“There can be absolutely no question about the innate power of [Ung’s] story, the passion in which she tells it, or it’s enduring importance.” Stated by the Washington Post Book World, this describes First they Killed my Father (by Loung Ung) in as little words as possible. To explain the sense of reality this book gives you, would take its own 238 pages.
The story is not only emotionally captivating, but also horrifyingly true. People of the modern world come to grips of how cruel the world can be—while also realizing the power of pure hope. This memoir has everything, political corruption, communism, war, love, death, starvation, fear, and page turning action. As a reader, you feel as if you were Ung. From living in Phnom Penh as one of the seven Ung children in the upscale, third floor apartment; to being forced from the known style of life and scattered about the nation in different work camps. As Ung goes through a painful silence, fearing she might hurt her family if she shares the truth, you fear with her. You cry with her as her family is dispersed and killed off, and the fury at the Angkar is also ignited within you. With Ung, you savor the rare moments of joy and happiness. Throughout the story you find that you need to know who’s going to be okay, because such shocking deaths need to be prepared for. The perilous situations that Ung’s family face make everyday problems seem so small. They put the world you know in perspective to the one she had to live though.
The memories of Ung’s past make a reader understand the greatness of a modern world and democracy. They combine the truth behind the Pol Pot regime in Cambodia with a personal experience, for an effect that holds a reader in its grips forever. It teaches the truth about war and communism, yet also teaches about the love of a family.
This memoir exposes the truth about the war in Cambodia from a citizen’s perspective, without becoming boring or unoriginal. Yet, it never loses the integrity of the truth. If ever offered this book, or if you are questioning reading it, do it. It beats out any fiction book in means of turning you into one of the characters, and it is one hundred percent true—making an even bigger impact on you as a reader.