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Based on the author’s own childhood, this is a heart-breaking and inspiring story. The daughter of a wealthy, foreign educated minor noble family, the narrator’s happy and comfortable childhood is suddenly and violently disrupted as the Khmer Rouge take over Cambodia. They are forcibly driven from their estate, sent into internal exile, condemned to forced labor and endure starvation, execution and terror. The love of family, the power of story, the indestructible conviction that hope will preva
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Ratner wrote this book, which is based upon her life when she was growing up in Cambodia during the revolution. Interweaving fiction with fact, Ratner draws a picture from a 7 year old's perspective as to what did happen and what else might have happened during this time.
The book is beautifully written. Ratner, the daughter of a poet, clearly gets her feel and sound for language from her father. One criticism of the book is that it is told from the perspective of a young child, but the voice and ...more
The book is beautifully written. Ratner, the daughter of a poet, clearly gets her feel and sound for language from her father. One criticism of the book is that it is told from the perspective of a young child, but the voice and ...more

Aug 27, 2012
Julie
marked it as to-read

Mar 03, 2016
Lise Petrauskas
marked it as to-read
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review of another edition
Shelves:
international-challenge

Mar 21, 2020
Sarah
marked it as to-read