Lucky Child

In this lyrical sequel to the bestselling memoir First They Killed My Father, Ung describes her school years in Vermont as a Cambodian refugee, and her sister Chou’s struggle to survive in Cambodia
In the summer of 1980, a faith-based group in Vermont sponsored three members of the Ung family to relocate from war-torn Cambodia to the US. Lucky Child is Loung’s triumphant and heartbreaking history of the obstacles of assimilation as a young girl in Vermont, the dogged memories of the genocide, and the grasp for the equilibrium and strength to forge a new life in a place where violence is not the norm. Loung’s sister, Chou, was left behind as her siblings relocated to Vermont. their wrenching separation was exacerbated by a silence between the US and Cambodia that prevented them from keeping in close contact. In alternating chapters, these parallel lives unfold, highlighting the harsh realities of chance and circumstance, both on a personal level for the Ung family and historically for Cambodia. Loung is an accomplished activist and writer, vibrant and healthy despite having to come to terms with the physical ravages of war and the memories of her family whose honour she struggles to uphold. Lucky Child is a powerful reminder that wars don’t end just because the guns have fallen silent.