I had never heard of the author but he got the idea for this story after his son did a documentary of Cambodia and living conditions.
It's a very powerful story based on true circumstances.
STORY SUMMARY
Ki Lim and his wife Sang Ly live on the perimeter of Stung Meanchey, a municipal waste dump in the capital of Cambodia (Phenom Penh). They have a toddler son named Nisay who is always sick...he cannot keep food inside of him and they have been to local doctors as well as French and American doctors. Sometimes Nisay is ok for a few days with the medicine but once the medicine is gone, he is back to being ill. Sang Ly's cousin and mother live in the dump as well. So does their young friend...a little boy named Lucky Fat. Lucky is an orphan but always kind and willing to help others.
The way they make their living...and in order to pay their rent....is by scavenging through trash to find recyclables.
Life is extremely difficult for Ki and Sang Ly. What is even worse, is the ill=tempered rent collector who is known as Sopeap Sin. She is mean, an alcoholic, and constantly threatening.
But one day, Sang Ly learns a secret about Sopeap. Sopeap used to be a teacher! This dates back to the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s and "sets in motion a tide that will change the life of everyone it sweeps past." (taken from the back cover). Sopeap is willing to teach Sang Ly, who is illiterate but bright, how to read. And this changes Sang Ly's life, her husband's life, her little boy's life...and many more.
But just what does Sopeap really teach Sang Ly? What lessons besides reading words does Sang Ly learn??
MY THOUGHTS
This is a deeply moving book. It's a look at a country I barely knew anything about other than "the killing fields" from the 1970s during the Khmer Rouge regime. I had no idea this country had as much poverty as it does and that Stung Meanchey was indeed a dump where people lived. I'm happy to learn from the author's notes in the back of the book that the dump was shut down in 2002.
The characters are fictional but there are photos in the back of the book, taken from the documentary, that the author uses to have the readers picture life in Cambodia and in his book. The story itself is based on real people and real events. The author actually uses the real names (Ki Lim and Sang Ly and Teva Mao and Lucky) of the people featured in the documentary. Some of the events in the story (like the healing of Nisay) is based on real occurances.
The setting is sobering. Stung Meanchey is considered one of the most famous garbage dumps in the world. Due to inappropriate infrastructure, litter is widespread in Cambodia.
There were many good quotes from this story. I'm going to share the ones that really struck me:
"Whatever words we utter should be chosen with care, for people will hear them and be influenced by them for good or ill." (pg 107, The Rent Collector by Camron Wright, c. 2012)
"It seems, quite simply, that as human beings, we are born to hope." (pg 125)
"....but she also taught that life's most difficult battles are those fought within----and that would include everyone." (pg 177)
"It doesn't matter where you live, Sang Ly, it is how you live." (pg 201)
In my opinion, this book is appropriate for ages 14 and older.
On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest, I rate this a 10.
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