Customer Reviews

Angkat: The Cambodian Cinderella

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Underneath the vast differences between the customs and way of daily life in this colorful Eastern land of long ago and the settings of the traditional Cinderella story are enough similarities to enlist the interest and sympathies of the modern-day reader. More important are the universal values which permeate this charming tale-compassion, fidelity to one's family (even if it brings pain,) and justice. An attractive, multicultural tale that can be savored by readers of all ages.

The illustrations are very nice. The original story was written by a French folklorist while living in Cambodia in the 1800's so the story may be an authentic Cambodian tale. However, I returned the book after reading to myself. I did not think it was appropriate for my children. The "Spirit of Virtue" helps the girl (who looks like a female Buddha) and guides her. The spirits "presence is felt". The main character Angkat is actually killed by her father, stepmother, and stepsister (they pushed her into a steaming cauldron) At the end the "Spirit of Virtue" brings her back to life (I think- its unclear whether she is actually alive or a spirit presence now) The Spirit of Virtue "blesses".
If these issues don't bother you, then you will like the book. If you would have difficulty reading these things to your child, skip it.

Angkat feels to me like a true "fairy tale" from a distant land. The story of a girl who is befriended by a fish is common in many Asian cultures and this one is similar to others but this story includes a distinct Khmer bent. I really enjoyed it and the differences were refreshing.

In the classic western Cinderella story, her virtue and beauty call a "fairy godmother" to invoke magic to transform her for the Prince's ball.

Few conservative protestant Christians or Conservative Catholics (like us) have a problem with their child knowing this classic western folktale, supernatural stuff included. The "god mother" is even a fairy.

Yet, a reviewer here has pointed out (accurately) that the supernatural intervention of Spirits (Virtue, Justice, etc.) play operative roles in the transformation (even resurrection) of the heroine of this story.

This is a choice of choosing your demon and hermeneutic structure. In a Buddhist culture and worldview, the finality of a linear-timeline death is illusory, and a "spiritual" resurrection into (illusory) flesh by virtue is not only possible, it is the outcome of the righteous. This can occur in a world where spirit and matter (flesh) are merely manifestations of the same underlying reality (or unreality in the limit). This doesn't work in the west where the assumption is spirit and matter are distinct and time is linear.

Aside form pointing out this fairly obvious difference in worldview and the differing (acceptable) roles supernatural forces play in these folktales, the story is nearly a straight-ahead Cinderella story. But in the Cambodian tale even her hen-pecked real father gets in on the mistreatment (and ultimate slaying) of our heroine. But Bad cannot stop Good, and so she returns transformed, powerful, forgiving, and more beautiful (a Bodhisattva? you decide).

The illustrations are breathtaking with remarkable detail. The fact that these were flawlesly execuyted as watercolors is even more astonishing. These are framable works of stunning artistic vision.