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They Called Me Red
It wasn't the perfect life, but it was their life—Devon's and his dad's. They were there for each other. He wasn't prepared for Lily to come along and enchant his father with her giggles and shy glances. Devon has a bad feeling about this new woman who seems endearing one minute, ice cold the next, but his dad is hooked, and Lily moves in. When Devon's father suddenly falls ill, and doctors can't find the problem, Lily insists that they travel to her native Vietnam, where her uncle can treat him. Once in her family's tiny apartment, Lily forces Devon away from his father, and makes him drink some musky tea that is supposed to calm him. It is only when Devon wakes up in a locked room that he begins to realize his suspicions about Lily weren't nearly as horrific as who she really is, and what she has done.
Within days, Devon finds himself locked up in a different location, with three other boys. Through hushed conversations in broken English and Vietnamese, Devon learns that he is now the property of a restaurant-owner named Long, and that he has been transported to Cambodia. As the nightmare worsens, the reality that this restaurant doubles as a brothel sets in. Because of his fiery red hair and freckles, Long is able to demand a higher price for him, and her customers start a bidding war. With the memory of his father and his old life keeping him from complete despair, Devon manages to hope for escape or rescue. Back home, those close to Devon refuse to believe Lily's lies about him running away in Vietnam, and an international search effort begins. Once found, the challenges continue, as Devon faces a new life without his father, and a new identity molded by unspeakable memories.
Within days, Devon finds himself locked up in a different location, with three other boys. Through hushed conversations in broken English and Vietnamese, Devon learns that he is now the property of a restaurant-owner named Long, and that he has been transported to Cambodia. As the nightmare worsens, the reality that this restaurant doubles as a brothel sets in. Because of his fiery red hair and freckles, Long is able to demand a higher price for him, and her customers start a bidding war. With the memory of his father and his old life keeping him from complete despair, Devon manages to hope for escape or rescue. Back home, those close to Devon refuse to believe Lily's lies about him running away in Vietnam, and an international search effort begins. Once found, the challenges continue, as Devon faces a new life without his father, and a new identity molded by unspeakable memories.
- GenresYoung Adult
192 pages, Paperback
First published September 30, 2008
2 people are currently reading
99 people want to read
About the author
Christina Kilbourne
16 books110 followersChristina Kilbourne is an award-winning young adult author who handles complex subjects with sensitivity and tact while covering issues of critical significance to youth.
Her novel, Dear Jo, was the recipient of three Canadian young reader’s choice awards in British Columbia (Red Cedar), Saskatchewan (Snow Willow) and Manitoba (MYRCA). It was also shortlisted for a young reader’s choice award in New York (New York State Charlotte Award). She is a four-time recipient of an Ontario Arts Council Works in Progress Grant.
Christina Kilbourne was born in Southwestern, Ontario, then moved and spent her elementary and high school years in Muskoka, a resort area two hours north of Toronto, Canada.
She graduated with an Honours BA in English Literature and Anthropology from the University of Western Ontario and completed her Masters degree in Creative Writing and English Literature at the University of Windsor, Ontario.
Upon graduating Christina travelled across Africa, Mexico, Central, South America, Australia and parts of the South Pacific. She lived two years in New Zealand.
She writes adult, young adult and middle grade fiction and has had her work translated into Slovenian, Portuguese, Ukrainian and Spanish.
Christina currently lives with her husband and two children near Bracebridge, Canada. She is a member of the Writer’s Union of Canada.
Her novel, Dear Jo, was the recipient of three Canadian young reader’s choice awards in British Columbia (Red Cedar), Saskatchewan (Snow Willow) and Manitoba (MYRCA). It was also shortlisted for a young reader’s choice award in New York (New York State Charlotte Award). She is a four-time recipient of an Ontario Arts Council Works in Progress Grant.
Christina Kilbourne was born in Southwestern, Ontario, then moved and spent her elementary and high school years in Muskoka, a resort area two hours north of Toronto, Canada.
She graduated with an Honours BA in English Literature and Anthropology from the University of Western Ontario and completed her Masters degree in Creative Writing and English Literature at the University of Windsor, Ontario.
Upon graduating Christina travelled across Africa, Mexico, Central, South America, Australia and parts of the South Pacific. She lived two years in New Zealand.
She writes adult, young adult and middle grade fiction and has had her work translated into Slovenian, Portuguese, Ukrainian and Spanish.
Christina currently lives with her husband and two children near Bracebridge, Canada. She is a member of the Writer’s Union of Canada.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
October 14, 2017
While it started off a bit slow to get into, a lot happened in less than 200 pages. I liked that the protagonist was a male since many human trafficking narratives are about females. I think this is a good read for kids in grades 6-8 as a starting place for awareness of human trafficking because it's not super graphic.
May 28, 2011
Engaging, quick read, if too simplistic. Preteen narrator displays somewhat unrealistic maturity of a 20-something, and the book's lack of pretense is in this case a detriment, and it shies away from full engagement with the character's predicament. Still enjoyable though.
June 14, 2009
Could not put it down after I started reading it when going to bed tonight. Now I can't sleep because of how thought-provoking this book was.
September 25, 2010
Touching story. Quite interesting.
October 27, 2010
good book
it was pretty sad though
it was pretty sad though
December 23, 2014
This book is amazing. Now that I think about it is kinda like cinderella story a least the basic line of the plot
July 31, 2025
My grade 7 teacher read this to my class, and I wanted to re read it as an adult now. I had to buy the book second hand on amazon because it was like NO WHERE. I loved the book though. I love a fast paced short book.
August 10, 2011
13 year-old Devon and his Dad live an idyllic life until his Dad becomes enamoured of Lily, a Vietnamese lady who works with Devon's Dad. Although Devon mistrusts her, his Dad becomes more and more entranced with her, until finally Lily moves in with them and Devon finds his life becoming more and more restricted. Gradually Devon's Dad becomes very ill, and Lily convinces him that the only hope for survival is being treated by her uncle, a traditional doctor in Vietnam. After his Dad dies, Lily sells Devon into the sex trade in return for her two children, and he ends up in a restaurant in Cambodia that also caters to the sex trade. Devon is much sought after as he is white and a red-head, a much sought after combination in Cambodia. After an intense international search Devon is finally rescued and returned to America and life in a foster home until his mother, a former drug addict whom Devon had thought dead, makes a home for him with her new husband.
Kilbourne has written a powerful and moving story detailing how an ordinary all-American kid can wind up in the brothels of South-East Asia. It is told in three sections – the gradual control Lily exerts, then the trip to Vietnam and life in the brothel, and life after his return to America. Although it is clear that Devon and the other 3 boys and six girls are involved in the sex trade and treated horrifically, it focusses more on the emotional and mental aspects of their captivity. Devon is shown as having great integrity – when he is rescued he could have left days earlier, but refused to leave without the other children. After his return to America he starts volunteering with others that have had similar experiences, and then starts to become an activist also, which he discovers also helps his own rehabilitation.
Although the subject matter is not pleasant, this is a great book, well written, and highly recommended .
Kilbourne has written a powerful and moving story detailing how an ordinary all-American kid can wind up in the brothels of South-East Asia. It is told in three sections – the gradual control Lily exerts, then the trip to Vietnam and life in the brothel, and life after his return to America. Although it is clear that Devon and the other 3 boys and six girls are involved in the sex trade and treated horrifically, it focusses more on the emotional and mental aspects of their captivity. Devon is shown as having great integrity – when he is rescued he could have left days earlier, but refused to leave without the other children. After his return to America he starts volunteering with others that have had similar experiences, and then starts to become an activist also, which he discovers also helps his own rehabilitation.
Although the subject matter is not pleasant, this is a great book, well written, and highly recommended .
December 12, 2008
Kilbourne, Christina. 2008. They Called Me Red.
It's been about a week since I read They Called Me Red, and I'm still not quite sure what to make of it. It had my attention--I'm not saying it didn't. But it was so unique, so different--in a way--that I'm not quite sure how to sum it up without giving too much away. (I don't know if that will make sense to others or not.) They Called Me Red is the novel of a father and son divided. First divided because of the father's attentions to a woman--a wicked stepmother type--and then divided by death. Devon, our young hero, endures a lot within the pages of the novel. Much more than you're probably expecting. It's an ugly story in many ways. But it's not without glimmers of hope either.
Because of the subject matter--a child being sold into the sex industry (a male brothel) in another country, a foreign country--it won't be for everyone. Also because of the content, it's impossible to say that I "enjoyed" this one. But just because I didn't enjoy it, doesn't mean it was poorly written--far from it. It was an engaging story, but one that will take a certain kind of reader to appreciate.
© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
It's been about a week since I read They Called Me Red, and I'm still not quite sure what to make of it. It had my attention--I'm not saying it didn't. But it was so unique, so different--in a way--that I'm not quite sure how to sum it up without giving too much away. (I don't know if that will make sense to others or not.) They Called Me Red is the novel of a father and son divided. First divided because of the father's attentions to a woman--a wicked stepmother type--and then divided by death. Devon, our young hero, endures a lot within the pages of the novel. Much more than you're probably expecting. It's an ugly story in many ways. But it's not without glimmers of hope either.
Because of the subject matter--a child being sold into the sex industry (a male brothel) in another country, a foreign country--it won't be for everyone. Also because of the content, it's impossible to say that I "enjoyed" this one. But just because I didn't enjoy it, doesn't mean it was poorly written--far from it. It was an engaging story, but one that will take a certain kind of reader to appreciate.
© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
March 10, 2016
Ok, so I personally didn't love it because I felt like it was too slow, however, this could be because I'm maybe a slow reader out loud so we only got through a chapter or two each reading time. I read this with the 7/8s and some of them said they preferred it over Dear Jo because there was "more dialogue" and "more happened". So, yes, I would say the kids liked it.
October 12, 2010
a very touching book.... but i dont like how he returns home.... in most case's in real life they dont escape i know thats sad but its true. but if you liked this book you should read the boom called sold.
December 12, 2010
Just because it was kinda a slow starter.
October 29, 2011
Up until 3/4 of the way through the story was good, but the last quarter was slow for me and didn't strike me as a well done ending. But other than that it was good.
July 9, 2017
I loved this book as a teenager, and it sparked my interest in human trafficking. Absoutely amazing book!
March 27, 2020
Devon and his father has a special bond between them and when Lily, a Vietnamese lady who works with Devon's father, interferes with that bond and is threatened by her. The father is obsessed with her and she moves in and Devon's life becomes more constricted. Devon's father becomes ill and it progresses. Lily convinces him that the only way he will get better is by being treated by her uncle. But what happens at Vietnam is eye opening to Devon. The characters develop throughout the story and grow as a person in both a good and bad way. The message of the story is determination. Devon was determined to find a way to solve his problems and I believe that the author was successful in delivering this message. I would Highly recommend this book because it is easy to follow and it has your attention the whole time.
November 23, 2025
A little unrealistic at times, but I enjoyed it. I'd have liked to see Quan and Sang be saved since they were Devon's age and why would they just deport them back to Vietnam?? Happy ending though, the mom part was so sudden and convenient, I wanted something else to have happened, idk.. it felt a little undeveloped but a good story nonetheless, the beginning had me hooked.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews