What a beautiful book.

It was not predictable and had a satisfying ending. I was surprised by how much I liked this book.

I grew attached to all the characters and their struggles and hopes. I loved learning more about Cambodia and getting more perspective on the Khmer Rouge.

It had great themes of literacy, dignity, poverty, friendship, and the human condition. The plot captivated me and I stayed up reading it.

I would definitely read this one again. There are a lot of beautiful quotes and lessons I pulled from it. And the best part: it was completely clean; no bad language or sex or gratuitous violence.

Someone else described it as heartbreaking and uplifting. I totally agree.