I had a hard time getting into this book. Since I did not finish it, I do not intend to publish a review.

This book deals with the atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia. Having little knowledge of it myself, the book does very well in exploring the tragedy. Thien's characters are compelling and heartbreaking, and we learn about their haunted pasts slowly. The novel centers around Janie's search for her friend Hiroji, who she believes left Canada, where they both live, for Cambodia. The timeline goes back and forth between the past and present, which can get confusing at times. Overall, a book not to be missed.

What a beautiful and terrifying book. I so appreciate the author's effort to find new language and a new kind of narrative style to the trauma and horror of the Khmer regime. This is an important book for so many reasons.

An important novel about the horrors of war and how to cope in the aftermath. It took me a while to get used to the writing style. It is not an easy novel to read, but well worth it.

Exploring the deep, long-lasting trauma that follows historical atrocities, this book follows a Cambodian who escapes to Canada, and a Canadian who travels to and becomes trapped in Cambodia during the reign of the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s. There are some gripping passages, but the book becomes scattered in places and more intellectual than heartfelt. Despite its inconsistencies, it is a worthwhile read.