Annihilation: A Story of the Armenian Genocide

by Michael Bosland

Eastern Anatolia, 1915. Rosmerta Bedrosian sees the world through innocent eyes. So when her father warns of an ominous shift in society he senses, the thirteen-year-old is unable to fully grasp the tragedy hurtling their way. And as she struggles to comprehend the Ottoman state’s horrific attack on the Armenian community, her life completely shatters when she’s driven from her home and her beloved dad is killed. Barely able to grieve, Rosmerta’s fear escalates when she’s ordered on a death march with other shell-shocked women and children. And as the caravan makes its way into the Syrian desert and those around her die one by one, the terrified young girl hangs on to a slender thread of courage even as she walks toward her own arid grave. Can Rosmerta find hope through the senseless slaughter of her people? A Story of the Armenian Genocide is a standalone historical fiction novel. If you like relatable characters, emotional journeys, and triumphs of the human spirit, then you’ll love Michael Bosland’s powerful narrative.

242 pages, Paperback

Published November 1, 2019

About the author

Mr. Bosland is a Book Viral Millennium Book Award Longlisted Author. While working in Worcester, Massachusetts, he met many people from the Armenian diaspora. From them, he heard stories of the Armenian Genocide - many seemed unbelievable. Mr. Bosland spent the next ten years investigating the events around the extermination of the Armenian population of Anatolia. Annihilation: A Story of the Armenian Genocide weaves together years of research and some of those original stories. Mr. Bosland lives in Rockport, Maine, with his wife and four cats.

Reviews

[Heena Rathore Rathore-Pardeshi]

To those who were massacred during the genocides of World War I. To those who survived despite being forced to endure unspeakable horrors. And to the descendants who keep their memories alive.

-Michael Bosland

Annihilation by Michael Bosland is a touching story that is definitely worth a read. It a compelling story providing a glimpse into he 2nd most talked about genocide int he history of the world. I am not a huge history buff so prior to reading this book I knew very little about the Armenian genocide, therefore I was really looking forward to read this book. And keeping up with my expectations this book turned out to be equally as insightful as it was engaging.

The characterisation felt realistic and the writing was really good and complimented the story well. But the best part was of course the concept and story. The author did a wonderful job in depicting the dilemmas and the horrors faced by the characters in dark times. It was a very informative read and even though the subject matter fo the book was so intense the book surprisingly did not felt too heavy.

It is a really good book and I'd recommend it to everyone who likes reading Historical fiction.

On a side note, after putting down this book, I looked up the topic on the internet and found it baffling about how less people know about the Armenian genocide. Everyone knows about the Holocaust but a lot of people, including me, are not aware of the details of this horrific period. So if you are someone like me and like researching stuff of the past, then do give this topic an eye. It was pretty mind baffling. Especially considering the term 'genocide' was coined for this particular massacre (basically, it happened even before the term was even coined - it started before and continued during WWI.)

You can also read this book on thereadingbud.com

[S. Jeyran Main · Rating 5 out of 5]

Annihilation is a historical memoir written about a thirteen-year-old girl named Rosmerta. She is a witness to cruelty, violence, and complete lack of fairness towards herself and her family as the Armenians are ordered to leave their homes and set to walk the streets. The Turkish government has given Their death sentence, and the situation sends the family to the Syrian desert causing more problems.


Rosmerta does also experiences kindness from a few, but anger and moments of despair clearly overwhelm the heart of this little girl. Therefore, with this book, she touches the emotion of its reader with compassion and care.



The pace of the story is fast, and the work is written well. The tale really takes your heart, and brutally connects you with reality and history. Rosmerta has to survive and stay alive, and that alone creates a dramatic story.



The story is not set for the light-hearted or for young readers. I would recommend this book to people who like to read coming of age stories and appreciate raw materials.

[Lauren Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Living in constant fear is no way to live. Historians have written our stories since the Ice Age and the one concept that remains constant is the fear of war. We see their detailed drawings and writing in pictures that were captured throughout the ages and we have become the biggest threat to ourselves. No matter the culture, race, religion, education, or any other factor that we use to discriminate, we breathe the same air, share the same earth, and life is a precious commodity for all. Bosland really captures just how fragile and heart wrenching war can be and readers will certainly be enraptured by this story of true sadness.

Rosmerta and her family are uprooted from their home in Bayburt by the Turkish government for being Armenian and sentenced to death marches through the Syrian desert. Along the way, Rosmerta slowly loses everyone who she's ever loved. The boy who is supposed to become her husband has protected her thus far, but even he cannot stand up against the soldiers who segregate them into different camps once they reach a new town. Through fever, lice, dehydration, and violence, Rosmerta doesn't understand how she has survived this far when everyone else has perished. What will be in store for her once they come across the next town? She knows that she will most definitely die if she stays on this path with these soldiers, but what are her options for escape? She has to keep the promise she made to her father before he died, that she will do everything in her power to stay alive.

Bosland's story is a very hard one to read, but not from lack of understanding or difficulty in writing. The context is violent and readers may find it challenging; therefore, this story s not recommended for children or teenagers under the age of eighteen. The author does share his insight on the research that he completes for this story regarding what is referred to as the first genocide of the Twentieth Century so his credibility is on par; however, he does mention that his character is fictitious. The story, while violent, does carry a fast pace and is well-written with little to no grammatical or spelling errors. If you are a reader of historical fiction with an emphasis on Turkey and the Ottoman Empire, this may be of interest to you.

An electronic copy of this book was provided to Turning Another Page by Reedsy Discovery and in no way affects the honesty of this review. We provide a five-star rating to Annihilation: A Story of the Armenian Genocide by Michael Bosland.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!! Annihilation details the story of a young teenager surviving the genocide of the Armenians. The writer was able to write an account of multiple experiences in one young woman that happened to Armenians in the genocide. I love how he tied together these many experiences to detail the atrocities and help us understand the Armenians experiences. This book is for those wanting to understand the Armenian genocide from fictional characters. There are graphic details in the book, I had to skip a few sentences at times. I understand the need for the graphic-ness though as it helps us see the very real nature of the atrocities.