't sleep in and have to wake up at 6 again. Anyways, let's put the depressing thoughts aside and go on with our weekly Monday Morning Book Review. Following Dragon Rider and The Phantom Tollbooth is First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers. Whew, that is one long title. 

First They Killed My Father (FTKMF) is a book that I read for my English class. And I'm really glad we did, because this book is really touching and educational. Before I read this book, I had no knowledge whatsoever of Cambodia or its history. After flipping through the pages, sobbing, and intensely reading, I finally know about the Pol Pot regime, what the people in Cambodia had to suffer through, and more about the dangers of land-mines.

This book is nonfiction and is written by a person who experienced all of this first-hand. I remember hearing that she wrote this book to raise awareness of land-mines that remain in rural places of Cambodia. I also remember there being a debate over whether this book is 100% real or partly made-up. While some argue that it is impossible for a child (the author back then) to remember every single detail, others say that it is indeed possible, since her experience was traumatic and thus allowed her to remember everything. 

I don't know where I stand on this debate. All I can say is, I enjoyed the story and got a lot out of it. I don't care whether some parts were made up or not, because everything fit perfectly and was intense/dramatic enough to keep me interested. I highly doubt anyone will go, "I am not going to read this book because this author made some things up!" 

The story, to explain in brief words, is about Loung Ung's life during the war in Cambodia. Five years old during that time, Loung was a girl who lived a very privileged life, compared to others. Until one day when the Khmer Rouge attack major cities in Cambodia, Loung and her family evacuate. At first they stick together, but when more events occur, they end up separating. After that, Loung's journey gets even more complicated as she tries to survive and search for her family members. 

Loung Ung

I won't spoil what happens in the next. You have other websites for that, I'm sure. But apparently there are two other books that follow the first one; Lucky Child and Lulu In The Sky. I haven't read those two yet, and I'm not sure if I want to, either. I really thought the ending of the first one was excellent the way it was. But I guess since this isn't a fiction story, there are some people who would want to know what happens to Loung afterwards. Perhaps I should read it. I'll see if it is in my school library tomorrow.

Overall, I give this book: 7.5/10
This was one of the better autobiography books I've read -- although I haven't read many. This book was interesting, educational, and heart-warming. I'm really glad I got to read it, as I got to know more about Cambodia and its history. There were some moments when I cried waterfalls -- it's a story about war, people! Tears are bound to fall. I didn't laugh too much as there wasn't anything extremely funny. And I don't think humor is what this autobiography is about, anyways.