Until the Red Star’s Last Light

A historical novel set against the backdrop of the Khmer Rouge genocide in Cambodia, it tells the story of Ruthira Theerawong, a young man from Phnom Penh’s aristocratic class. He decides to hire a man named Uthis to maintain order in his household. Nearly a year later, the communist flames rapidly advance into Phnom Penh. These two men—half-familiar servants, half-strangers—are forced to flee the war, aiming to cross the Cardamom Mountains into Thailand. “Some awaken from dreams haunted by memories that bring tears, no matter how much they wish to forget, some imprints cannot be erased easily. A few decades ago, a dark tale of an era was orchestrated here— a cruel conductor who never emerged from the shadows. The world cannot hide its tragedies beneath the carpet. Humanity must learn, see, and fear the terror that lingers from the past… Memories must be remembered.” Awards: Longlisted for the S.E.A. Write Award 2021 and shortlisted for the 19th iteration.