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Like Water on Stone
Newbery Medalist Karen Hesse calls this story for readers of The Book Thief and Between Shades of Gray “a fine and haunting work.” Blending magical realism and lyrical free verse, this is an intense survival story of three siblings caught up in the horrific events of the Armenian genocide of 1915.
It is 1914, and the Ottoman Empire is crumbling into violence.
Beyond Anatolia, in the Armenian Highlands, Shahen Donabedian dreams of going to New York. Sosi, his twin sister, never wants to leave her home, especially now that she is in love. At first, only Papa, who counts Turks and Kurds among his closest friends, stands in Shahen’s way. But when the Ottoman pashas set their plans to eliminate all Armenians in motion, neither twin has a choice.
After a horrifying attack leaves them orphaned, Shahen and Sosi flee into the mountains, carrying their little sister, Mariam. Shahen keeps their parents’ fate a secret from his sisters. But the children are not alone. An eagle named Ardziv watches over them as they run at night and hide each day, making their way across mountain ridges and rivers red with blood.
“A heartbreaking tale of familial love, blind trust, and the crushing of innocence. A fine and haunting work.” —Karen Hesse, Newbery Medal–winning author of Out of the Dust
“This eloquent verse novel brings one of history’s great tragedies to life.” —Margarita Engle, Newbery Honor–winning author of The Surrender Tree
It is 1914, and the Ottoman Empire is crumbling into violence.
Beyond Anatolia, in the Armenian Highlands, Shahen Donabedian dreams of going to New York. Sosi, his twin sister, never wants to leave her home, especially now that she is in love. At first, only Papa, who counts Turks and Kurds among his closest friends, stands in Shahen’s way. But when the Ottoman pashas set their plans to eliminate all Armenians in motion, neither twin has a choice.
After a horrifying attack leaves them orphaned, Shahen and Sosi flee into the mountains, carrying their little sister, Mariam. Shahen keeps their parents’ fate a secret from his sisters. But the children are not alone. An eagle named Ardziv watches over them as they run at night and hide each day, making their way across mountain ridges and rivers red with blood.
“A heartbreaking tale of familial love, blind trust, and the crushing of innocence. A fine and haunting work.” —Karen Hesse, Newbery Medal–winning author of Out of the Dust
“This eloquent verse novel brings one of history’s great tragedies to life.” —Margarita Engle, Newbery Honor–winning author of The Surrender Tree
368 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2014
39 people are currently reading
2472 people want to read
About the author
Dana Walrath
44 books29 followersI was born in Greensboro, North Carolina but my parents moved us back to New York City before I could even hold my head up. Like all young primates, I started out using my eyes and hands long before I began to use words. Reading came late—when it did I was crazy for books. The windows of my childhood bedroom were high and faced the street. After I was tucked in for the night, I would stand in my bed and read by streetlight. Still, unlike most writers, I never kept a journal or wrote a story or poem in grade school. All of my school papers were done with great anguish and at the last minute. Instead, I was always outside running or climbing or sledding or drawing or making something with my hands.
As a young New Yorker at Barnard College, Columbia University, I continued to avoid writing, and split my courses between visual arts and biology: painting with Milton Resnick, printmaking with Tony Smith, and lab work on the eye-brain connections of zebrafish. My oil paintings and intaglio prints were abstractions inspired by natural and biological forms of all scales. I was equally drawn to imagery seen under the microscope, and the sweep of the earth’s surface particularly when it has been worked and touched by humans for millennia.
A teaching thread in my life began when, fresh out of 10th grade, I landed with my family in Taiz, Yemen, and was promptly hired to teach 6th and 7th grade science and math at Yemen’s first experiment in bilingual co-education. More teaching continued out of college as an artist in residence for the Dobbs Ferry New York Public Schools, and as a Biology Lab Instructor at Barnard. As a young mother struggling to find time to make art, I decided to get “practical” (I know!) and wrote a dissertation on the anthropology of childbirth from the University of Pennsylvania. Anthropology—a discipline all about connections between every facet of being human— welcomed art and science and unlocked the creative writing door for me.
Since moving to the mountains of Vermont with my husband and three sons in the summer of 2000, I’ve used stories and art to teach medical students at the University of Vermont’s College of Medicine. Creative writing and artwork was done mostly during hours stolen from sleep and squeezed between other responsibilities. The balance tipped toward creative work shortly after my mother, Alice, and dementia moved in with us. Alice had always wanted me to be a doctor. When she stood in my kitchen in early 2008, admiring the cabinet knobs I had hand painted and said, “You should quit your job and make art full time,” I listened, and I haven’t looked back. When Alice lived with us, I had the great pleasure of earning an MFA in writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts.
As a young New Yorker at Barnard College, Columbia University, I continued to avoid writing, and split my courses between visual arts and biology: painting with Milton Resnick, printmaking with Tony Smith, and lab work on the eye-brain connections of zebrafish. My oil paintings and intaglio prints were abstractions inspired by natural and biological forms of all scales. I was equally drawn to imagery seen under the microscope, and the sweep of the earth’s surface particularly when it has been worked and touched by humans for millennia.
A teaching thread in my life began when, fresh out of 10th grade, I landed with my family in Taiz, Yemen, and was promptly hired to teach 6th and 7th grade science and math at Yemen’s first experiment in bilingual co-education. More teaching continued out of college as an artist in residence for the Dobbs Ferry New York Public Schools, and as a Biology Lab Instructor at Barnard. As a young mother struggling to find time to make art, I decided to get “practical” (I know!) and wrote a dissertation on the anthropology of childbirth from the University of Pennsylvania. Anthropology—a discipline all about connections between every facet of being human— welcomed art and science and unlocked the creative writing door for me.
Since moving to the mountains of Vermont with my husband and three sons in the summer of 2000, I’ve used stories and art to teach medical students at the University of Vermont’s College of Medicine. Creative writing and artwork was done mostly during hours stolen from sleep and squeezed between other responsibilities. The balance tipped toward creative work shortly after my mother, Alice, and dementia moved in with us. Alice had always wanted me to be a doctor. When she stood in my kitchen in early 2008, admiring the cabinet knobs I had hand painted and said, “You should quit your job and make art full time,” I listened, and I haven’t looked back. When Alice lived with us, I had the great pleasure of earning an MFA in writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 171 reviews
November 29, 2014
This beautiful book
isn’t as fun to read.
It treats your heart like a stone
and tosses it into a lake
where it skips and skips and skips.
It’s not easy to read
you might have figured that one out
but it’s worth every moment of pain it will put you through
You see
it’s not a regular YA novel.
it is one that tells a story of immense loss
yet it also tells a story of familial love.
The author doesn’t cut back on the
gory details
believe me
I’d know.
But at the same time, she is honest
which is why this book is so heartbreaking
With its fierce characters
who continue to march on
You cannot help but fall in love
with not just with their innocent determination
You cheer for them
because they need to be cheered
Most of all though,
you hope,
you hope everything will be all right.
If you are a lover of truth and
a lover of heartbreakingly real stories
I’d say give this one a shot
and let your heart skip skip skip
over a lake of your own tears
isn’t as fun to read.
It treats your heart like a stone
and tosses it into a lake
where it skips and skips and skips.
It’s not easy to read
you might have figured that one out
but it’s worth every moment of pain it will put you through
You see
it’s not a regular YA novel.
it is one that tells a story of immense loss
yet it also tells a story of familial love.
The author doesn’t cut back on the
gory details
believe me
I’d know.
But at the same time, she is honest
which is why this book is so heartbreaking
With its fierce characters
who continue to march on
You cannot help but fall in love
with not just with their innocent determination
You cheer for them
because they need to be cheered
Most of all though,
you hope,
you hope everything will be all right.
If you are a lover of truth and
a lover of heartbreakingly real stories
I’d say give this one a shot
and let your heart skip skip skip
over a lake of your own tears
October 27, 2014
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
Like Water on Stone by Dana Walrath
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: November 11, 2014
Rating: 5 stars
Source: ARC sent by the publisher
Summary (from Goodreads):
Newbery Medalist Karen Hesse calls this story for readers of The Book Thief and Between Shades of Gray "a fine and haunting work." Blending magical realism and lyrical free verse, this is an intense survival story of three siblings caught up in the horrific events of the Armenian genocide of 1915.
It is 1914, and the Ottoman Empire is crumbling into violence.
Beyond Anatolia, in the Armenian Highlands, Shahen Donabedian dreams of going to New York. Sosi, his twin sister, never wants to leave her home, especially now that she is in love. At first, only Papa, who counts Turks and Kurds among his closest friends, stands in Shahen's way. But when the Ottoman pashas set their plans to eliminate all Armenians in motion, neither twin has a choice.
After a horrifying attack leaves them orphaned, Shahen and Sosi flee into the mountains, carrying their little sister, Mariam. Shahen keeps their parents' fate a secret from his sisters. But the children are not alone. An eagle named Ardziv watches over them as they run at night and hide each day, making their way across mountain ridges and rivers red with blood.
What I Liked:
This book. Oh, my heart. I knew this one would be a powerful read, but experiencing the novel, the story... I so wanted to cry while reading this book. Historical fiction meets magical realism - this book was amazing.
This book is written in verse, and follows four different perspectives. No, don't get upset, it never FEELS like too many. Usually, I get irritated with more than two. But with this story written in verse, and the nature of the fiction, four perspectives totally worked. This isn't your typical fiction novel, with an epic plot, someone saving the world, a prominent and sweeping romance. Don't get me wrong though, this book was all kinds of epic and sweeping.
Shahen, Sosi, and Mariam are three Armenian siblings living in 1914, during the fall of the Ottoman Empire. The animosity between the Armenians and the Kurds is palpable. Anahid, their older sister, married a Kurd (which is frowned upon). When soldiers start to pillage and burn villages, the siblings' parents send the three siblings into the mountains. Sosi and Shahen are twins, in their teens, but Mariam is five. This is their story, of how they fled their village, left behind their parents, and began to survive and find their way out of the crumbling world.
I LOVE the setting of this novel, the history, the political conflict, the portrayal of the war, the effects of the deteriorating empire... Walrath really did her research, to make this book come alive. I love historical fiction, and this novel is no exception. It feels almost like non-fiction, like an actual account of children's life during the Armenian genocide.
The nature of this story actually made me want to know more about the Armenian genocide. I know a good deal about the two World Wars and many other events that occurred in the 1900s, but the Armenian genocide isn't well-thought in grade school, and I didn't know much about it. I love how well Walrath writes about this tragic time in history, how she incorporates small details that make such a difference. But I also love how this book made me think, made me wonder, made me curious, made me sad.
Oh, how this story was heartbreaking. It's one of those books where you're sure that everyone is going to end up dead. That is not the case (no spoilers, but that's not the case), but I could see how Walrath could have made that happen. Walrath includes content such as prejudice (between the races), gender roles, rape, pillaging, death, death, death. What happened during this time is so incredibly tragic and heartbreaking. My heart aches for the mother of the three siblings especially.
I love how well-written this book is. It's completely in verse, and it is beautiful. I was skeptical about how I would respond to the novel being written in verse, but I loved it. It totally works for this story, because it makes it so much more powerful. This story would not have read the same way, if it had been written like freestyle fiction.
Each of the siblings are so different. Shahen wants to go to America. He is small for a boy, almost feminine. Sosi wants to stay in the village and marry Vahan, a clock-maker's son (someone she can never marry because of other factors). Mariam is five and loves that her brother (Shahen) is teaching her to write. We get each of their perspectives, in the first person. It's interesting to see the evolution of Mariam's perspective - a child.
The fourth perspective will remain unknown... mwahaha.
I love this book so much. I would totally reread it, and I wish that everyone would give this book a chance. Don't like historical fiction? Okay. But this is like, non-fiction historical fiction. It's real, it's powerful, and it sheds light on a very real and very tragic historical event. Excuse me while I go cry!
What I Did Not Like:
I can't think of anything! I always say, no book is perfect, and there is always something that a reader does not like about a book... but I can't think of whatever that is at the moment.
Would I Recommend It:
YES! Historical fiction fan or not, read it! It's worth the read, if not for the historical fiction aspect, for the beautifully written verse!
Rating:
5 stars. Well deserved (you know I'm stingy with the 5-star ratings)! This is definitely one of those books that will stick with me for a long time.
Like Water on Stone by Dana Walrath
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: November 11, 2014
Rating: 5 stars
Source: ARC sent by the publisher
Summary (from Goodreads):
Newbery Medalist Karen Hesse calls this story for readers of The Book Thief and Between Shades of Gray "a fine and haunting work." Blending magical realism and lyrical free verse, this is an intense survival story of three siblings caught up in the horrific events of the Armenian genocide of 1915.
It is 1914, and the Ottoman Empire is crumbling into violence.
Beyond Anatolia, in the Armenian Highlands, Shahen Donabedian dreams of going to New York. Sosi, his twin sister, never wants to leave her home, especially now that she is in love. At first, only Papa, who counts Turks and Kurds among his closest friends, stands in Shahen's way. But when the Ottoman pashas set their plans to eliminate all Armenians in motion, neither twin has a choice.
After a horrifying attack leaves them orphaned, Shahen and Sosi flee into the mountains, carrying their little sister, Mariam. Shahen keeps their parents' fate a secret from his sisters. But the children are not alone. An eagle named Ardziv watches over them as they run at night and hide each day, making their way across mountain ridges and rivers red with blood.
What I Liked:
This book. Oh, my heart. I knew this one would be a powerful read, but experiencing the novel, the story... I so wanted to cry while reading this book. Historical fiction meets magical realism - this book was amazing.
This book is written in verse, and follows four different perspectives. No, don't get upset, it never FEELS like too many. Usually, I get irritated with more than two. But with this story written in verse, and the nature of the fiction, four perspectives totally worked. This isn't your typical fiction novel, with an epic plot, someone saving the world, a prominent and sweeping romance. Don't get me wrong though, this book was all kinds of epic and sweeping.
Shahen, Sosi, and Mariam are three Armenian siblings living in 1914, during the fall of the Ottoman Empire. The animosity between the Armenians and the Kurds is palpable. Anahid, their older sister, married a Kurd (which is frowned upon). When soldiers start to pillage and burn villages, the siblings' parents send the three siblings into the mountains. Sosi and Shahen are twins, in their teens, but Mariam is five. This is their story, of how they fled their village, left behind their parents, and began to survive and find their way out of the crumbling world.
I LOVE the setting of this novel, the history, the political conflict, the portrayal of the war, the effects of the deteriorating empire... Walrath really did her research, to make this book come alive. I love historical fiction, and this novel is no exception. It feels almost like non-fiction, like an actual account of children's life during the Armenian genocide.
The nature of this story actually made me want to know more about the Armenian genocide. I know a good deal about the two World Wars and many other events that occurred in the 1900s, but the Armenian genocide isn't well-thought in grade school, and I didn't know much about it. I love how well Walrath writes about this tragic time in history, how she incorporates small details that make such a difference. But I also love how this book made me think, made me wonder, made me curious, made me sad.
Oh, how this story was heartbreaking. It's one of those books where you're sure that everyone is going to end up dead. That is not the case (no spoilers, but that's not the case), but I could see how Walrath could have made that happen. Walrath includes content such as prejudice (between the races), gender roles, rape, pillaging, death, death, death. What happened during this time is so incredibly tragic and heartbreaking. My heart aches for the mother of the three siblings especially.
I love how well-written this book is. It's completely in verse, and it is beautiful. I was skeptical about how I would respond to the novel being written in verse, but I loved it. It totally works for this story, because it makes it so much more powerful. This story would not have read the same way, if it had been written like freestyle fiction.
Each of the siblings are so different. Shahen wants to go to America. He is small for a boy, almost feminine. Sosi wants to stay in the village and marry Vahan, a clock-maker's son (someone she can never marry because of other factors). Mariam is five and loves that her brother (Shahen) is teaching her to write. We get each of their perspectives, in the first person. It's interesting to see the evolution of Mariam's perspective - a child.
The fourth perspective will remain unknown... mwahaha.
I love this book so much. I would totally reread it, and I wish that everyone would give this book a chance. Don't like historical fiction? Okay. But this is like, non-fiction historical fiction. It's real, it's powerful, and it sheds light on a very real and very tragic historical event. Excuse me while I go cry!
What I Did Not Like:
I can't think of anything! I always say, no book is perfect, and there is always something that a reader does not like about a book... but I can't think of whatever that is at the moment.
Would I Recommend It:
YES! Historical fiction fan or not, read it! It's worth the read, if not for the historical fiction aspect, for the beautifully written verse!
Rating:
5 stars. Well deserved (you know I'm stingy with the 5-star ratings)! This is definitely one of those books that will stick with me for a long time.
May 22, 2015
This is YA, but I would say it's more of an adult theme with children as the protagonists.
It is told in free verse. If that bothers you, then you won't like this, but I think it worked extremely well for the story being told.
Although this has been in the news recently, I have to admit this is a story I had never heard of and knew nothing about.
It's tragic and sad.
It is told in free verse. If that bothers you, then you won't like this, but I think it worked extremely well for the story being told.
Although this has been in the news recently, I have to admit this is a story I had never heard of and knew nothing about.
It's tragic and sad.
December 17, 2018
A fantastic book about how began the Armenian genocide, what happened during and after.
July 5, 2014
Excellent, inspiring, historical verse novel of the Ottoman Empire genocide against Armenians. A special book for the special reader who will be shocked and learn something about a period of history which is not readily reflected in YA lit.
September 14, 2015
The Donabedian family are Armenian Christians living in Palu in the Ottoman Empire. They have a good life in Palu, working their mill and enjoying rooftop picnics with friends and music. The story follows the lives of the three youngest children, twins Shahen and Sosi and baby Mariam. Shahen dreams of moving to America with his uncle. Sosi is content with life in Palu and wants to marry Vahan, a young Armenian clockmaker. Curious young Mariam is learning to write with the help of her doting older brother.
It is 1915 and war is coming to the region. There has always been tension between the Armenians, the Kurds and the Turks, but it heightens as the Ottoman Empire starts to crumble. Papa believes his Kurdish and Turkish friends will protect him and that violence will never come to their town. He is proved wrong when soldiers take his two oldest sons away. Then, one night, violence erupts in Palu. Mama and Papa choose to send their three youngest children into the mountains to safety. Shahen, Sosi and Mariam run by night across the mountains and sleep during the day. They survive on what little food their mother sent with them. Shahen tries to protect his sisters from the truth of what has happened in Palu, but the violent evidence is all around them. They must first make it across the border to Aleppo before they can travel to America to live with their uncle. Along the way they are shadowed by Ardziv, an eagle whose feather they are carrying. He looks after the children and protects them along their journey.
This is a heart-breaking story told in lovely free verse. The term genocide was coined to refer to the Armenian holocaust. I was not that familiar with this history, but the author's note lets the reader know that approximately three-quarters of the Armenian people, 1.5 million, died during the genocide. Shahen, Sosi and Mariam were among the lucky few who survived.
Walrath does not pull any punches with the horror of this story. There is hatred and death and evil, but there is also hope. Hope that a part of a family's story will survive even if it is just through a cooking pot and an eagle’s feather. The sparse language of the free verse allows the reader to observe the horror from above through the eyes of Ardziv, and to experience the hardship and humanity that Shahen, Sosi and Mariam encounter. It is a brutally honest, beautifully told story of a horrible period in history when a people were almost wiped out.
It is important that we remember the horrible events of the Jewish Holocaust during WWII. However, it is equally important that stories such as Like Water on Stone, The Red Pencil by Andrea Davis Pinkney and Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys are also told so that these other atrocities become part of our human consciousness. If we are not aware of our history, we are just going to keep repeating it over and over throughout the world.
It is 1915 and war is coming to the region. There has always been tension between the Armenians, the Kurds and the Turks, but it heightens as the Ottoman Empire starts to crumble. Papa believes his Kurdish and Turkish friends will protect him and that violence will never come to their town. He is proved wrong when soldiers take his two oldest sons away. Then, one night, violence erupts in Palu. Mama and Papa choose to send their three youngest children into the mountains to safety. Shahen, Sosi and Mariam run by night across the mountains and sleep during the day. They survive on what little food their mother sent with them. Shahen tries to protect his sisters from the truth of what has happened in Palu, but the violent evidence is all around them. They must first make it across the border to Aleppo before they can travel to America to live with their uncle. Along the way they are shadowed by Ardziv, an eagle whose feather they are carrying. He looks after the children and protects them along their journey.
This is a heart-breaking story told in lovely free verse. The term genocide was coined to refer to the Armenian holocaust. I was not that familiar with this history, but the author's note lets the reader know that approximately three-quarters of the Armenian people, 1.5 million, died during the genocide. Shahen, Sosi and Mariam were among the lucky few who survived.
Walrath does not pull any punches with the horror of this story. There is hatred and death and evil, but there is also hope. Hope that a part of a family's story will survive even if it is just through a cooking pot and an eagle’s feather. The sparse language of the free verse allows the reader to observe the horror from above through the eyes of Ardziv, and to experience the hardship and humanity that Shahen, Sosi and Mariam encounter. It is a brutally honest, beautifully told story of a horrible period in history when a people were almost wiped out.
It is important that we remember the horrible events of the Jewish Holocaust during WWII. However, it is equally important that stories such as Like Water on Stone, The Red Pencil by Andrea Davis Pinkney and Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys are also told so that these other atrocities become part of our human consciousness. If we are not aware of our history, we are just going to keep repeating it over and over throughout the world.
February 4, 2015
1914, Ottoman Empire: The Donabedian family members have a good life. They mill grain, grow grapes and spend warm summer evenings playing music with friends and neighbors on the rooftop. Unbeknownst to the younger family members, unrest is brewing and their lives are about to change forever. The three youngest siblings are the stars of this story. There's Shahen, who dreams of moving to America, Sosi, Shahen's twin sister, who has recently fallen in love with a local boy, and Mariam, the five-year-old baby of the family. As political discontent grows, neighbors advise the family to leave, but their father firmly believes that their Turkish and Kurdish friends will help protect them from the soldiers. Unfortunately, things begin getting bad very quickly. The eldest sons are arrested and later massacred along with other men of fighting age from the village. One night, word comes that violence is on its way. The parents make the brave and devastating decision to send their remaining children off into the night. The three siblings then begin an epic journey over the mountains with little more than the clothes on their backs. All along, an eagle keeps watch over the family and helps to keep the children safe as they hide from soldiers and traverse the unforgiving mountainous landscape.
This novel-in-verse is one of the more heart-wrenching tales I've read in recent memory. It's also the first time I've read any fiction about the Armenian Genocide of 1915. This family's story is heartbreaking, but even worse is the knowledge that these children were the lucky ones. They manage to escape the worst of the violence and are spared from seeing what happens to their parents (though we do, thanks to our friend, the eagle). Since this novel is written in verse, it moves very quickly. The language is beautiful, even if the subject matter is not. The narrative cycles through each of the siblings in addition to the eagle. Readers will breathlessly turn the pages to see what happens to these kids. The inclusion of the eagle adds a touch of magic realism, as well as an effective quasi-omniscient narrator. The end of the book includes an author's note, a glossary and a list of resources for further exploration of this horrific historical event.
This novel-in-verse is one of the more heart-wrenching tales I've read in recent memory. It's also the first time I've read any fiction about the Armenian Genocide of 1915. This family's story is heartbreaking, but even worse is the knowledge that these children were the lucky ones. They manage to escape the worst of the violence and are spared from seeing what happens to their parents (though we do, thanks to our friend, the eagle). Since this novel is written in verse, it moves very quickly. The language is beautiful, even if the subject matter is not. The narrative cycles through each of the siblings in addition to the eagle. Readers will breathlessly turn the pages to see what happens to these kids. The inclusion of the eagle adds a touch of magic realism, as well as an effective quasi-omniscient narrator. The end of the book includes an author's note, a glossary and a list of resources for further exploration of this horrific historical event.
Read
October 27, 2015WHOA
A perfect novel to pair with Skila Brown's CAMINAR, though LIKE WATER ON STONE might veer toward older readers. (See also: PARCHED by Melanie Crowder, especially with its animal narrator.)
Walrath starts her novel off by introducing us to her large cast. Of course, if you know anything about the subject matter, you'll realize the cast is going to narrow down pretty quickly. The novel focuses on four main characters: Sosi, Shahen, and Mariam, of the large Donabedian family, and Ardziv, an eagle. Not only were their voices, their characters, unique, but their motivations were crystal clear (and sometimes in conflict). It was heartbreaking to read about Sosi and Shahen, whose beliefs differed so much despite the fact that they were twins. Sosi cannot let go of her memories of home, and Shahen wants only to forget everything he's seen. It brings the two into conflict at times, and really fuels the story.
If you're a fan of poetry, you're definitely going to find it here. Walrath's use of language is simply incredible. And the food! Mouth-watering descriptions of apricots and rice-stuffed grape leaves made me wish I could eat. (Sick currently, heh heh.)
A beautiful, touching story overall.
A perfect novel to pair with Skila Brown's CAMINAR, though LIKE WATER ON STONE might veer toward older readers. (See also: PARCHED by Melanie Crowder, especially with its animal narrator.)
Walrath starts her novel off by introducing us to her large cast. Of course, if you know anything about the subject matter, you'll realize the cast is going to narrow down pretty quickly. The novel focuses on four main characters: Sosi, Shahen, and Mariam, of the large Donabedian family, and Ardziv, an eagle. Not only were their voices, their characters, unique, but their motivations were crystal clear (and sometimes in conflict). It was heartbreaking to read about Sosi and Shahen, whose beliefs differed so much despite the fact that they were twins. Sosi cannot let go of her memories of home, and Shahen wants only to forget everything he's seen. It brings the two into conflict at times, and really fuels the story.
If you're a fan of poetry, you're definitely going to find it here. Walrath's use of language is simply incredible. And the food! Mouth-watering descriptions of apricots and rice-stuffed grape leaves made me wish I could eat. (Sick currently, heh heh.)
A beautiful, touching story overall.
October 28, 2019
Well. Well.
I just don't know. It was interesting, I guess, when I could figure out was happening. The Armenian Genocide is something I'd like to learn more about, preferably from a source that can write clearly. Parts of it were beautiful but I spent the whole time trying to dig through the unnecessarily flowery (and repetitive, oh my goodness so repetitive) language. And skipping four years ahead at the end without telling us what was happening? That did not win brownie points. I'm not sure if I was supposed to feel bad about Sosi's little romance? (I felt annoyed.)
Ah, I feel awful. I'm trivializing a book about a genocide, for pete's sake, but to be honest? Writing it in verse felt trivializing to me. It didn't really feel like a real book about a real genocide, because it was way too hung up on giving POVs to eagles, and describing what words looked like written out, and how Sosi felt when whatever-his-name looked at her. I didn't really understand the real depths of the tragedy until I read the author's note (this was the best part).
I guess novels-in-verse and I just don't mix.
I just don't know. It was interesting, I guess, when I could figure out was happening. The Armenian Genocide is something I'd like to learn more about, preferably from a source that can write clearly. Parts of it were beautiful but I spent the whole time trying to dig through the unnecessarily flowery (and repetitive, oh my goodness so repetitive) language. And skipping four years ahead at the end without telling us what was happening? That did not win brownie points. I'm not sure if I was supposed to feel bad about Sosi's little romance? (I felt annoyed.)
Ah, I feel awful. I'm trivializing a book about a genocide, for pete's sake, but to be honest? Writing it in verse felt trivializing to me. It didn't really feel like a real book about a real genocide, because it was way too hung up on giving POVs to eagles, and describing what words looked like written out, and how Sosi felt when whatever-his-name looked at her. I didn't really understand the real depths of the tragedy until I read the author's note (this was the best part).
I guess novels-in-verse and I just don't mix.
March 19, 2015
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this book. It is written in free verse, but I thought it greatly added to the emotion of the situation - the Armenian Genocide. The repetition of some of the lines created a sense of urgency and heightened awareness of the hopelessness of the children and their escape. I even thought the element of magical realism would bother me, but I rather enjoyed the perspective of the eagle as it looked over the 3 children. The eagle's perspective allowed the reader to see more of what was going on. A highly recommended novel of a very emotional topic. 4 solid stars!
January 9, 2015
This was really a great read. The subject-the Ottoman Empire's genocide of the Armenians-was not one I was very familiar with, but it was powerful. The story is written in verse from the perspective of several different characters, each with his or her distinctive voice. The writing was beautiful. There was an element of fantasy in the character of an eagle. The author explains this choice in the afterword and I see her point. It balances things out a bit. This is a young adult historical fiction so maybe not for everyone, but I loved it.
June 26, 2017
4.5 because I'm still not a huge fan of the verse format, but the story pulled me in and left me heartbroken all the same.
February 8, 2017
Will leave you speechless for days.
July 7, 2024
Screaming, crying, throwing up
June 6, 2016
While some reviews suggest this book is more geared toward adult readers, I disagree. I have read many novels that represent genocide, I think this one takes care of teen readers with her beautiful verse and eagle character to protect the young characters. That said, I do think middle and high school readers do need to be patient. This is not a fast moving, plot driven book. There are many characters narrating the story, and, for me, this made the first 135 pages quite laborous. I had to constantly refer back to the "cast of characters," which I think may not have been necessary if the author chose the eagle as the narrator or perhaps one character and the eagle. In other novels that tell a story of genocide, the author has to make decisions about how to represent the atrocities, and I think Walrath's use of the eagle to describe the violence from above was helpful in distancing the reader from the young Armenian siblings in the story. (The eagle reminded me of the narrator in The Book Thief sort of watching out and observing, but this eagle protects.) For this reason, I think teen readers can handle this, but they do have to be patient readers who appreciate verse.
As I reflect on the narrative, I think the verse and multiple narrators worked to show how impossible it is to tell "the" story of the Armenian genocide. There are gaps and fissures in this narrative that the different voices try to piece together; still, the atrocities are unimaginable and no amount of words can capture the pain and suffering. The poetry honors that, leaving the white spaces on the page to honor that which we cannot know.
As I reflect on the narrative, I think the verse and multiple narrators worked to show how impossible it is to tell "the" story of the Armenian genocide. There are gaps and fissures in this narrative that the different voices try to piece together; still, the atrocities are unimaginable and no amount of words can capture the pain and suffering. The poetry honors that, leaving the white spaces on the page to honor that which we cannot know.
June 19, 2015
Such a hard book. The history is so sad and scary and the storytelling can be very confusing. I had to concentrate a lot in the beginning to keep all the characters in play (the author has alternating narrators with five different points of view, one being that of an eagle). Once I sat still and got into the book, I was mesmerized by this period of history I knew so little about. The characters will definitely stay with me for a long time.
Grade 8 and up. The killings and rape scenes are brutal and shocking. Sensitive readers would have a very difficult time along the way. The free verse does not seem to aid this story and I wonder how the author came upon the idea to write in this technique. It did make the scary, violent parts move quicker but I also felt that I didn't understand the history well enough to somewhat skim over the details. This book is highly recommended but I wonder who I will recommend it to? Students who love history? Social justice advocates? Those of Armenian backgrounds? It will be a struggle to put this book into the right student's hands.
Grade 8 and up. The killings and rape scenes are brutal and shocking. Sensitive readers would have a very difficult time along the way. The free verse does not seem to aid this story and I wonder how the author came upon the idea to write in this technique. It did make the scary, violent parts move quicker but I also felt that I didn't understand the history well enough to somewhat skim over the details. This book is highly recommended but I wonder who I will recommend it to? Students who love history? Social justice advocates? Those of Armenian backgrounds? It will be a struggle to put this book into the right student's hands.
November 20, 2014
I think having a little knowledge of the Armenian Genocides helps when reading this novel written in verse. I will be honest to say that I don't do well with this type of writing, probably because I have not read enough of it. My rating is more a reflection of my ability to understand, learn, and enjoy than it is of the actual writing.
The story is amazing and after a while I got into the rhythm of the verse. I had difficulty at first with keeping the characters straight and often had to check the cast of characters provided. I had difficulty building the characters in my mind, probably just because I do not read verse well.
The story is amazing and after a while I got into the rhythm of the verse. I had difficulty at first with keeping the characters straight and often had to check the cast of characters provided. I had difficulty building the characters in my mind, probably just because I do not read verse well.
May 25, 2015
I did not like this book when I first started it but I don't really enjoy books written in verse. The characters' names confused me and if I had not read the synopsis it would have taken me longer to figure out that one of them was an eagle. I thought that was silly at first but I think the eagle's role in the book and storyline was the best. As I read more I became interested in the story and did not mind reading to the end. I did not love it though. I don't think teens will like it either. 2 out of 5.
March 22, 2017
I guess this book was intended for a younger audience because of the plain and simple language. I did enjoy the plot just this particular free verse bothered me throughout the whole book. I just felt this book lacked more emotion and character development. I continued to read the book because it was based off a historical event even though in this case, it's fiction. I just didn't feel this book.
January 5, 2015
A harrowing story of two siblings seeking refuge during the Armenian genocide, but I don't care for the element of magical realism in which an eagle is used to observe some of the most horrific of the atrocities and serve as a symbol of hope. It's unnecessary and intrusive in an otherwise straightforward historical narrative.
December 12, 2016
The Armenian genocide is a story that needs to be told. This novel had it's ups and downs, I didn't like the free verse in this case, but the plot was tragic and well written. I will be looking for more novels like this one.
July 2, 2014
A timely tale.
December 18, 2014
I generally enjoy free verse poetry novels, but this was written in a more poetic style and not as a narrative. I didn't like including the story told by the eagle's point of view.
May 11, 2015
It was a fast read, and it did make me interested in learning more about the Armenian genocide, but I wasn't a huge fan of the writing style.
March 18, 2017
Historical fiction written in verse about the Armenian genocide. Haunting.
August 13, 2017
The story itself was absolutely beautiful, but there was something about the writing style that didn't quite convince me.
March 7, 2019
I really wanted to enjoy this but I got about halfway through and kind of never picked it up again. I think the multiple viewpoints were more difficult to follow than they had to be.
September 21, 2022
The book Like Water on Stone by Dana Walrath is set in 1914 when the Ottoman Empire is being crumbled into violence. In the Armenian Highlands, Shahen Donabedian dreams of going to New York. Sosi, his twin sister, never wants to leave her home, especially now that she is in love. At first, only Papa, who counts Turks and Kurds among his closest friends, stands in Shahen's way. But when the Ottoman pashas set their plans to eliminate all Armenians in motion, neither twin had a choice. After a horrifying attack leaves them orphaned, Shahen and Sosi flee into the mountains, carrying their little sister, Mariam. Shahen keeps their parents' fate a secret from his sisters. But the children are not alone. An eagle named Ardziv watches over them as they run at night and hide each day, making their way across mountain ridges and rivers red with blood. I would give this book 3 out of 5 stars because it was hard to understand. I really liked the concept and the plot was very interesting, I just had a hard time following along.
When I was reading the book it was like one moment the kids were on a cliff the next one falls off and some random guy comes and finds them. I still don’t really understand how or why he found the kids but he did leave them alone. Walrath wrote on page 296 “Burning hot shoots through my feet, kicked out from under me”. When I first read this I was confused how she fell off the edge of the rock but when I reread it it was a lot easier to understand that someone came behind her and kicked her. Then the man was going to take the girls but they convinced him that the one who fell off the edge was dead and not to bother with killing her. Still kinda confused how that worked but it did and he just walked away after that.
I really enjoyed Shahens character development throughout the book. He was really struggling with becoming a ‘man’ and growing into his body and became one towards the end by taking care of his sisters. He was small for his age and could not grow a beard. To the village this meant he was stuck as a child and therefore that is what they saw him as. They would not take him seriously but that never did put a damper on his spirit. Later on when he and his sisters are fleeing from the Turks he tells his sisters to stay put by a rock near the river. They were all out of food at this point so Shahen made it his mission to find some food for his sisters. He ended up finding some houses on the bank of the river and asked this lady for some food saying “Please, mother. Do you have food for me and my sisters? Our village was burned. Our parents were killed.” It ended up working and he was able to bring back some food for his sisters ( Walrath 238). He was being a ‘man’ in that moment by taking care of his sisters even though he was at risk of dying.
My last reason for giving this book a 3 out of 5 stars would be the ending. I felt like the ending was unfinished or that there could have been more writing. The ending was just them getting a letter from their uncle with tickets to america. Then Walrath wrote from the bird's point of view “ Three young ones, one black pot, a single quill, and a tuft of red wool are enough to start a new life in a new land. I know it is true because I saw it.” (334). I just feel like we need to see them get to America and how they do there. Shahen has always wanted to live in America because of how his uncle describes it and I just want to know if it's what he expects. I want to know if he is satisfied with it or if he feels angry at himself for arguing with his father and that really being the last conversation he has with him.
Overall this book was decent which was why I gave it 3 stars. I felt like it went way too fast and the ending was not finished but the character development was really good. I would probably recommend this book to others with the caution of it being kind of goriye. It talks about some hard topics but it's not specific, you just know what happened. I would definitely not recommend this book to kids or anyone below 9th grade. I just feel like middle schoolers are too immature.
When I was reading the book it was like one moment the kids were on a cliff the next one falls off and some random guy comes and finds them. I still don’t really understand how or why he found the kids but he did leave them alone. Walrath wrote on page 296 “Burning hot shoots through my feet, kicked out from under me”. When I first read this I was confused how she fell off the edge of the rock but when I reread it it was a lot easier to understand that someone came behind her and kicked her. Then the man was going to take the girls but they convinced him that the one who fell off the edge was dead and not to bother with killing her. Still kinda confused how that worked but it did and he just walked away after that.
I really enjoyed Shahens character development throughout the book. He was really struggling with becoming a ‘man’ and growing into his body and became one towards the end by taking care of his sisters. He was small for his age and could not grow a beard. To the village this meant he was stuck as a child and therefore that is what they saw him as. They would not take him seriously but that never did put a damper on his spirit. Later on when he and his sisters are fleeing from the Turks he tells his sisters to stay put by a rock near the river. They were all out of food at this point so Shahen made it his mission to find some food for his sisters. He ended up finding some houses on the bank of the river and asked this lady for some food saying “Please, mother. Do you have food for me and my sisters? Our village was burned. Our parents were killed.” It ended up working and he was able to bring back some food for his sisters ( Walrath 238). He was being a ‘man’ in that moment by taking care of his sisters even though he was at risk of dying.
My last reason for giving this book a 3 out of 5 stars would be the ending. I felt like the ending was unfinished or that there could have been more writing. The ending was just them getting a letter from their uncle with tickets to america. Then Walrath wrote from the bird's point of view “ Three young ones, one black pot, a single quill, and a tuft of red wool are enough to start a new life in a new land. I know it is true because I saw it.” (334). I just feel like we need to see them get to America and how they do there. Shahen has always wanted to live in America because of how his uncle describes it and I just want to know if it's what he expects. I want to know if he is satisfied with it or if he feels angry at himself for arguing with his father and that really being the last conversation he has with him.
Overall this book was decent which was why I gave it 3 stars. I felt like it went way too fast and the ending was not finished but the character development was really good. I would probably recommend this book to others with the caution of it being kind of goriye. It talks about some hard topics but it's not specific, you just know what happened. I would definitely not recommend this book to kids or anyone below 9th grade. I just feel like middle schoolers are too immature.
June 21, 2025
This book is written in verse about children who survived the Armenian genocide. It’s a tough read because of the violence, but the magical realism of the Eagle and the use of verse made it much easier to digest the trauma. The characters were based on the author’s family who survived the genocide.
September 29, 2021
*3.5 stars*
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