Koan Khmer: A Novel

by Bunkong Tuon

A powerful debut novel about war, immigration, and home



Celebrating the power of literature to rescue a life from despair, Koan Khmer is the story of Samnang Sok, an orphaned child survivor of the Cambodian genocide who sets out to make a new life in America alongside his extended family. Struggling to cope with the traumas of his past, Samnang feels alienated from his American peers at school and disconnected from his aunts, uncles, and cousins at home. Inspired by the books he discovers along the way, Samnang begins piecing together information about the past through stories told by elders, family photographs, and his own memories and dreams. Based loosely on Tuon’s life, the novel traces Samnang’s difficult journey toward an answer to the question, How does one rebuild a life after genocide and displacement and create a home?



Koan Khmer gives an unflinching voice to a distinctly Cambodian American sensibility. Tuon creates a refugee space that all Americans can visit in this bildungsroman that breathes life into cultural knowledge disrupted by loss and grief.



 

256 pages, Paperback

Published August 15, 2024

About the author

As a child survivor of the Cambodian Genocide, I write about this history and its impact on Cambodian Americans. It is a way for me to make sense of my life, my family, and my place in the United States. Writing is a way of mapping the coordinates of my being.

My debut novel, Koan Khmer, is forthcoming from Curbstone/Northwestern UP.

To learn more about my life and writing, please visit my website: https://www.bunkongtuon.com/

Thanks!

Reviews

[David Kaczynski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Koan Khmer is a powerfully moving account of trauma, loss, and resilience – timely considering the violence currently affecting hundreds of thousands of people in Eastern Europe and the Middle East as well as the obstacles and anxiety affecting refugees around the world, and also universal given the prevalence of trauma arising from myriad causes throughout human history. While Tuon's prose is straightforward and clear, his story gives the reader a treasure of complex questions to think about and contemplate. Ultimately, the novel inspires us to believe in the power of love to surmount even the most terrible of circumstances.

[Camilla]

"General Tales of Ordinary Madness"

Koan Khmer (translating, if I am not mistaken, to 'Child of Cambodia') is a work that examines the conditions caused by being an outsider and the ways one learns to approach being an outsider.

The novel follows Samnang, a child who is a victim of the Khmer Rouge, but one of this novel's greatest strengths is subverting the expectations of an autobiographical historical fiction by only describing everything that happens after. That is- Koan Khmer really begins its series of events after Samnang and his family move to America. Being admittedly only passingly familiar with the Cambodian genocide, the narrative's intentional glossing-over of that terrible history is not a problem in the slightest. While my own history is, gratefully, a lot more fortunate than Samnang's (or Tuon's, for that matter), I can completely relate to and identify with their respective struggles of being outsiders. While personal research on the historical conditions is pending, the novel highlights the fact that not knowing someone's past does not bar you from mutual understanding.

Koan Khmer relates the life of Samnang through his formative experiences, and while his life never quite follows the same events consistently, at the core of his perspective is the fact that he knows he does not fit in, that he is seen as different, as lesser, and how he struggles to try to adapt, if not integrate. While speaking with Tuon during one of his readings, he mentioned his belief that writers are connected by their shared status of being outsiders, and I can not help but agree wholeheartedly- Samnang's writing is inspired by his status, Tuon cited his status as an inspiration, and I, myself, recognize my perpetual inability to be part of a scene as a major influence. Speaking with the author regarding the novel proved an enhancing experience.

In short, Koan Khmer tells the general tales of ordinary madness that anyone could, in theory, be faced with, but with the perspective of someone of a decidedly "different" background. And, of course, the novel very sharply shows that different backgrounds do not diminish value whatsoever, but instead create a touching work of art that lends itself to cross-cultural connections. I found myself connecting heavily with Samnang, and the novel's focus on how one approaches being a misfit throughout one's life is a message sure to resonate with anyone who understands not being part of the in-group.

Thank you, Child of Cambodia, for telling me your story.

[Natalie N. López · Rating 5 out of 5]

Koan Khmer, with its accessible yet profoundly beautiful storytelling, tells the harrowing journey of a young boy who faces atrocities no one should ever endure, as a result of the Cambodian genocide. The protagonist, Samnang, demonstrates what endurance and tenacity look like, navigating his painful experiences in search of safety and a sense of belonging. The connection between the author’s life and Samnang’s is deeply interwoven in the narrative, making the story not only compelling but at times difficult to read. Yet, this raw honesty also offers an opportunity for healing, both for the characters and for the reader.
The story begins with a series of overwhelming hardships, but its trajectory gradually shifts toward hope, growth, and eventual contentment. His journey makes readers, such as myself, reflect on the power of writing and self-expression, which, in this case, serves as a means of survival and understanding. Bunkong Tuon’s work stands as a reminder to future storytellers of the profound influence writing can have—not only to document struggles but to shape narratives of cultural critique, healing, and joy. His portrayal of Samnang’s journey highlights the power of storytelling and its capacity to represent diverse experiences with authenticity and purpose.

[Laurie Kuntz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished this remarkable book. This is a story in need of telling. And, somewhere in the telling is a tale of remarkable survival. From the nightmare of war, trauma, genocide, loss and a very difficult assimilation process comes a life story of negotiating survival and hope to create a path to one's own personal American dream. I am grateful to Bunkong Tuon for delivering this relevant and poignant book to all readers. 

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent poignant book about a Cambodian refugees experiences before and after moving to the US

This book was tough to read at times, but important. It is so crucial that we understand the experiences of those during the Cambodian genocide by the Khmer Rouge (and the US’s role in it) and the experiences of refugees in the US and elsewhere in the world at a time when there was a great deal of anti-AAPI rhetoric (post Viêt Nam war) and few Asian Americans in the East US. Tuon is a powerful storyteller and I was always hooked. I hope this is a book that is widely read, it should be on lists in high schools and colleges, in my opinion.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is both powerful and thought-provoking, offering a personal glimpse into the struggles and triumphs of the immigrant experience. Koan Khmer captures the emotional complexity of surviving war, adapting to a new culture, and holding on to one’s heritage. I found the story deeply relatable, having also grown up in the Greater Boston Area. Koan Khmer is an inspiring and unforgettable read.

[Tay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read cover to cover in a long time. The author manages to captivate the audience with exceptional narration and compelling storylines. The main character, Samnang Lok, strives to grow up and develop himself in the suburban United States as a Khmer American kid. I really enjoyed reading about the way Samnang yearned to find a mentor who could guide and support his learning journey. In the chapter "Brandon Liu," Samnang finds a professor who shares his Asian identity and helps him realize his potential. Through his story, I could further understand the importance of representation and how it can change someone’s life.

The entire novel was amazing. A part that stood out to me was the chapter “A Writer's Club”. The chapter refers to the riots provoked by the unfair and violent beating of Rodney King. The author breaks the fiction writing format, inserting within the text the poem “A City On Fire” that is very much still relevant. What made the poem particularly impactful for me was the use of repetition in the last line of each verse: “The city cries for justice. The city cries for blood/We cry for justice. We cry for peace./ I cry and cry. This is all wrong. This is all wrong.” Bunkong Tuon explores the topic of race and racial conflict in America, by imitating the ongoing cycle of pain and necessary protest.

[Eduardo Lastra-Cancela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bunkong Tuon’s novel, Koan Khmer, was profoundly interesting. One of my favorite sections is incredibly descriptive and accurate in its depiction of skateboarding. The protagonist, Samnang, has many difficulties and struggles in his life, but skateboarding is something he uses as an artform to express how he may be feeling at the specific moment. As a skateboarder, I found it extremely relatable that skateboarding is seen as a means of emotional expression. In the chapter called “Rage,” Bunkong Tuon writes: “I attacked the red brick wall that snaked around the bank’s parking lot .... My back wheels hit the soil and I flew off my board…. My palms and knees torn and trickling blood....” He presents how the protagonist channels his emotions through skating. Overall, this is an amazing read for anyone looking to learn about the Khmer American experience and for anyone who is interested in an artistic perspective of skateboarding, among the various means that Samnang finds to express himself.

[Faviola Cabán · Rating 5 out of 5]

The novel Koan Khmer, by Bunkong Tuon really moved me. It takes you on a journey through the eyes of a young Khmer American boy as he recalls the heartbreaking story of his family's displacement from their homeland of Cambodia. Tuon through his good writing made me really feel the pain, the trauma, and the deep sense of loss that many immigrants face. For example, in Chapter “A Dream of Fire”, trauma is poignantly revealed, with the idea of returning home to family presented as a path to happiness. However, what resonated with me most was the powerful message of hope that emerged. Despite the darkest moment, Samnang’s efforts to help his aunt find happiness stood out as a testament to resilience and compassion.

[Eduardo Gonzalez · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a young writer, I felt like Bunkong Tuon's novel Koan Khmer was quite an inspiring read. Tuon uses easy to understand language to talk about complex and personal themes through Samnang Sok and his other characters. I also apreciated that he decided to have the main character become a writer himself and showed the character’s process of getting to that point, working through his trauma and being influenced by teachers and other writers he enjoyed. By reading this type of story, I'm finding it easier to be able to feel like I'm finding my own self creatively and allowing myself to look for ways of becoming a better writer.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bunkong Tuon’s novel is a gripping and raw portrayal of the Cambodian-American experience in the aftermath of the Khmer Rouge. The book offers a great commentary on the school life and how difficult it can be to find your place in it when you don’t seem to fully fit in with the biases that have been previously set. Since school is such a big part of the setting for Part II and III of the novel, it was so interesting to see how Bunkong Tuon crafted Samnang Sok’s school and university experience in such an honest way that makes the reader feel like they are in the classroom with him. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who reads this review!

[Valeria Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Review: Inspiring Book About the Transition from Leaving Cambodia to Surviving in a Strange New Land: America

Koan Khmer is a powerful book that transports readers into the life of a young boy, Samnang Sok, and his family as they fight to survive in a world marked by cruelty, war, and famine. Through Samnang’s perspective, we witness the reality of the Cambodian genocide and how it affected everyone, leaving behind irreparable emptiness and trauma. Despite this suffering, his family continues moving forward with their heads held high. They are determined to reach America, hoping to create a safe home once again. A home that contains food, stability, and the chance to rebuild without ever forgetting their past.
This book was the first one I opened and could not stop reading until I finished it. The main reason for this is that it is incredibly easy to read, while still allowing the reader’s mind to create vivid images of everything Bunkong Tuon describes. One particularly impactful moment appears in the first chapter, “Under the Tamarind Tree,” where the author conveys the desperation of a child. He wishes his family could piece together a puzzle of what his mother was like in order to form a complete image of her, since he does not remember her. This chapter is deeply painful because it reminds me of how we all lose loved ones and how, as time passes, the exact memories of them slowly begin to fade.
This novel is an autobiographical fiction, meaning that while some events may not have occurred exactly as described, most of the story is based on real experiences. One of the most unexpected moments in the novel, at least for me, occurs when Samnang is on a small boat with his family, surrounded by chaos. Waves crash into the boat, people are crying, and fear fills the air. In that moment, Samnang sees a mermaid, which symbolizes comfort and safety for him. He feels protected and believes everything will be okay, sensing the presence of his mother watching over him. Shortly after, they safely arrive on one of the islands of Indonesia. This moment is pure and unique, as it represents how imagination and memory can serve as a source of peace and emotional protection during times of extreme hardship.
For me, the quote: “I’m not sure if anyone will read our stories, but the urge to write, to speak, overwhelms me. It’s all I can do to stop from going crazy”, contains the most powerful words in the novel. Through these lines, Bunkong Tuon expresses his need to tell his story so that others who lived through similar experiences can understand that they are not alone, despite everything that happened. This quote reminds me of visiting my grandfather’s house, who served in the Korean War, and how he always shares in detail the things he had to endure to survive. I believe that this urge to speak and tell one’s story is necessary, because sharing experiences is also a way of healing.
If you ever have the opportunity to read this book, it will stay in your heart forever. I am grateful to have had the chance to read it, and I will carry its story in my heart. It is a painful yet necessary and important story for the world to read. It shows the importance of living with hope and strength after such a horrific event.

[Angelisse Monge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Koan Khmer, a novel by Cambodian American writer Bunkong Tuon, is a beautiful portrait of the immigrant and refugee experience in the U.S. We follow the story of Samnang, a young Cambodian boy whose family comes to America to escape the Khmer Rouge regime that took over their land. Jumping between past and present, where college graduate Samnang begins asking his family questions about the regime and their journey to America for a research project, we follow the protagonist as he pieces together the past by creating connections between his own distant childhood memories in Cambodia and the stories his elders tell him. Koan Khmer is a beautifully raw story that will resonate with anyone who has known the grief, loss, and alienation caused by being forced to create a new home in a country so far away and with a culture so distinct from one’s own. The novel accurately captures the struggles and realities of immigrant families who come to the U.S. in hopes of achieving the illusion of the “American Dream.” Realities such as poverty, discrimination, racism, alienation, and uncertainty appear throughout the story to show how families brave enough to escape danger, leaving behind their friends and home country, can overcome these hardships as long as they look out for one another and remain united.
Reading the story as a Puerto Rican who is familiar with the history and struggles faced by our people during the mass Puerto Rican migrations throughout the years allowed me to relate to Samnang’s story even more. In the chapters where Samnang remembers the hardship he faced at school and the discrimination from his classmates, his experiences were very reminiscent of the stories I’ve read about being a Puerto Rican or Latino child and being bullied or shunned because of one’s “otherness.” Being able to compare Samnang’s experience assimilating into American culture for the sake of “progress” and “safety” with the stories of many Puerto Rican children whose families migrated to the U.S. due to economic hardship made the novel an especially meaningful and pleasant read.
Finally, as a literature student, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Samnang’s story and learning about the experiences of Cambodian families who lost their homes due to displacement. Reading about how the protagonist himself falls in love with the world through stories and literature made the novel even more enjoyable for me. From discovering Bukowski and his poetry to falling in love with Russian literature through Dostoyevsky, Samnang begins to make sense of the world and finds his purpose in life, much like many of us humanities students do: through the written word. And so, as someone who feels so much so deeply, has lived through so much, and carries many stories to share, becoming a writer for Samnang felt like a no-brainer. As he explains in one of my favorite quotes: “Oh, how I ached for my people, for our voices to be heard. I needed to study harder, absorb the art of storytelling, so I could tell our stories.” With this novel, Bunkong Tuon not only tells his people’s story and their journey escaping genocide, but also writes a beautiful love letter to kids who fall in love with words and stories, inspiring them to someday write their own.

[Favi Vazquez · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Bunkong Tuon’s debut novel, Koan Khmer, we are taken on a journey through the life of Samnang Sok, an orphaned boy who became a refugee during the Cambodian genocide. We follow Samnang as he recalls his life through fragmented memories of his early childhood, the strenuous and heavy challenge of leaving his country to seek a better life in the United States, and all of the struggles he had to face throughout his formative years as someone who was constantly viewed as an “other.” It is a novel about a child desperately trying his best to remember what “home” was like; piecing together all the little bits of his family and culture that survived in order to truly understand who he is. It’s also about a boy who’s entered a strange new world that he must now navigate and learn how to fit in. This is a story about survival, in almost every sense of the word, and how it can shape your identity.

We immediately open with Samnang as an adult interviewing his family members about their lives back in Cambodia and what his parents were like. I immediately felt seen as someone who’s always had a natural curiosity about the lives of my family and about the relatives who have passed on but has seldom ever gotten answers to those questions. This innate desire to want to connect with your culture and roots through the memories of your family is something I think many people can relate to, especially if they feel disconnected from their country or heritage. When Samnang stated, “I needed to know more than these two facts. I needed to know who my parents were, what they’d thought and felt, their hopes and dreams, their thoughts about me, their first and only child.” I felt all of the emotions that were behind those words and how even people who you barely knew can forever haunt you with their absence.

Tuon’s writing hooks you in from the moment you turn to the first page; each chapter flows easily from one to another, keeping you reading and wanting to find out more. It’s easy to get absorbed and lose yourself in his writing as we move through the different stages of the protagonist’s life. I also always enjoy when bilingual/multilingual writers blend words from their respective languages into their works as it makes the text feel much more immersive and natural. Whether you’re an avid reader or you rarely pick up a book, you should definitely give this novel a read!

[⋆☃︎✧˖ alondra °❅⋆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

She repeated, “Cambodia is all I know. I don’t want to be a refugee, someone without a home, someone who seeks shelter in another country.”

Koan Khmer by Bunkong Tuon is a novel that sheds light into the Cambodian genocide under the Khmer Rouge regime, sharing the story of a boy who, along his family, survived its horrors at the age of three.
The scene that first hooked me was in the third chapter “Leaving Cambodia.” This is when the reader gets a first glimpse of his family fleeing to Thailand.

And what immediately hurt to read was Oum Seyha saying, “There’s a future for him there, away from here. There’s no longer life here.” Although I’m very aware these circumstances differ greatly from other immigrant experiences, I believe it could resonate with any immigrant who had to leave their home for a better life. A scene that sparked my curiosity before this chapter ended was when Samnang and his family found themselves hiding in a communal toilet, later joined by the New York Times journalist. Even if the journalist was present, there’s still a difference between the one who’s documenting the genocide versus the one who’s actually living it.

“Together, covered in feces, we hid in the shithole: the American photographer and my Cambodian family.”

If you’re a slow reader like me, you’ll enjoy the pacing of this book since Bunkong Tuon’s writing allows you into the mind of Samnang Sok with a style that’s easy to understand, which makes it accessible at any reading level. I think the reason I enjoyed reading this was because I could appreciate the theme of searching for an identity in a world you were forced into, which I think is something a lot of people who were immigrants as children can relate to. I also enjoyed this book because as a literature student in the Caribbean, I’ve never been assigned any books related to immigration outside the Puerto Rican diaspora, so Bunkong Tuon’s helped me gain awareness about what was also happening across the globe.

[Carlos Seda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Koan Khmer by Bunkong Tuon is one of those books that quietly stays with you. It tells the story of Samnang Sok, a Cambodian American kid carrying his family’s past while still figuring out who he is, without over-explaining or turning the pain into drama.

The beginning moments of the novel are hard hitting. Samnang loses his mom at a very young age and his grandmother carries him along through the wilderness to a refugee camp in Thailand. Tuon writes, “I rode on her back through the jungle… not knowing if we would make it.” That quote brought fear since you can feel his uncertainty in that moment.

Life in Massachusetts was hard in a variety of ways. The family faced racism, and Samnang often felt unseen or undervalued. He says, “I wanted to disappear, to vanish into something smaller than myself, something unseen.” I liked his delivery here because it captured how isolating it can feel to grow up between cultures. Later, when he discovers Bukowski in the library, “words felt like a place I could live in”, here I felt the same hope he did when he noticed literature can also work as a lifeline.

By the end, Samnang becomes a university professor, writing and teaching to preserve Cambodian culture. Dreams appear throughout the book, a mermaid in the Gulf of Thailand, a man on horseback with a golden crown, and I liked how these moments mixed memory, hope, and imagination. Tuon writes, “Stories are my way to suture the wounds of history,” which I loved because it shows how storytelling can heal.

As a young Puerto Rican reader, I really connected with Samnang, growing up between cultures, dealing with prejudice, and carrying family history that isn’t always spoken. Koan Khmer reminded me why our stories matter, and how listening to others can make you feel less alone.

[eden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Koan Khmer is an impactful story following a young boy, Samnang, and how he rebuilds his life after the Cambodian genocide with his extended family in America. This on its own is already an intriguing factor; I’ve seen many books and films about victims of war but they all follow their protagonists during the war, and often end in death. This story takes us to the world after the war, in a way reminiscent of a quote I heard a few years ago that hasn’t left my mind since: what do you say to someone whose world has already ended? Koan Khmer isn’t just about death or pain, it’s about survival and resilience in spite of the horrors. That’s a beautiful thing, because that’s life in a nutshell. There’s a part in chapter three that I think illustrates a detail about generations that have gone through trauma that is often underlooked: Samnang is trying to ask his uncles and aunts what was life like back in Cambodia after the Khmer Rouge took over for a grad school essay. He doesn’t receive a proper answer, and is encouraged to write about how they love America and hate communism. There’s so many people out there that never got to learn the history of where they came from, never got to learn their culture, even their language, because their parents suffered for it and assimilated to another culture as a means of survival. This novel was easy to follow along with, while still being impactful enough to make me think about the importance of love, resilience, tolerance and acceptance.

[Adriana Morales · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book tells the heartfelt story of a boy named Samnang who survives the Cambodian genocide along with some of his family members. Throughout the novel we see how he manages to overcome his trauma in a foreign country. It’s an amazing book, and as a slow reader, who finds it difficult to understand certain topics, it’s an easy read. I find the historic elements to be enriching, which is something I appreciate a lot from the book. Another thing I consider that is really special about the story is the way it teaches the reader how to be a morally good person through the themes of compassion, humanity, integrity, among others. There are two scenes from the book that I personally think show these topics very well. Samnang and his family grew up Buddhists, when they flee the country, a Christian couple receives them and takes them to their church service. In the end they don’t end up becoming Christian, but they do thank the couple for introducing them. They both accepted each other’s beliefs, showcasing tolerance as a moral. One of my favorite scenes is the one where Samnang is with his grandfather on a walk and is given help to overcome his loneliness. It’s a book I’d definitely recommend to those who look for a coming-of-age story, and want to expand their knowledge on historical themes and open up to different cultures.

[Kala Marrero · Rating 4 out of 5]

Koan Khmer by Bunkong Tuon is an emotional book. It is about what happens to people after a war. The story is about a person from Cambodia who moves to the United States. Samnang is trying to figure out who they are and where they fit in. The book Koan Khmer shows how things that happened a time ago can still affect us today. Bunkong Tuon does not try to shock us with dramatic scenes. Instead he shows us how people can be hurt in a quiet and real way. The book Koan Khmer is, about memory and identity and the struggle to belong. As Samnang adjusts to life in the U.S., the story focuses on the difficulties of immigration, such as poverty, racism, loneliness, and feeling out of place. He struggles to understand who he is between two cultures and two languages. School and language become important parts of his journey, and writing slowly becomes a way for him to express his pain and make sense of his past. The novel is written in short chapters with simple, clear language, which makes it easy to read while still being very moving. Tuon’s writing is calm and honest, allowing the emotions to speak for themselves. Overall, Koan Khmer is an important novel about survival, identity, and healing, and it gives voice to a Cambodian American experience that is often overlooked.

[Ariana Guzmán · Rating 4 out of 5]

Koan Khmer by Bunkong Tuon is a really moving story about Samnang Sok, a Cambodian kid who ends up growing up as a refugee in the United States. The book follows him from his childhood in Cambodia, through refugee camps in Thailand, and finally to life in Massachusetts and California. It does a great job showing what it’s like to deal with war, loss, and starting over in a new country, all while keeping the story really human and relatable. The story is told in short chapters that feel kind of like flashes of Samnang’s life, which fits the way memories and trauma work. We see him navigating school, family, and identity, all while figuring out who he is as a Cambodian-American. Writing and storytelling become his way of coping and making sense of his past. Themes like family, memory, and finding a place to belong really stand out, and the story balances the hardships with moments of hope and resilience. Overall, Koan Khmer is an important and powerful book. Some side characters aren’t explored deeply, and the story can feel heavy at times because of all the trauma it covers, but it’s still a compelling read. It’s perfect for anyone interested in refugee stories, coming-of-age journeys, or just reading something heartfelt and real about identity, family, and survival.

[Anneliese · Rating 5 out of 5]

Koan Khmer is an immersive novel by Cambodian American author Bunkong Tuon that narrates the story of Sok Samnang, the main character who has travelled alongside his family from Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge regime to the United States of America as refugee immigrants. Tuon’s novel is an ode of love towards his Khmer people and about the words that are left unsaid of hardworking people far from home. It is a novel that has resonated with me for numerous reasons. The simple yet detailed narrative encompasses the difficulty and suffering of coming-of-age in a foreign country and brings awareness to the multiple cultures existing within the melting pot of the United States. It shines a light on another world that has a presence in our history.
Before reading this novel, I had no previous knowledge about the Khmer Rouge or the Cambodian American diaspora, but after finishing the novel Koan Khmer and having the absolute pleasure of meeting with the author online, it was truly a full circle moment. It made a way for my own intercultural competence to grow.

[Cesar Gordian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Koan Khmer is one of those books that stays with you long after you’ve finished it. It tells the story of Samnang Sok, a young boy who survives the brutality of the Khmer Rouge and then has to face an entirely different kind of struggle as a refugee in the United States. What makes this novel so powerful is the personal feeling it gives off. You’re not just reading this book but also experiencing things that could’ve actually happened. It is a story about trauma, nostalgia and cultural differences and how hard it is for an immigrant to move to the United States in search of a better life and trying to assimilate to the culture while still maintaining their own and also dealing with the trauma of the life they left behind. This is a story that any immigrant in the United States can relate to and share sentiment with. I highly recommend this book that also shines light on a very underrepresented community. It is not only a great read, it also shows that the United States is made of many cultures and communities that should be seen and heard by all.

[Adriana Delgado · Rating 5 out of 5]

The novel Koan Khmer, written by Bunkong Tuon, was by far one of the most impactful fictional books I have read in a while. I felt as though the characters were right there with me to tell this story. Something that spoke out to me, without spoiling too much, was ultimately the hopefulness of the book. It’s a novel with a historical-based plot, yet it felt like the writer was able to make the protagonist’s realness shine. At first, I had my questions regarding the story, was it going to be heavy? Would I understand someone else’s story? These questions entered my mind. Yet when I read it, I felt as though the story clearly told itself. The language and tone of the book is phenomenal to tell a story so important on a topic that many of us may not know about. So, to anyone who is reading this review, if you want a well written and impactful novel that tells the story of survival, empathy, family, and human vulnerability, you have just landed the jackpot.

[Aslin Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bunkong Tuon carries you with clear and relatable writing through the personal journey of Samnang Sok, in the same way Sok is carried by a skateboard throughout his life.

Sok, an orphaned boy who had to relocate to the USA after the Cambodian genocide by the Khmer Rouge, endures abuse from bullying and becomes the best version of himself by developing the talents that helped him in his effort to overcome his hardships.

This book will show you how perseverance and going forward in life can take you to a place of gradual healing and more happiness.

Koan Khmer is inspirational and beautiful. A book that teaches readers how to open ourselves to another person to be more empathetic, caring, and humble.

This well-written book brings one the closest that you could get to another human being through fiction.

[Christopher Acevedo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bunkong Tuon's novel Koan Khmer is a personal account of an immigrant attempting to discover themself in a culture very different from their own. The collection of moments that Tuon shows the reader feels real and alive, due to Tuon’s excellent prose and personal experience. Tuon makes the reader feel as if they know the main character, Samnang Sok, personally, which makes the emotional beats in the story hit very hard. Koan Khmer is an incredibly relevant novel to today. The story's portrayal of brutal wars, ethnic discrimination, and police violence feels awfully similar to the modern day. As someone with immigrant parents who was born in California, the story resonated with me, and I can imagine it resonating with anyone who has experienced being an Immigrant or child of an immigrant. For these reasons, I could not recommend this Novel enough.

[Éomer Marrero · Rating 5 out of 5]

Koan Khmer is a powerful exploration of identity and cultural heritage, told through the eyes of a young Cambodian boy navigating life in the aftermath of the Khmer Rouge genocide. The narrative has a very accessible writing style that helps the story feel grounded and easier to relate to. The chapter “Lok-Ta” is probably the one that impacted me the most. It’s such a raw and genuine presentation of the US’s treatment of immigrants and how this severely affects the people who are discriminated against. The novel overall gives you a sense of hope, but I find moments like these, where our characters are on their lowest the most compelling, because it makes every happy moment our characters have the more rewarding.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bunkong Tuon's "Koan Khmer" is an amazing coming-of-age story that explores the immigrant experience and the healing power of storytelling. Samnang, the protagonist, grapples with the trauma of the Cambodian genocide and the challenges of assimilating into American culture. Tuon's prose is both lyrical and unflinching, capturing the complexities of Samnang's journey with sensitivity and depth. As Samnang discovers the transformative power of writing, he begins to piece together his fragmented past and find a sense of belonging in his own voice. "Koan Khmer" is a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring nature of hope.

[Al Ortolani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Koan Khmer tells the story of a refugee from an area of the world where American emotions rang strong. I skipped class in high school to protest the bombing of Cambodia. But I'd never seen or understood the thinking of the refugee so well as from what I read in Koan Khmer. Thank you for that. I understand, albeit too late what my international students were suffering in the high school classes I taught. Maybe I could have done more. I certainly would have understood more.
---Al Ortolani

[Dan Wilcox · Rating 5 out of 5]

First I must say that I'm a fan of BK's poetry, which is another way of telling the stories he tells in this autobiographical novel. There is so much that is relevant to the current political/humanitarian issues: war & its destruction of people & they land they live on, refugees, & their assimilation into a society that is not often ready to accept them, & how an individual person finds their way (& their self) in that society. The story is told in a straight-forward manner & it is a real page-turner.

[Nancy Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is both heartbreaking and heartwarming. It really personalizes the immigrant experience. And I could not put it down once I started! The direct language tells the story in a straightforward way with attention to the details and moments that matter, and not a lot of wasted words. I learned alot about the complicated history of modern Cambodia. The shadow of the Vietnam War was an additional hardship here that not many other incoming groups have shared. There is great triumph in this tale against so many odds. It was truly inspiring.