I spotted this shiny red and black hard back in the new book section of Taminmin Community Library (which is also the school library), flicked to the back cover and was immediately aghast by the comment, 'This book contains graphic scenes of a distressing nature, and is not suitable for younger readers.' It was, however, labelled as Youth Fiction. I had to find out what it was about.
A few pages in and I desperately wanted to return the novel to its tidy shelf. 'Graphic scenes' is an understatement. But what is more graphic than graphic? Graphic times two?
The story is told by Arn, a young Cambodian boy whose life is torn apart when the Khmer Rouge take over his village. Pardon my ignorance but I knew very little about this brutal chapter in history. It is utterly horrendous, too vile to be believed. I am almost physically sick as I read but I'm on a mission now to reach the end:
This soldier he grab me and Siv, he take us to the temple. The temple, the place where the torture happen. In there other soldier, they have the prisoner tied up. Hand behind, head down. Quick I look for Sombo. But these prisoners all old people.
"These people, they no good," says one Khmer Rouge. "They old; they don't work so hard. They gonna die soon anyway." Then, very quick, he take the ax and hit them in the back of the head. Blood fly everywhere. The wall of the temple, beautiful tile, beautiful painting, now all dripping with blood.
Then the Khmer Rouge says to us, "It's time for your job. You pee on them. You pee on their head."
I think: I will not do this terrible thing, I will not do this.
But then I look down, and I see urine coming out of me. (p.101)
I don't want to write any more. At some point we stop protecting 'youth' and start immersing them in the reality of history - we reveal the darkness of the human heart. Strictly for older readers, this story must be read.
