Book+Review+-+First+They+Killed+My+Father+-+Jenny+Le

The novel ‘First They Killed My Father’ took place in an Asian country, Cambodia. The weather heats up during the evening and cools down during the night. Loung travelled to many work camps and lived in small basic huts with her family.

Loung is one of the main characters of this novel. She lives in and family of nine with seven children. She’s five years old and is the second youngest. Loung believes she is the favourite child of her father and believes she could tell the future at times. She is different from her sisters because instead of being lady-like and elegance she has lots of physical strength. During the long period of time living her life in war, Loung learns how to value everything she has and how to cope in difficult times. She learns to be more independent, not question everything and to be more sensitive to others lost. She values her family and also herself. Loung values their health and well-being.

Yes, a flashback occurred at three-quarters of the book. It was when Loung noticed many villagers wore colourful clothes, including her second foster family. Loung looked longingly at the mother’s dark orange sarong and marvel at her sky blue blouse. She then had a flashback and remembered the happy old times back in Phnom Penh when Ma(Loung’s mother) made a red dress each for Chou, Geak and Loung. The story starts from the beginning and continues to progress. They lived happily in the city Phnom Penh. The most important is when every in the family that was still alive eventually reunited together. The point of view is told by a young girl in Cambodia at the age of five named Loung. At times when Loung didn’t know what had happened to her parents or sisters at their death, she imagines stories of her own.

Yes, a flashback occurred at three-quarters of the book. It was when Loung noticed many villagers wore colourful clothes, including her second foster family. Loung looked longingly at the mother’s dark orange sarong and marvel at her sky blue blouse. She then had a flashback and remembered the happy old times back in Phnom Penh when Ma(Loung’s mother) made a red dress each for Chou, Geak and Loung. They lived happily in the city Phnom Penh. The most important is when every in the family that was still alive eventually reunited together. The point of view is told by a young girl in Cambodia at the age of five named Loung. At times when Loung didn’t know what had happened to her parents or sisters at their death, she imagines stories of her own.

In my perspective I think the most important relationship in this story was between Loung and her father, Ung Sem Im which she calls him ‘Pa’. Loung shares a close and strong bond with her father. When they lived in a house in Phnom Penh, at night she would always sit out on the balcony with Pa. Pa believed in Loung very much and kept telling her that she is not an ordinary child. The important relationships are bonds within Loung’s family. The conflict between her father jumps in when their family fled to different villages. At a village called Ro Leap, Loung started to part from her father. Loung feared to ask many questions and they didn’t talk and interact as much as they did before in Phnom Penh. Reading the novel made me think how lucky I am to be living in this generation. How we are so fortunate to have proper kitchen equipments to cook out a delicious meal. How privileged we are to be living in a safe society, and how blessed we are to have our family and friends with us. My thoughts of how they lived a hard and non-existing life is unbelievably dreadful. The current is about war. Adults, adolescents and children are in danger of war. As they flee and protect their lives from the war, they also fight living in poverty. It is a true story based on a young child’s life of experience during war.

I did enjoy the novel. This story about a young Cambodian girl who fought for her and her family to survive when a war starts really got to me. It is because I’ve heard similar stories from my parents, of how they managed to fight their own way from their home-lands they once lived to escape the terror living in poverty and in such hard circumstances. This story mirrors millions of Cambodians life during the 1975 – 1979. To those who are in a new generation that doesn’t know anything or who knows little about war and the histories of Cambodia, I recommend this book to whom in want of knowing. (Just be notified that children under 10 years old may need an approval from their guardians) A disturbing part of the book starts when Loung followed a Youn soldier into the woods to drink water. As they were walking Loung’s palm started to sweat with fear when she noticed they were going in the direction further away from the base. So she asked him, “Where water?” He pointed at a bush but Loung refuses to go. He then grabbed her arm and threw her hard on the ground. As Loung struggles the soldier told her, “Nam soong! Nam soong!” Meaning to lie down. She knew what he was about to do and saw something she didn’t need to.