by Loung Ung
First published 2017
Loung Ung's family is torn apart when the Khmer Rouge seize power in Cambodia. Forced to abandon their home in Phnom Penh, they embark on a harrowing journey to evade the regime's relentless purge. As Loung trains to become a child soldier, her parents and siblings struggle to stay alive in labor camps, facing starvation, disease, and the constant threat of execution. Amidst the terror, Loung clings to her humanity and the hope of reuniting with her loved ones.
Genres: historical-fiction, abuse, 20th-century, biography-memoir, 21st-century, activism
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: coming-of-age, found-family
Setting: Cambodia, Phnom Penh
Period: 20th-century
238 pages · Paperback · Harper Perennial
Content warnings: abuse, child-abuse, violence, war