In this multigenerational page turner of an epic saga, Ohanesian bears witness to atrocities even as her characters’ descendants work toward redemption. Lest you think too soon that you’ve figured things out, Ohanesian has twists and turns to surprise. In young Orhan’s own experiences of exile and return, she reminds us – literally – that life and history are never captured in black and white.
“Readers who were moved by the work of Carol Edgarian, Mark Mustian, and Nancy Kricorian will appreciate the historical authenticity and passion that Aline Ohanesian brings to this story of the Armenian Genocide. Orhan’s Inheritance is heartfelt and sincere.”
Chris Bohjalian
Author of Midwives, Sandcastle Girls & Others
Armenian genocide novel
“Aline Ohanesian draws from her family’s own dark history to create a tender, powerful story of love and reclamation. Orhan’s Inheritance is a breathtaking and expansive work of historical fiction and proof that the past can sometimes rewrite the future.”
Christina Baker Kline, Author of Orphan Train
"An impressive debut novel . . . Such sorrow in Ohanesian’s hands is not a heavy burden for the reader. Through the beauty and humanity of her central characters, the story transcends suffering . . . ‘A white day sheds light; a dark day sheds darkness,’ Orhan tells Seda on his first visit. Ohanesian’s novel is that ‘white day.’”
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"To take the tumultuous history of Turks and Armenians in the early part of this century, and to tell the stories of families and lovers from the small everyday moments of life to the terrible journeys of death, to make a novel so engrossing and keep us awake - that is an accomplishment, and Aline Ohanesian's first novel is such a wonderful accomplishment."
Susan Straight, LA Times Book Prize &
Finalist for National Book Award
"A novel that delves into the darkest corners of human history and emerges with a tenuous sense of hope."
"A remarkable debut novel that exhibits an impressive grasp of history as well as narrative intensity and vivid prose."
"Balances an unflinching portrayal of the horrors of war against a captivating tale of family, love, and survival...Orhan’s Inheritance is a remarkable, unforgettable novel."
- NPR's Weekend Edition5:31
"Orhan’s Inheritance skillfully plays on the tension between voice and perspective in its references to art, photography, and oral history... At turns both subtle and transcendent, [it] will speak to those familiar with this dark chapter of history, and will be equally appealing readers who want to linger quietly in unfamiliar places and hidden stories of love and family."
“Orhan's Inheritance is a remarkable debut from an important new voice. It tells us things we thought we knew and shows us we had no idea. Beautiful and terrible and, finally, indelible."
Luis Alberto Urrea
Pulitzer Prize Winning
Author of The Devil’s Highway
“From its first startling image, Orhan’s Inheritance will seep under your skin and leave an indelible mark upon your heart. What lucky readers we are to inherit Aline Ohanesian’s gorgeous work.”
Gayle Brandeis, Author of Delta Girls
Aline Ohanesian
"A lament disguised as a romance" and "a narrative that proceeds with stirring vigor."
- New York Times Review of Books