A review by swjessie10
First They Killed My Father by Loung Ung

emotional inspiring sad medium-paced

5.0

This was a wonderful book. It was very emotional for me, especially due to my family connection in Cambodia. It was sad to hear about the awful experiences of war, genocide, and killing during the Khmer Rouge. The author told the story well in her first-person, present tense narrative. It follows her as a young child and what happens to each family member during the 4 years and then what happens when they find safety again, some as refugees. 
It was both hard to put down (because I wanted to keep reading) and something I needed to put down to give myself an emotional break.

There are some gruesome details regarding the killings and attacks, painting a picture in your mind. 

I learned so much about the Khmer Rouge as well as Cambodian culture before, during and after the Khmer Rouge. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings