Daughter of the Killing Fields: Asrei's Story

by Theary C. Seng

Theary Seng was a toddler when they killed her father. In prison shortly after, she fell asleep in her mother's arms and woke to find her gone. "Daughter of the Killing Fields" tells how Seng spent her early years being passed from one set of relatives to another, amid a backdrop of soldiers, landmines, inadequate refugee camps and always death. 'Life', she found, 'is just a breath'. Often separated and fearing each other dead for months at a time, she tells the nail-biting story of how she, her aunts and uncles survived. Leaving Cambodia aged six to start a new life in the West, this powerful memoir begins and ends 23 years later as she finds a way to confront the man she holds 'accountable for the death of my parents, for the blood of 1.7 million others'.

263 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Penny Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this while travelling through Cambodia and it is horrendous what this girl and others were exposed to at this time. They book gives a great account of what it was like to live through this and descriptive enough to be able to visualize being there.

[Ann Hardman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great book if you are traveling in Cambodia.

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I randomly had this book on my bookshelf, I have no idea how I acquired it but i'm happy I read it. as someone who comes from a privileged country and family this story is eye-opening it amazes me how truely cruel humans can be to each other but also how resilient. It also amazes me that this part of history is not taught in schools more.

[Janine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A deeply personal and moving account of one young woman's experience during the Khmer Rouge reign in Cambodia.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Asrei's story is an unbelievable account of what she and her family went through just to survive the terrible Pol pot in Cambodia. A strong women who is Blessed by God!

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heart Breaking!

[Jen Freeman]

Harrowing!

[Helencoleman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant, moving, interesting, real.

[António Pedro Moreira · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read a hundred pages and unfortunately did not feel like finishing it. I respect the story and history but the way it is written is not a style I appreciate.

[Stephanie Boedecker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great insight into what life was like before during and after the Khmer Rouge