A review by jackelz
Year of the Rabbit by Tian Veasna

“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.