Yang tells the haunting story of her mom, Tswb Muas, in escaping the Hmong genocide, leaving her parents behind, and finding refuge in the US with her daughters and husband. I'm eternally grateful for books like this that document little-known history through personal stories, and I'm in awe of Tswb's courage to restart her life so many times to escape prosecution. Yang spares no details in recording the harrowing events in Laos, making the memoir a bit emotionally distant at times. Nonetheless, RIVERS is essential for those hoping to learn more about Hmong history.