Book Review: Never Fall Down

By March

Never Fall Down by Patricia McCormick is based on the true story of Arn Chorn-Pond.  Arn is 11 when the story begins, about 15-16 when the story ends, plus a brief mention of the time when he was about 20.  Over the course of his years, he is subjected to living in Cambodia under the rule of the Khmer Rogue, communist dissidents.  Like most communist regimes,  the Khmer Rogue force the people into extreme poverty causing the death of many from starvation, in addition to just plain outright killing.  Arn must survive by keeping his head low, yet never falling down. (See what I did there?)

I’ve always had a thing for historical fiction, or books with historical context behind it.  The amazing thing is the depth of research that goes behind creating a book.  (Not to mention while enjoying a good story, you can also become a little more knowledgeable about the past going-ons of the world.  Makes you seem smarter （＾＿－）≡★).

Some people may call Arn a hero.  I would say he is a “fake hero,” at least until the very end of the book.  There is no excusing his motives. But I think that adds to the overall charm to the story.  It reminds you that people are not perfect, what actual personalities are like.  Those which we call heroes may very well have their own hidden motives.  And what those people choose to do about their guilt is completely their own prerogative. This brings into scale the importance of family as a catalyst of acts of bravery, in addition to discovering the ties of loyalty.  But even the fake hero, who only looks out for himself is hero to some, which is the hero to the masses.

Eventually, at the end of the book, Arn speaks out for the things that happened to him in Cambodia under the rule of the Khmer Rogue

If you want to read it, go ahead.  It was moving, though some of the content can be disturbing to the point that you can’t imagine it happening it real life.  But it did.  Believe me when I say that every event of the book is memorable. And it goes without saying that there is a certain measure death.

Warning! McCormick, in her search for authenticity, portrayed Arn has having bad grammar.  It interrupts the flow of the book.

Sorry for the disorganization and thanks to Blue and Cheshire for having me review ♥(ˆ⌣ˆԅ)