If I had one objective when writing the book, it was ‘honesty’. Though largely fiction, I wanted to tell stories that were real, and rooted in truth. I wanted to paint a canvas rich in Cambodia’s colors, smells, tastes, sights, sounds, and touch. I allowed real people, experiences, and events to force their way onto the pages, and for the voices I heard to tell their own story. I deliberately chose not to use speech marks as I did not want to distinguish between the narrative of the author and that of the characters. As the writer, I saw myself as merely the facilitator. A vehicle for the protagonists to write their own allegory.
It is a book filled with tragedy, comedy, despair, laughter, violence, love, cruelty, tenderness, irony, humor, sadness, and, ultimately, hope. It is a book filled with life. I hope you enjoy it.