So far I'm really enjoying the book. I find it really interesting because I vaguely knew about what happened in Cambodia but I never knew the parties and exact details. It's easy to understand and Ung's writing is informative but not confusing. I also like how she gives a lot of the perspective in the book from her five year old point of view. It makes it easy to experience the genocide as she did.
I just finished the book. I really enjoyed it. I never really knew the extent of the atrocities that happened in Cambodia. I also really like Ung's style and how she describes the events from her point of view. I also found the parts in italics about what she thought happened to her loved ones very interesting. I liked how she tried to travel into their world and tell their story as well. Ung's style is also very easy to read, but also very touching. I feel that I learned a lot from this book not only about rhetoric, but also about the events in Cambodia.
I have not finished the book but I am really enjoying reading it. I never really knew anything about what occurred in Cambodia until I started reading this book. I think the vantage point of the 5 year old author really adds effect and power to the overall retelling and really enjoy it. It doesn't feel as much as a recollection as I thought it would but places you right there, in the mind of a 5 year old Cambodian girl through all the trials and tribulations shes goes through. I am looking forward to finishing the book and it really is a great followup to Bookseller despite it being more personal and "from the horses mouth" then Bookseller.
I'm right in the middle of the book, and I really like it. The narrator, Loung Ung, manages to create a really emotional account without being too wordy, and seeing how she felt as a five year old was really interesting. I like the italicized sections as well-- it takes me further into the mind of a young child. I haven't yet read a book about this topic, so it's been a really eye-opening experience overall. It's informative and sentimental at the same time.
I have to be completely honest- I really did not like the book. I thought the story itself was moving and very sad but the writing of the author was terrible. Ung seemed to be trying really hard to be a good writer but to me she never managed. Instead she sounded like a middle school writer. Because of this I found myself struggling through the book. But if it had been written by someone else with the same story I probably would have liked it better and been more moved and affected by it.
I'm about 3/4 of the way through the book and I love it. I never knew the extent of the issues in Cambodia so this book is basically introducing and teaching me about a new issue. I think my favorite part about the book is Loung's unique perspective. I think as a child, she has a very different outlook about the situation, particularly about the lies that the Khymer Rouge was telling the people. As a kid, she was very innocent and trusting so when the soldiers said she would be back in her city house after 3 days she believed them. The same when her father was taken away and was supposed to be back the next day. While other and older people in the same situation realized the atrocities that were happening and were about to happen, she was unaware and was learning about it as she went along. This allows the reader to follow along very easily. I agree with Sophie that the writing isn't all that great, but I think it adds to the mood of her innocence, especially since she was only 5-about 9 when this was happening. I also like how she follows her family as they are about to die. I think she does this using the information she has gained as an adult after the fact, but I also think it shows the bond between the family members. She described how her "spirit self" tried to protect her father as he waited to be killed. This could be her way of grieving and coping with her loss but I thought it added to her innocence and added the emotional aspect that was present in all of these people's lives during and after the war.
So far I find the book rather interesting. Loung Ung not only tells a story I am not very familiar with but she also writes in a manner that separates the novel from many other pieces on genocide. Having read "Night" just a few days ago from history, it is easy to spot similarities and differences in the stories. They both are accounts of personal childhood experiences in times of genocide, however the perspective is very different. I found the Elie Wiesel was a more contemplative narrator, delving into the humanity behind the story. However, so far, Ung does not write "why" she thinks things are happening. This is what draws me into the book. Ung narrates like a five year old (and I must say her writing often resembles the rhetorical skills of a five year old as well). Her descriptions of the setting are vivid, however her descriptions of people are extremely objective. This makes sense because a child can make sense of clothing but not so much of the glimmers of emotions that adults express subtly in their actions. Also, when she adds background (which is much needed in such a politically based event), she essentially quotes her father. She does not make sense of it really on lays it out for the reader. It is overall, a fresh perspective that truly adds to the story.
So far I am really enjoying the book. I have never learned about the Cambodian Revolution before and I am enjoying learning through this book. I agree with Katie in that I like the fact that the story is told through the perspective of a child. I felt so bad for her when she first had to leave her home and thought she would be returning in 3 days (even though she didn't). This part really made me think about how it would feel to be told I had to leave my home and adopt a totally different lifestyle. I could not even imagine! I am about half way through the book so far and am really enjoying reading it!
I just finished the book and though I really liked it, I think the author could have done a few things to make her story EVEN more pathos filled. Referring to what Jamie said about the narrator being a little girl; I think there are pros and cons to that viewpoint. On the plus side, being such a small girl, she rarely complicates things. She states her story bluntly, leaving no "wiggle room" for any misinterpretations the reader might have had. On the con side, I think that presenting the story through the eyes of such a little girl might have downplayed the atrocities that were committed. Being such a little girl, Asne didn't really understand fully what was going on in Cambodia, thus the reader might also not fully understand the situation.
I have finished the book and I really enjoyed it for several reasons. Firstly, I think its always interesting to read a book with some historical background because it really gives the book an authentic and profound essence to it; moreover, the reader feels a stronger connection to the characters. I also really enjoyed the fact that the narrator was young because it gives the book a different perspective- one that most people are not accustomed to. However, I fully understand John's argument and do agree with him to a certain extent but on the other hand, a different perspective can lead the reader to draw different conclusions and opinions. Also, I think it's interesting to see the contrast in perspectives. Her youth offers the reader a different portrayal- one most likely lacking political partialities.
I thought it was a pretty generic genocide story. The extent of the suffering is one of the main reasons people are interested in this kind of book, and First They Killed My Father sufficiently describes the hardship endured by many urban Cambodians at the time. However, it doesn't elevate itself past other books of a similar nature. I thought it was a good book, but I probably wont remember it 20 years from now.
This book was really difficult to read for me, and I think it's because it's through the eyes of a child. No one should ever have to see the things Loung did, and the fact that she was only five years old when she left home is horrifying. The whole time I was reading, and especially when I read something particularly disturbing, I had to remind myself that this girl was not even ten years old. I constantly thought about how at five, six, seven, and eight years old, I was learning to read and write, while Loung was a child soldier, learning to shoot a rifle, and working for her meager portion of food. Sometimes I wondered how she could have remembered all these specific details, but then I wondered, with the horrible things she saw, how could she not? I think it's a well written book, and though it made it hard to read, it definitely helped that it's written from the point of view of a child, because it makes the book "simple." When Loung was alone, hungry, or mad, it really came through in her writing, and whenever she was reunited with her family, I was so happy for her.
As interesting as it is, it's simultaneously just as frightening. For history we had to read the book "Night" by Elie Wiesel, which is about Mr. Wiesel and his father being taken to a Nazi concentration camp and the horrors that they witnessed there. AS much as i want to compare these two books, i can't because the events that each center around are so different, and the narrators' styles and rhetoric are so different from each other that they can't really be related. So far i've found "First They Killed My Father" to be tragic and, as i've said, frightening (the cambodian genocide and the Khmer Rouge are some of the most terrifying entities in history). Not unlike "Night," the story tells the events from a first person prospective, but the manner in which the story is told (and obviously the events in each story) differ so much, that i feel the same sense of suspense and terror in each, but for different reasons. The main reason that i'm contrasting these two books is because i think it says a lot about each: the fact that i can read 2 books centered around genocide in the same break and not only maintain the fear and hurt that i felt in both books, but the fact that each story is told with such vivid imagery and emotion, that they both evoke feelings for events that i have no concrete connection to. I'm not quite done with "First," but i'm eager if not a bit frightened to see what else Loung Ung has to show us.
Loung Ung's novel, for me, was an excellent example of how an author can make a reader feel as though they experienced the suffering, within the story, firsthand. As I read the book, despite the title's warning, I was ignorant to how bad it would get. I definitely was able to feel the sharp decent from normal life in the city to the tragic existence in various camps. Loung depicts the countries decent into darkness brilliantly, building anger and fear within the reader towards the Khmer Rouge. The story becomes particularly suspenseful once her family members begin to die, leaving the reader clinging to the minuscule hope that perhaps soon she would return to her normal life. Overall I would consider the book one of my favorites this year, specifically because i was soo engaged.
So far I am enjoying the book. This book is unique because it is through the perspective of a child. I think this perspective adds much more to the emotional impact that the book has on the reader. Instead of receiving the the author's accounts on a surface level with little meaning, Loung Ung instills a sense of empathy within the reader through the story of the gradual loss of innocence of a child. Through the child's interpretation of the events and struggle to understand the atrocities that are taking place, the reader has no choice but to feel bad for Loung Ung and all of the others who lived through the same events as her.
Compared to other books I've read on the period of the Khmer Rouge, I think the book had some short-comings because of repetition and language. I thought that the beginning of the book was very interesting up to when she was at Ro Leap because you could truly see the sequence of events and how war can change all of that. But once she was at Ro Leap, I got a little tired of the "child's voice" and thought that maybe it would've been more interesting if her writing went from simple to complex as she ages through the book. However, there were moments were I truly connected with the book, so my review is not all negative. However, I also would've like to see her experiences when she first came to America and how she managed assimilating. Overall, I really liked the story because it was touching, and at dinner, I separated 8 pieces of rice to physically see how little that truly was.
This is book is definitely of a different vein from Bookseller to say the least. Rather than the author adding her own opinion/prejudices/etc this book is almost a keen lack of opinion. It comes across as a pure relation of events and actions. The only bias that is has is basically that of a child. While i do think that this vantage point does add an interesting dimension to the story I felt that i would have liked to have a more complex understanding. It is a strong case of dominant pathos and an arguably subordinate logos and ethos. Overall i enjoyed the book and found it interesting, it provided a unique perspective much like Elie Wiesel's Night.
I am about to finish the book. Although I am not entirely done, I have found the book to be enjoyable because it is so interesting. I have found that I am not really a fan of Luong Ung's writing style, the tragedy of her story is powerful and moving to say the least. I agree with John, Katie, and Maddie when they say that the child perspective is a very important part of the story. Not only is she able to tell the story very clearly and objectively, but she is also able to evoke a greater emotional response from the reader's empathy of her situation. I have found this book very interesting because the Cambodian genocide was always something of a mystery to me. This story has helped me understand the suffering of this tragic period in human history while giving me a new perspective on genocides in general (especially after reading Night for Modern US History over break). Both stories have me to consider the truly horrible ramifications of such world events. Overall, I have really enjoyed First They Killed My Father for its eye-opening descriptions and educational purposes.
I thought the writing was annoying. It was written so simply, which I guess was supposed to reflect Loung Ung's age, but the sentence constructions were really repetitive in a way that bothered me just because it sometimes fell flat; the only reason the book was still interesting was because the content was so dynamic without any exceptional writing. I definitely would have liked more follow-up into her older years, and I think it would have been interesting to include more of her surviving siblings' perspectives. I enjoyed the book because it was an interesting read, not because of the author; I think it was unneccessary to use any incredible rhetoric to dress up the story, and in this case blunt retelling was effective enough without any artistic additions.
After reading some other comments about Ung's simplistic style I must say that I have to really respect her ability to jump back into her younger self and actually tell the story as if a 4 year old was writing it. While it may seem like an extremely simple concept to write like a 4 year old with easily understandable words and simple sentence structure, the fact that she keeps this author's perspective throughout makes the piece completely original. Revolution, war, politics, and devastating destruction are not constant topics in the minds of most 4 year olds. Ung is able to tackle the same problems in her writing that she had to face in real life all while giving a unique perspective. As readers who have dived into more complex and varied styles the book may get "boring" to us but I think we must give Ung a lot of credit for being able to relive the events of her childhood. Overall I enjoyed the book because I learned a lot and to be honest it was really nice to easily understand what was going on even if the structure was repetitive (in comparison to other pieces we have read).
I am happy to have read this book, despite its being difficult to read. It really gave me insight on an issue I honestly knew nothing about. I like that Ung was able to write through the voice of her childhood self, although that may be what made reading this so hard. It was hard for me to take in that she was 5-8 when all of this happened. I can't even imagine the loss she must have gone through. In her about the book section, Ung explains that she wanted to show that children suffer just as much as adults in war, and I think she really achieved that goal with her book. Because she wrote it in the first person, from the view point of a child, I was really able to comprehend her struggles at that age. Had she written in the past tense, the story would appear less personal. The only complaint I have with her style is that because she was a confused child, I was too. I knew nothing of the Cambodian struggle, so the view of a child was not very helpful in terms of my understanding the conflict. It wasn't until I was almost finished that I understood what the entire conflict was about. However, she was able to prove her point, which I think is the most important aspect of the book.
I personally found this book to be particularly interesting. Having visited Cambodia and with prior basic knowledge of the Khmer Rouge, I was especially intrigued by the new perspective provided by Loung Ung. However, I did not find that Ung's rhetoric effectively conveyed her points. In her endeavor to describe the situation in Cambodia in the eyes of a little girl, Ung tends to deviate from this girl's mind and often adds much deeper thoughts of her own. On the contrary, I agree with Devon that some sentences were in fact too elementary, which detracted from the overall impact of Ung's writing. I am glad to have read the book and gained new insight into the lives of Cambodians living under the Khmer Rouge, but it had no major impact on me.
Personally, while I do think it is an interesting, involving, and charged piece of writing, it seems to be very familiar, and similar to many of these novels that we've read before. It was comparable to Memoirs of a Boy soldier. Despite the fact that it has a different plot, it follows roughly the same story. However, that did not stop me from feeling engaged and interested in her story and empathizing with her as I read. I didn't mind the simplistic styles she incorporated sometimes, and i felt it added to my understanding of the situation.
I enjoyed the book at certain points but other times it seemed boring and redundant. It lacked something, perhaps because she was very young during the Khmer Rouge takeover and had a juvenile and naive interpretation of the events. Also, I felt the book lacked a climax. I was under the impression that there would be a culminating event near the middle of the book but it was just one event after another.
I found FTKMF very intriguing. I think what makes Ung's story so interesting to me is how she tells her story from the perspective of an adolescent (rather than as a grownup). Although Ung's simple literature/diction was boring at times, I thought it elicited more feelings. As a child telling a story of such depressing and chilling events, I though came off as more powerful because no of us could ever relate to such events during our childhood. I enjoyed reading FTKMF.
So far I'm really enjoying the book. I find it really interesting because I vaguely knew about what happened in Cambodia but I never knew the parties and exact details. It's easy to understand and Ung's writing is informative but not confusing. I also like how she gives a lot of the perspective in the book from her five year old point of view. It makes it easy to experience the genocide as she did.
ReplyDeleteI just finished the book. I really enjoyed it. I never really knew the extent of the atrocities that happened in Cambodia. I also really like Ung's style and how she describes the events from her point of view. I also found the parts in italics about what she thought happened to her loved ones very interesting. I liked how she tried to travel into their world and tell their story as well. Ung's style is also very easy to read, but also very touching. I feel that I learned a lot from this book not only about rhetoric, but also about the events in Cambodia.
ReplyDeleteI have not finished the book but I am really enjoying reading it. I never really knew anything about what occurred in Cambodia until I started reading this book. I think the vantage point of the 5 year old author really adds effect and power to the overall retelling and really enjoy it. It doesn't feel as much as a recollection as I thought it would but places you right there, in the mind of a 5 year old Cambodian girl through all the trials and tribulations shes goes through. I am looking forward to finishing the book and it really is a great followup to Bookseller despite it being more personal and "from the horses mouth" then Bookseller.
ReplyDeleteI'm right in the middle of the book, and I really like it. The narrator, Loung Ung, manages to create a really emotional account without being too wordy, and seeing how she felt as a five year old was really interesting. I like the italicized sections as well-- it takes me further into the mind of a young child. I haven't yet read a book about this topic, so it's been a really eye-opening experience overall. It's informative and sentimental at the same time.
ReplyDeleteI have to be completely honest- I really did not like the book. I thought the story itself was moving and very sad but the writing of the author was terrible. Ung seemed to be trying really hard to be a good writer but to me she never managed. Instead she sounded like a middle school writer. Because of this I found myself struggling through the book. But if it had been written by someone else with the same story I probably would have liked it better and been more moved and affected by it.
ReplyDeleteI'm about 3/4 of the way through the book and I love it. I never knew the extent of the issues in Cambodia so this book is basically introducing and teaching me about a new issue. I think my favorite part about the book is Loung's unique perspective. I think as a child, she has a very different outlook about the situation, particularly about the lies that the Khymer Rouge was telling the people. As a kid, she was very innocent and trusting so when the soldiers said she would be back in her city house after 3 days she believed them. The same when her father was taken away and was supposed to be back the next day. While other and older people in the same situation realized the atrocities that were happening and were about to happen, she was unaware and was learning about it as she went along. This allows the reader to follow along very easily. I agree with Sophie that the writing isn't all that great, but I think it adds to the mood of her innocence, especially since she was only 5-about 9 when this was happening.
ReplyDeleteI also like how she follows her family as they are about to die. I think she does this using the information she has gained as an adult after the fact, but I also think it shows the bond between the family members. She described how her "spirit self" tried to protect her father as he waited to be killed. This could be her way of grieving and coping with her loss but I thought it added to her innocence and added the emotional aspect that was present in all of these people's lives during and after the war.
So far I find the book rather interesting. Loung Ung not only tells a story I am not very familiar with but she also writes in a manner that separates the novel from many other pieces on genocide. Having read "Night" just a few days ago from history, it is easy to spot similarities and differences in the stories. They both are accounts of personal childhood experiences in times of genocide, however the perspective is very different. I found the Elie Wiesel was a more contemplative narrator, delving into the humanity behind the story. However, so far, Ung does not write "why" she thinks things are happening. This is what draws me into the book. Ung narrates like a five year old (and I must say her writing often resembles the rhetorical skills of a five year old as well). Her descriptions of the setting are vivid, however her descriptions of people are extremely objective. This makes sense because a child can make sense of clothing but not so much of the glimmers of emotions that adults express subtly in their actions. Also, when she adds background (which is much needed in such a politically based event), she essentially quotes her father. She does not make sense of it really on lays it out for the reader. It is overall, a fresh perspective that truly adds to the story.
ReplyDeleteSo far I am really enjoying the book. I have never learned about the Cambodian Revolution before and I am enjoying learning through this book. I agree with Katie in that I like the fact that the story is told through the perspective of a child. I felt so bad for her when she first had to leave her home and thought she would be returning in 3 days (even though she didn't). This part really made me think about how it would feel to be told I had to leave my home and adopt a totally different lifestyle. I could not even imagine! I am about half way through the book so far and am really enjoying reading it!
ReplyDeleteI just finished the book and though I really liked it, I think the author could have done a few things to make her story EVEN more pathos filled. Referring to what Jamie said about the narrator being a little girl; I think there are pros and cons to that viewpoint. On the plus side, being such a small girl, she rarely complicates things. She states her story bluntly, leaving no "wiggle room" for any misinterpretations the reader might have had. On the con side, I think that presenting the story through the eyes of such a little girl might have downplayed the atrocities that were committed. Being such a little girl, Asne didn't really understand fully what was going on in Cambodia, thus the reader might also not fully understand the situation.
ReplyDeleteI have finished the book and I really enjoyed it for several reasons. Firstly, I think its always interesting to read a book with some historical background because it really gives the book an authentic and profound essence to it; moreover, the reader feels a stronger connection to the characters. I also really enjoyed the fact that the narrator was young because it gives the book a different perspective- one that most people are not accustomed to. However, I fully understand John's argument and do agree with him to a certain extent but on the other hand, a different perspective can lead the reader to draw different conclusions and opinions. Also, I think it's interesting to see the contrast in perspectives. Her youth offers the reader a different portrayal- one most likely lacking political partialities.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was a pretty generic genocide story. The extent of the suffering is one of the main reasons people are interested in this kind of book, and First They Killed My Father sufficiently describes the hardship endured by many urban Cambodians at the time. However, it doesn't elevate itself past other books of a similar nature. I thought it was a good book, but I probably wont remember it 20 years from now.
ReplyDeleteThis book was really difficult to read for me, and I think it's because it's through the eyes of a child. No one should ever have to see the things Loung did, and the fact that she was only five years old when she left home is horrifying. The whole time I was reading, and especially when I read something particularly disturbing, I had to remind myself that this girl was not even ten years old. I constantly thought about how at five, six, seven, and eight years old, I was learning to read and write, while Loung was a child soldier, learning to shoot a rifle, and working for her meager portion of food. Sometimes I wondered how she could have remembered all these specific details, but then I wondered, with the horrible things she saw, how could she not? I think it's a well written book, and though it made it hard to read, it definitely helped that it's written from the point of view of a child, because it makes the book "simple." When Loung was alone, hungry, or mad, it really came through in her writing, and whenever she was reunited with her family, I was so happy for her.
ReplyDeleteAs interesting as it is, it's simultaneously just as frightening. For history we had to read the book "Night" by Elie Wiesel, which is about Mr. Wiesel and his father being taken to a Nazi concentration camp and the horrors that they witnessed there. AS much as i want to compare these two books, i can't because the events that each center around are so different, and the narrators' styles and rhetoric are so different from each other that they can't really be related. So far i've found "First They Killed My Father" to be tragic and, as i've said, frightening (the cambodian genocide and the Khmer Rouge are some of the most terrifying entities in history). Not unlike "Night," the story tells the events from a first person prospective, but the manner in which the story is told (and obviously the events in each story) differ so much, that i feel the same sense of suspense and terror in each, but for different reasons. The main reason that i'm contrasting these two books is because i think it says a lot about each: the fact that i can read 2 books centered around genocide in the same break and not only maintain the fear and hurt that i felt in both books, but the fact that each story is told with such vivid imagery and emotion, that they both evoke feelings for events that i have no concrete connection to. I'm not quite done with "First," but i'm eager if not a bit frightened to see what else Loung Ung has to show us.
ReplyDeleteLoung Ung's novel, for me, was an excellent example of how an author can make a reader feel as though they experienced the suffering, within the story, firsthand. As I read the book, despite the title's warning, I was ignorant to how bad it would get. I definitely was able to feel the sharp decent from normal life in the city to the tragic existence in various camps. Loung depicts the countries decent into darkness brilliantly, building anger and fear within the reader towards the Khmer Rouge. The story becomes particularly suspenseful once her family members begin to die, leaving the reader clinging to the minuscule hope that perhaps soon she would return to her normal life. Overall I would consider the book one of my favorites this year, specifically because i was soo engaged.
ReplyDeleteSo far I am enjoying the book. This book is unique because it is through the perspective of a child. I think this perspective adds much more to the emotional impact that the book has on the reader. Instead of receiving the the author's accounts on a surface level with little meaning, Loung Ung instills a sense of empathy within the reader through the story of the gradual loss of innocence of a child. Through the child's interpretation of the events and struggle to understand the atrocities that are taking place, the reader has no choice but to feel bad for Loung Ung and all of the others who lived through the same events as her.
ReplyDeleteCompared to other books I've read on the period of the Khmer Rouge, I think the book had some short-comings because of repetition and language. I thought that the beginning of the book was very interesting up to when she was at Ro Leap because you could truly see the sequence of events and how war can change all of that. But once she was at Ro Leap, I got a little tired of the "child's voice" and thought that maybe it would've been more interesting if her writing went from simple to complex as she ages through the book. However, there were moments were I truly connected with the book, so my review is not all negative. However, I also would've like to see her experiences when she first came to America and how she managed assimilating. Overall, I really liked the story because it was touching, and at dinner, I separated 8 pieces of rice to physically see how little that truly was.
ReplyDeleteShe should also change the title of the book, because it was a spoiler for me.
ReplyDeleteThis is book is definitely of a different vein from Bookseller to say the least. Rather than the author adding her own opinion/prejudices/etc this book is almost a keen lack of opinion. It comes across as a pure relation of events and actions. The only bias that is has is basically that of a child. While i do think that this vantage point does add an interesting dimension to the story I felt that i would have liked to have a more complex understanding. It is a strong case of dominant pathos and an arguably subordinate logos and ethos. Overall i enjoyed the book and found it interesting, it provided a unique perspective much like Elie Wiesel's Night.
ReplyDeleteI am about to finish the book. Although I am not entirely done, I have found the book to be enjoyable because it is so interesting. I have found that I am not really a fan of Luong Ung's writing style, the tragedy of her story is powerful and moving to say the least. I agree with John, Katie, and Maddie when they say that the child perspective is a very important part of the story. Not only is she able to tell the story very clearly and objectively, but she is also able to evoke a greater emotional response from the reader's empathy of her situation. I have found this book very interesting because the Cambodian genocide was always something of a mystery to me. This story has helped me understand the suffering of this tragic period in human history while giving me a new perspective on genocides in general (especially after reading Night for Modern US History over break). Both stories have me to consider the truly horrible ramifications of such world events. Overall, I have really enjoyed First They Killed My Father for its eye-opening descriptions and educational purposes.
ReplyDeleteI thought the writing was annoying. It was written so simply, which I guess was supposed to reflect Loung Ung's age, but the sentence constructions were really repetitive in a way that bothered me just because it sometimes fell flat; the only reason the book was still interesting was because the content was so dynamic without any exceptional writing. I definitely would have liked more follow-up into her older years, and I think it would have been interesting to include more of her surviving siblings' perspectives. I enjoyed the book because it was an interesting read, not because of the author; I think it was unneccessary to use any incredible rhetoric to dress up the story, and in this case blunt retelling was effective enough without any artistic additions.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading some other comments about Ung's simplistic style I must say that I have to really respect her ability to jump back into her younger self and actually tell the story as if a 4 year old was writing it. While it may seem like an extremely simple concept to write like a 4 year old with easily understandable words and simple sentence structure, the fact that she keeps this author's perspective throughout makes the piece completely original. Revolution, war, politics, and devastating destruction are not constant topics in the minds of most 4 year olds. Ung is able to tackle the same problems in her writing that she had to face in real life all while giving a unique perspective. As readers who have dived into more complex and varied styles the book may get "boring" to us but I think we must give Ung a lot of credit for being able to relive the events of her childhood. Overall I enjoyed the book because I learned a lot and to be honest it was really nice to easily understand what was going on even if the structure was repetitive (in comparison to other pieces we have read).
ReplyDeleteI am happy to have read this book, despite its being difficult to read. It really gave me insight on an issue I honestly knew nothing about. I like that Ung was able to write through the voice of her childhood self, although that may be what made reading this so hard. It was hard for me to take in that she was 5-8 when all of this happened. I can't even imagine the loss she must have gone through. In her about the book section, Ung explains that she wanted to show that children suffer just as much as adults in war, and I think she really achieved that goal with her book. Because she wrote it in the first person, from the view point of a child, I was really able to comprehend her struggles at that age. Had she written in the past tense, the story would appear less personal. The only complaint I have with her style is that because she was a confused child, I was too. I knew nothing of the Cambodian struggle, so the view of a child was not very helpful in terms of my understanding the conflict. It wasn't until I was almost finished that I understood what the entire conflict was about. However, she was able to prove her point, which I think is the most important aspect of the book.
ReplyDeleteI personally found this book to be particularly interesting. Having visited Cambodia and with prior basic knowledge of the Khmer Rouge, I was especially intrigued by the new perspective provided by Loung Ung. However, I did not find that Ung's rhetoric effectively conveyed her points. In her endeavor to describe the situation in Cambodia in the eyes of a little girl, Ung tends to deviate from this girl's mind and often adds much deeper thoughts of her own. On the contrary, I agree with Devon that some sentences were in fact too elementary, which detracted from the overall impact of Ung's writing. I am glad to have read the book and gained new insight into the lives of Cambodians living under the Khmer Rouge, but it had no major impact on me.
ReplyDeletePersonally, while I do think it is an interesting, involving, and charged piece of writing, it seems to be very familiar, and similar to many of these novels that we've read before. It was comparable to Memoirs of a Boy soldier. Despite the fact that it has a different plot, it follows roughly the same story. However, that did not stop me from feeling engaged and interested in her story and empathizing with her as I read. I didn't mind the simplistic styles she incorporated sometimes, and i felt it added to my understanding of the situation.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the book at certain points but other times it seemed boring and redundant. It lacked something, perhaps because she was very young during the Khmer Rouge takeover and had a juvenile and naive interpretation of the events. Also, I felt the book lacked a climax. I was under the impression that there would be a culminating event near the middle of the book but it was just one event after another.
ReplyDeleteI found FTKMF very intriguing. I think what makes Ung's story so interesting to me is how she tells her story from the perspective of an adolescent (rather than as a grownup). Although Ung's simple literature/diction was boring at times, I thought it elicited more feelings. As a child telling a story of such depressing and chilling events, I though came off as more powerful because no of us could ever relate to such events during our childhood. I enjoyed reading FTKMF.
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