In The Shadow Of The Banyan

In the Shadow of the Banyan (2012) is a historical fiction novel by the Cambodian American author Vaddey Ratner. Set in the 1970s during the Cambodian genocide, the book’s perspective is from Raami, a seven-year-old girl and the daughter of a minor prince whose family is among the millions of Cambodians persecuted by the Khmer Rouge. While Raami’s story hews very closely to Ratner’s own real-life experiences, the author chose to write a work of fiction rather than a memoir because she was too young to remember the events precisely. In 2013, In the Shadow of the Banyan became a finalist for the PEN/Hemingway Award for Best Debut Novel.

This study guide refers to the 2012 edition published by Simon & Schuster.

Plot Summary

In April 1975, Raami is the seven-year-old daughter of Sisowath Ayuravann, a minor Cambodian prince whom she refers to as Papa. She lives in a large walled estate in Phnom Penh with Papa, Mama, her toddler sister Radana, her aunt Tata, her grandmother whom they call “Grandmother Queen,” and a staff of servants. When the Cambodian Communist Party—known unofficially as the Khmer Rouge—overthrows the government, soldiers force all residents of Phnom Penh out of their homes, including Raami’s family.