Orhan's Inheritance
Ohanesian, AlineIt comes as a shock to the Turkoglu family when patriarch Kemal leaves his Anatolian estate to an unknown woman on the other side of the world. Behind this bequest is a history that they know little about and it is up to the grandson Orhan to confront the elderly beneficiary in Los Angeles and ascertain her connection with the family. The ill-fated 1915 love story between a Christian Armenian and Muslim Turk that is eventually revealed, will have Orhan questioning his family legacy and his future.
Told from different perspectives, this story, both romantic and tragic, tells of a country's painful history and its citizens who must reconcile with their past. [Larger font]
Pages
333
333
Year
2015
2015
Reviews
02-10-2023
An excellent read. This book led to one of our longest discussions ever. We all found it informative and disturbing, but well worth reading.
27-06-2023
Enjoyed by all the book club. Introducing us all to the genocide of Armenians in 1915, the author weaves a story between 1915 and 1990, and there is an unexpected twist at the end.
03-05-2023
We all enjoyed this book in spite of the sad and tragic history it was portraying. It motivated many of us to google the Turkish / Armenian struggles. Our discussion centred on genocide in general and the type of leaders that are motivated by power to carry this out.
01-10-2022
Learnt so much about a part history that no one in the group was really too familiar with. Heart wrenching at times and some twists that left us feeling undulated wondering what happened. Great story and subject.
14-06-2022
Despite the at times grueling content of the book, it was very much appreciated by all. It is an amazing book for a first novel and a very important one so the history of the Armenian genocide doesn't get lost. We enjoyed how different perspectives (Turkish and Armenian) were represented as well as it moved between the different timeframes.
30-03-2022
Everybody read and enjoyed this book. We appreciated learning more about the Armenian genocide. It had great impact being written as though a personal story.
29-05-2020
Overall much enjoyed by group, hence a top rating. The historical aspect of the novel appealed. The Armenian genocide generated discussion and comparisons with the treatment of other groups through history.The expectation of family inheritance provoked discussion. We were careful not to discuss the ending which was a real twist to the story, as two of the group had not finished the book. The author's note at the back of the book relating to her conversation with her great-grandmother, Nene, gives this novel real credence. Thoroughly recommended read.
25-05-2020
Everyone was totally confronted about the horrors committed and our own lack of knowledge. The different layers within the telling of the story generated good discussion. If others wish to read more on this topic, I totally recommend, "The Hundred Year Walk" by Dawn Anahid Mackeen. Graphic and incredible.
10-03-2020
Not all of our group enjoyed this book. It was a difficult read in places and we were shocked that only one of us already knew about the Armenian history. Ohanesian wrote in a style somewhat different from the usual which was refreshing, although the back and forth from current to past established a theme not all appreciated. The book raised personal questions for us as well as that of ethics overall.
24-06-2019
Our group found the book engaging, despite some difficult content at times. Recommended.
17-06-2019
All of our group enjoyed this novel. It was a deceptively easy read considering its content, and hard to put down. It was a piece of history most of us previously knew little about. The book notes and questions were really thought provoking and generated one of the best discussions we've had this year. Highly recommend.
25-05-2019
A tragic but excellently told story which opened our eyes to Armenian history. Generated lively discussion. Highly recommend.
26-04-2019
Very readable and a well told story. Lots of discussion and we all felt we had learnt a lot about a time and place that seems to get overlooked.
29-08-2018
This novel was very well received by the group. All agreed that it was well written, with a story that needed to be told. We learned a lot. Most were ignorant of the 1915 Armenian Genocide and believe that it should be officially recognised by NZ and Australian authorities. As usual our discussion was vibrant. We recommend 'Orhan's Inheritance' as an excellent informative novel.
29-08-2018
We ALL loved the book, and learned so much about the Armenian people, and have all been researching the history.
29-08-2018
This was a much enjoyed book. We loved the knowledge we all gained from reading this book.
29-08-2018
What a read! This was a story full of drama and mystery - Kemal's parentage, star-crossed love of Lucine and Kemal, and the horror of Man's ability to behave so cruelly to his fellow man - and it was based on true history! This was no easy read but I felt I had learned a lot by the end, and grown up a bit in reading it.
29-08-2018
A beautifully written and engaging story about a terrible time in history. Impossible to not be moved.
29-08-2018
This was an excellent novel about the Ottoman Empire. While we have read so many books on the effects on people caught up in both WWI and WW2, NONE of us knew about what happened to the Armenian refugees in Turkey. It reminded us about how good books from BDS can be. Most of the group found it a rather gruelling read, understandably, but 'Orhan's Inheritance' caused a tremendous amount of discussion in the group. The writing was beautiful and descriptive. "We're all onions.. peel an onion and there are lots of layers". We certainly did that in this book. There was such a lot to think about.
29-08-2018
Everyone considered this book a 'must-read'. It was beautifully written and well researched. The story was compelling with believable characters. Once again,it reminded us of the legacy of war and the rhetoric employed to sever communities, and to pit one ethnic group against another - each of which had lived harmoniously with the other for centuries.
29-08-2018
We all enjoyed this book, although some felt there were some unexplained "holes" in the story that were a bit unsatisfactory. Few of us knew of the Armenian genocide so it was really interesting to learn of this. Good characterisation, well written, an easy read, and opened our eyes to a forgotten (or hidden) slice of history. Some of the group will re-read the book to unravel more of the mystery of Orhan and Mustafa's parentage.
29-08-2018
This book generated very lively discussion. It made us all appreciate the history as it was unknown to most of us. It was beautifully written, presenting both sides of the conflict in a heart warming fashion. Delightful, well drawn characters. Excellent Book Club book.
12-06-2018
We all found this book very interesting - it is well-written, has a story line that engages the reader, and most of all it deals with a tragic period of history that most of us know little about. The Turkish genocide of the Armenians in April 1915 is a grim topic for a novel, but Ohanesian personalises the story. She is a historian but she has the great gift of making history come alive by focusing on the experiences of a few characters over a couple of generations. Recommended reading.