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kristinvdt's review
3.0
This is educational, interesting and difficult to read (diificult bc sad content). But with so many characters I lose track sometimes, and don't feel the emotional closeness that would make this a four or five star for me.
yellowstainedwall's review
4.0
I went in with skepticism thinking this is just going to be another book about the Khmer Rouge but I'm genuinely surprised to see Tain Veasna weave in anecdotes from different family members in a masterful way that manage to cover alot of information without detracting from the story flow. The story told throughout the graphic novel is mostly traumatizing but also laced with tenderness and moments where people are just being people - to be humane in the face of adversity/peak cruelty.
rdyourbookcase's review
3.0
Year of the Rabbit did well at showing the horrors that happened in Cambodia. However, I had trouble distinguishing the family's storylines. I studied the family tree in the front, but it didn't help me understand how everyone was connected. I felt like I could have learned more from the story.
liesbethvv's review against another edition
emotional
informative
sad
fast-paced
5.0
So far I haven't read that many graphic novels, but from those I did read, this was easily my favourite. I loved the artwork, the colours and the content and they all worked so well together. It made for a very immersive read and a great dive into Cambodia's history whilst remaining a very personal story. Would highly recommend!
nickoftheparty's review
4.0
I knew little about the Pol Pot regime before reading this and.... still feel like I don't actually know all that much? But: that's because this focused less on the broader goings-on of the regime, and more on the emotional experience of one family's years surviving the regime, which conveyed just how unspeakably horrific those years were in Cambodia. My god.
vickie101101's review
3.0
I knew little about the Khmer Rouge takeover of Cambodia before reading this graphic novel. Throughout reading this graphic novel, I feel as though I have learned something. Learning something while reading is one of my favourite things. The graphics are well done and add to the story. I loved how the last chapter focuses on where the individuals are now.
jackelz's review
“you need to plant kapok and palm trees around your house” — an old Khmer proverb that means “see nothing, hear nothing, say nothing”
History: Khmer Rouge genocide - from April 17, 1975 through January 7, 1979 - 1.5-2 million Cambodian citizens died due to torture, overwork, disease, or starvation. The communist group persecuted the educated and then aimed to manipulate the remaining population to support their policies.
This graphic novel is the true story of one family’s struggle to survive. Tian Veasna was born just three days after the Khmer Rouge takeover, and through sheer will and determination, they were able to make it through.
I appreciated the family tree at the beginning (and the end) of the story, but it was still difficult to keep track of the huge family. This was a part of history I knew nothing about, so I’m thankful he was able to tell his story and in this format.