`First They Killed My Father' is set in Cambodia, it tells a story of the author Loung Ung and her family's survival. The family went through a great ordeal; some were strong and managed to survive while others were not. Loung tells her real life experiences and how she managed to survive through this ordeal. She speaks of each family member and how they managed to survive or get where they got to. Even though they were hard times, the Ung family supported and helped each other. Each family member learns and experiences a great amount especially Loung.

Loung became strong and intelligent as a consequence of war; she manages to survive the great ordeal. Loung grows in many ways during these hard times from being `spoiled and a trouble maker' to a person who encounters some experiences that none of us will ever experience. She use to...