Official Review: The Girl Who Said Goodbye by Heather Allen

Please use this sub-forum to discuss any non-fiction books such as autobiographies or political commentary books.
Forum rules
Authors and publishers are not able to post replies in the review topics.
User avatar
sarahmarlowe
Previous Member of the Month
Posts: 1070
Joined: 02 Jun 2018, 18:57
Favorite Book: One Second After
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 191
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-sarahmarlowe.html
Latest Review: The best therapy by Jim LaPierre LCSW, CCS
Reading Device: B00KC6I06S

Official Review: The Girl Who Said Goodbye by Heather Allen

Post by sarahmarlowe »

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Girl Who Said Goodbye" by Heather Allen.]
Book Cover
4 out of 4 stars
Share This Review


Leahaey is the word for goodbye in Khmer, the primary language of Cambodia. In The Girl who Said Goodbye, Heather Allen writes in the voice of her aunt, Siv Eng, retelling her desperate battle for survival after the Khmer Rouge took control of her native Cambodia. There were many goodbyes between Siv Eng’s family and friends, many of them final.

Siv Eng was in college in the city of Phnom Penh when the Communist Khmer Rouge took over Cambodia in 1975. Established Cambodian government officials, doctors, clerics, and educators were executed without trial or excuse. People in the cities were herded to work in the countryside, and regular citizens suffered mercilessly. The Khmer Rouge regarded people as trash to be used up and thrown away. The Cambodian people were disposable, not worth bullets, according to the soldiers. All around the country, people were massacred (by stabbing or bludgeoning in order to save ammunition) and left in mass graves.

Under the Khmer Rouge, the Communist regime took away people’s identities, individually and nationally. Their possessions were seized, and their minds were subject to “reeducation,” brainwashing to reinforce the power of the Khmer Rouge. Cambodians suffered separation from family, hard labor camps, starvation, and malaria. They healed however they could and learned to consume anything they could, including tarantulas and mice. During her battle, Siv Eng fought off injury and disease, isolation and violence. She never lost the will to live, surviving some of the worst that humans could endure.

This book is well edited and is full of good descriptions, powerful prose, and clear descriptions of the characters' emotions. In the story, the author uses flashbacks to Siv Eng’s childhood, describing experiences with her parents, siblings, and school friends. The flashbacks are well done, with previous chapters preparing readers for the change. Chapter titles also include dates and places, which allowed me to keep up with where I was in the story. The flashbacks provide insights into the family and their love for each other before the Khmer Rouge separated them. Allen uses these snippets to focus on individuals, allowing readers to get to know them as rounded characters. Some of the flashbacks also proved to be foreshadowing, relating how Siv Eng acquired skills that helped her to survive her captivity.

I desperately want to tell you the whole story of the brutality of the Khmer Rouge and the strength and decency of Siv Eng and her family. Instead, I recommend this book to you, rating it 4 out of 4 stars. There are a handful of editorial mistakes sprinkled throughout, but there are not nearly enough to deduct a star. The novel is excellently written in a compelling story format, and I frequently had to slow myself down while reading because I wanted to find out what would happen next. The author includes family photos, maps, and a glossary of the Khmer words used in the book.

The story in The Girl who Said Goodbye is compelling, describing not only evil brutality but also the will to survive and even compassion amid trials. Prospective readers might want to know that there is no coarse language or sexual situations in this book. There is, obviously, murder and death, but it is handled quite respectfully by the author. This book would be a good selection for all kinds of readers. People interested in history, Southeast Asia, family bonds, or the survival of body and spirit would enjoy this book.

******
The Girl Who Said Goodbye
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
sarahmarlowe
You can spend your time however you want, but you can spend it only once. :eusa-think:
User avatar
MarlaG
Posts: 1
Joined: 25 Jun 2019, 08:19
Bookshelf Size: 0

Post by MarlaG »

What a wonderful book. I love how it tells the story and then goes back and forth between what both sides are doing and then from present to past also . Once you pick the book up you can hardly put it down . It puts you right in the story. You can feel what they are going through. I am not sure how many times I shed tears. Thank you for sharing.
User avatar
kandscreeley
Special Discussion Leader
Posts: 11683
Joined: 31 Dec 2016, 20:31
Currently Reading: Believarexic
Bookshelf Size: 486
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-kandscreeley.html
Latest Review: The Elf Revelation by Jordan David

Post by kandscreeley »

This is a period of history that I haven't heard much about. It sounds like the people suffered mercilessly, and their stories need to be told. I'll put it on my list! Thanks.
A book is a dream you hold in your hands.
—Neil Gaiman
AndieHizon 29
Posts: 14
Joined: 15 Jun 2019, 10:21
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 11
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-andiehizon-29.html
Latest Review: The Lost Identity Casualties by Kim Ekemar

Post by AndieHizon 29 »

Love the review! Makes me want to read the story ☺️
LeeleeByoma
Posts: 140
Joined: 21 Jun 2017, 16:05
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 26
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-leeleebyoma.html
Latest Review: Lost and Love: Thailand (Book One of the Lost and Love Series) by Stella Knights

Post by LeeleeByoma »

I have never heard of Khmer Rouge! This book is an important piece of history. Stories of survival against numerous odds are stories that I find irresistible. The author did great by getting it professionally edited. The 4 stars sound very well-deserved.
User avatar
CyndiA1
Posts: 101
Joined: 02 May 2019, 15:24
Favorite Book: The Altitude Journals
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 201
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-cyndia1.html
Latest Review: From Drift to SHIFT by Jody B. Miller
Reading Device: B00JG8GOWU

Post by CyndiA1 »

I wanted to find out what else happened when reading your review just as you mentioned you would want to read faster to learn more. Certainly, this sounds like a fascinating book and a chapter in history that is not covered very well.

Your review is excellent, and I will be keeping an eye out for this book. Thanks!
Magnify3
Posts: 1109
Joined: 23 May 2019, 14:46
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 45
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-magnify3.html
Latest Review: Love, Grandma by Ann Morris

Post by Magnify3 »

This sounds like a touching story worth reading. I wonder what the movie version would be like. I don't know much about Cambodia. Great job with the review!
User avatar
Cecilia_L
Previous Member of the Month
Posts: 4952
Joined: 08 Jun 2018, 22:16
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 436
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-cecilia-l.html
Latest Review: No Rushing when Brushing by Humairah Shah

Post by Cecilia_L »

This sounds like quite a compelling story. Thanks for the excellent review.
Niv123
Posts: 612
Joined: 09 Mar 2019, 07:43
Favorite Book: The Barnyard Buddies Meet a Newcomer
Currently Reading: Ironbark Hill
Bookshelf Size: 55
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-nivi-gideon.html
Latest Review: Returning fire by Linda rhoutsong

Post by Niv123 »

This sounds absolutely captivating! Thank you for the wonderful, comprehensive review
kdstrack
Previous Member of the Month
Posts: 6473
Joined: 10 May 2017, 19:49
Currently Reading: The Savior
Bookshelf Size: 530
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-kdstrack.html
Latest Review: How To Be Successful by M. Curtis McCoy

Post by kdstrack »

The atrocities of Pol Pot and the horrors carried out by the Khmer Rouge are another part of history that is not well known. The historical information coming from someone who survived the regime awake readers to life under a dictatorship. This is a compelling review. Thank you for this excellent recommendation.
Niv123
Posts: 612
Joined: 09 Mar 2019, 07:43
Favorite Book: The Barnyard Buddies Meet a Newcomer
Currently Reading: Ironbark Hill
Bookshelf Size: 55
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-nivi-gideon.html
Latest Review: Returning fire by Linda rhoutsong

Post by Niv123 »

This review is wonderful and does justice to the book! Thanks for the review!
User avatar
Ivana Tomaš
Posts: 442
Joined: 06 Apr 2019, 14:07
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 177
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-ivana-toma.html
Latest Review: The 13th of Summer by Charlene Pratt

Post by Ivana Tomaš »

This seems like a very difficult topic and is definitely not for everyone. It is very inspiring how Siv Eng fought constantly and never lost the will to live. Thank you for an excellent review!
User avatar
unamilagra
Previous Member of the Month
Posts: 1501
Joined: 07 Feb 2019, 22:57
Currently Reading: into the willd
Bookshelf Size: 120
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-unamilagra.html
Latest Review: Powerballs by Jimmy Clifton
Reading Device: B00JG8GOWU

Post by unamilagra »

This sounds like an amazing book about a brutal topic. I'm glad it was well written and did its subject matter justice. Great review!
User avatar
sarahmarlowe
Previous Member of the Month
Posts: 1070
Joined: 02 Jun 2018, 18:57
Favorite Book: One Second After
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 191
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-sarahmarlowe.html
Latest Review: The best therapy by Jim LaPierre LCSW, CCS
Reading Device: B00KC6I06S

Post by sarahmarlowe »

MarlaG wrote: 25 Jun 2019, 08:23 What a wonderful book. I love how it tells the story and then goes back and forth between what both sides are doing and then from present to past also . Once you pick the book up you can hardly put it down . It puts you right in the story. You can feel what they are going through. I am not sure how many times I shed tears. Thank you for sharing.
I enjoyed the flashbacks. To me, that really allowed development of the characters. Thank you so much for taking time to comment.
sarahmarlowe
You can spend your time however you want, but you can spend it only once. :eusa-think:
User avatar
sarahmarlowe
Previous Member of the Month
Posts: 1070
Joined: 02 Jun 2018, 18:57
Favorite Book: One Second After
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 191
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-sarahmarlowe.html
Latest Review: The best therapy by Jim LaPierre LCSW, CCS
Reading Device: B00KC6I06S

Post by sarahmarlowe »

kandscreeley wrote: 25 Jun 2019, 08:57 This is a period of history that I haven't heard much about. It sounds like the people suffered mercilessly, and their stories need to be told. I'll put it on my list! Thanks.
Yes, I would certainly recommend this one. Thanks for taking time to comment!
sarahmarlowe
You can spend your time however you want, but you can spend it only once. :eusa-think:
Post Reply

Return to “Non-Fiction Books”