While our group was small (Mary, Paige, Joanie, Maddy, Sheri, and Margie), and despite the fact that only 2 of us had read the book in its entirety, a thoughtful discussion ensued when we met to discuss "In the Shadow of the Banyan: A Novel" by Vaddey Ratner. This is a book not easily categorized - historical fiction? Memoir? A little of both? Most definitely, it is story telling at its best.
This is a tale that unfolds in Cambodia during the time of the Khmer Rouge from the perspective of a 7 year old girl. It is exquisitely written, at times poetic, in language that is beauty and it finds so much beauty in the most unlikely circumstances. It is a book that is layered throughout with stories upon stories and these stories help a young child make sense of what is happening in the world around her. While the meanings are not always clear at the time, the stories provide her with solace and hope over time and help her to survive the chaos, loss and tragedy she experiences.
While the topic creates angst, and those words tend towards sadness and difficulty, the consensus was that this was not a depressing book! Libby, via an email commentary, described it as "beautiful and disturbing." Paige commented that she read the book as a metaphor for life, stating that it "wove beauty into suffering." She felt that it wasn't the details that were so important; rather it was the fantasy and beautiful writing that riveted her. She also stated that it was grounded in a "foundation of Buddhism."
Maddy provided sobering perspective. She recalled her recent trip to Cambodia, describing her guide who was 6-10 years old during this period. He remembered how hungry he was then. She provided more commentary about traveling in Cambodia describing it as an "interesting and hard place to travel" with its beauty, poverty, sex trade, and lack of cleanliness.
Certainly we talked about this organization and the genocide it perpetrated. Sheri questioned how human nature could be so sadistic. Margie was surprised at the parallels and similarities to the Cultural Revolution in China. Comments were made regarding idealism and how it can be so "off base" and how easily it becomes so ingrained.
Libby hinted at possible parallels to what is occurring in the US: "the aristocracy had given so much to the people but were accused of taking away from the masses so Khmer Rouge wanted to wipe out the intelligentsia." (Note from Libby: what is happening in our country is that people who never took notice before of politicians and feel unheard, are listening to a certain scary candidate....) Libby also felt that book was an important book as there is so much literature related to WWII and the Holocaust but little about the Killing Fields.
This was a gripping and mesmerizing account that addressed horrors which occurred due to political ideology and extreme power. Reading an epilogue about the author and an interview with her, is quite inspiring and causes one to marvel at what the human spirit is capable of.
