Deogratias: A Tale of Rwanda by J.P. Stassen
Stassen documents the 1994 Tutsi genocide in Rwanda through the eyes of the title character, Deogratias, a member of the Hutu ethnicity. The story begins with the massacre’s aftermath: Deogratias, traumatized by the recent past, wanders from place to place like a disturbed animal, even imagining at times that he’s a dog. As the narrative progresses, the reader pieces together fragments to reveal the horrifying truth. While Stassen doesn’t show the violence as it happens, his depiction of a murdered woman towards the end of the book proves to be disturbing enough. With its vibrant colors and its gut-wrenching content, Stassen’s work will leave the reader feeling unsettled long after the story is finished. Originally published in France, Deogratias won YALSA’s Great Graphic Novel Award, and was named one of ALA’s Best Book for Young Adults. A helpful introduction provides readers with a brief history of Rwanda, its colonization by the French, and the political factors that paved the road to genocide. Recommended for Gr 10 Up for language, sexual content, and violence.
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