I wouldn't say I like this book, but I appreciate it. The artwork combined with the way the story is told are compelling and powerful. Stassen flips between flashbacks and present day, which may be a little confusing for some readers, but I found it enhanced the sense of unease and instability that is Deogratias's world and mental state post-genocide. Deogratias himself is a character I pity while simultaneously remain horrified by his actions.

Even if you know very little about the Rwandan genocide, I wouldn't let that deter you from reading this. There is a historical background at the beginning of the book that gives you an overview, but it's Stassen's work that really brings the horrors alive.

Interesting take on the Rwandan genocide as lived experience. I appreciated the background history at the beginning as that helped frame the plot more.

Deogratias is a heart wrenching story of the effects of the genocide in Rwanda as told through a graphic novel by J.P. Stassen. I did not have any prior knowledge of the Rwandan Genocide, aside from being aware that it happened in the early 1990s. Readers are provided with a brief history of the genocide before the novel begins. This brief history was especially helpful in understanding the different social class or ethnic groups of people involved in the genocide.

Deogratias’ character shows readers the story of remorse and living with a tortured mind after living through the genocide. The illustrations and graphic elements make the pictures and panels a crucial part of understanding the perspectives within this story. Deogratias’ post-genocide character is visually portrayed by a man with a dirty shirt filled with holes. This is a man who can only calm his mind, which is being tortured by images of the past, when he is drinking banana beer. Readers can also use the panels to help them determine the setting of the story - post-genocide or within a flashback - by looking at the outline of the panels. If a panel has a solid outline, the story is taking place post-genocide. However, if a panel does not have an outline, this is part of Deogratias’ tortured memories from the events of the genocide. The artistic element of the subtlety of the panel outlines shows the readers how quickly Deogratias can transition in his mind from his current, post-genocide mindset to those events of the past. These seamless transitions within his mind are what drive him into a sense of psychology torture.

While this story has a few examples of explicit language and sexual content, I would still recommend this story to young adults. The language and sexual content are a critical part of the story. Without them, the story would not have the strong emotional impact that was intended by the author and illustrator. I would encourage you not to let these factors prevent you from sharing this important perspective with high school students.

The introduction provided me with much needed knowledge on the Rwanda genocide and history. It helped me to better appreciate the story of Deogratias, a man who suffered through the horrors of war. Deogratias’ tale unfolds dually with both past and present represented - the reader is able to tell the difference due to the state of Deogratias’ white shirt (pristine and new in the past, dirty with holes in the present). As with the shirt, this graphic novel’s art adds a lot to the story and invokes emotion. Ultimately, the reader learns of Deogratias’ ordeals and his now broken mind and soul. It was heartbreaking and frustrating and unfortunately too real.
Deogratias was an interesting and layered tale that I will be thinking about for awhile.

I managed to finish this book, but it was difficult, mainly because of the topic (which I suppose is the point) and some of the language. The art was very well done. I think this book will appeal to anyone who has read the book Illegal by Eoin Colfer and Andrew Dorkin. The characters in each book are very different, but struggle with a lot of the same issues - survival in the face of imminent death of attack. It is a very personal book, but it is definitely recommended for teens in high school and above, and not much younger, unless they are very mature. It is also about families (usually young children) trying to stay together and get to a safe place.

*Thanks to NetGalley and First Second for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.* I wanted to love this book, I truly did. I love history, particularly 20th century history. I love books and I love sharing my love of books and history with my students. I thought a graphic novel on the horrors of the 1994 Rwandan genocide could be a sensitive way to explore this tragedy with my students. I was wrong. This book, whilst it looks like a YA book, given its format, is not appropriate for young adults. The language and themes would not work in a classroom. I do not mean the theme of the brutality of the conflict. I mean the obscenities that are present in the novel and the way that some of the characters are portrayed. I so wanted to love this, but I most certainly did not.

I had never seen a graphic novel about the Rwandan genocide, so the novelty will grab some readers. Deogratias is a teenager living in Rwanda who is trying to survive. The story flips quickly between the past and present, with the present Deogratias being vacant-eyed and covered in stains. I didn't feel invested in the story or characters until 3/4 of the way through. I think it would be difficult to read for someone who didn't already know some of the history behind it. A small section at the beginning explains about the genocide in Rwanda for this reason. The book had graphic violence, nudity, and language, so it would be difficult for me to recommend this to younger readers, even teenagers. I did like the dog parallel to Deogratias throughout the book, which showed war as dehumanizing.

As someone who went in knowing very little about this conflict, I felt let down. Whilst it was clear that the constantly swi5ching timelines were a stylistic choice that was ultimately revealed at the end, I found it extremely hard to follow, particularly when it was not clear half the time that a jump had even happened, until part way through. The explanation at the start was very helpful, but the story itself was lacking.

I'm embarrassed to say this is a DNF (did not finish) for me. The reality was/is as confusing as the retelling. The drawings, while supposed to be dark, were often too dark to discern what the drawings were meant to be. The "colorful" language, although brief, is beyond what would allow this to be a board of education-approved title; therefore, it might be relinquished to a library shelf and rely on serendipity or an enthusiastic teacher to discover it. I wanted to understand it; again, I'm embarrassed that I didn't.

Interesting perspective of the Rwandan genocide. Gives a personal touch to the aftermath of the conflict. Enjoyed the sequence of the panels as well going between present and past.

I cannot rate this book higher than a two because the file would not download. I would love to read it, but it simply wouldn't work. Based on the description it sounds like a wonderful complement to any non-Western book class at the secondary (or even post-secondary) level.

A story of the Rwandan genocide told through the lens of one young survivor, this is a tough read. The preface is informative, though it will make you want to learn more about Rwanda and its conflicts immediately. The art is perfect for the story, particularly when our protagonist transforms into a dog (a heartbreaking coping mechanism he has developed). I'm not sure this is a title I want to revisit - it's not a happy story, but it is a necessary one.

I received access to this title via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

While this book seems well done and relevant, unfortunately it does not work for my middle grade audience (6-8). I was hoping it would tie in with our eighth graders’ intensive literature work with the Holocaust.

A very important topic for a graphic novel. The art style is alright.