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Zabelle
As Zabelle's family assembles for her funeral in present-day Massachusetts, it becomes clear that her children hardly knew her. But as this alternatively comic and heartbreaking novel unfolds--beginning with Zabelle's survival of the 1915 Armenian Genocide in Turkey and her subsequent emigration to America for an arranged marriage--an unforgettable character emerges.
240 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
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800 people want to read
About the author
Nancy Kricorian
4 books136 followersNancy Kricorian, who was born and raised in the Armenian community of Watertown, Massachusetts, is the author of four novels about post-genocide Armenian diaspora experience, including Zabelle, which was translated into seven languages, was adapted as a play, and has been continuously in print since 1998. Her latest novel, The Burning Heart of the World, is about Armenians in Beirut during the Lebanese Civil War. Her essays and poems have appeared in The Los Angeles Review of Books Quarterly, Guernica, Parnassus, Minnesota Review, The Mississippi Review, and other journals. She has taught at Barnard, Columbia, Yale, and New York University, as well as with Teachers & Writers Collaborative in the New York City Public Schools, and has been a mentor with We Are Not Numbers since 2015. She has been the recipient of a New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship, a Gold Medal from the Writers Union of Armenia, and the Anahid Literary Award, among other honors. She lives in New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
March 23, 2020
قيّمتها بأربعة نجوم وقلبي يشدّني إلى الخامسة، لكنني ك ' زابيل ' اعتدت أن ألجم مشاعري.
هذه الرواية لا يمكن أن تُكتب بشكل أفضل مما هي عليه، استمتاع كامل من دون أي لحظة ملل أو شرود، رواية بالرغم مما حُمّلت به من مشاعر إلا أنها خفيفة على الروح، تنهل منها النفس وتطلب المزيد.
زابيل الجميلة، برقّة طفلة، وقوّة شابة، واستبسال أم، وطيبة جدّة.. زابيل التي أقفلت دواخلها وخبّأت مشاعرها دوماً، كطائر ضمّ جناحيه واحتضن نفسه بعيداً عن الخطر، وتلهّى بتلوين ريشه في عشه الآمن بدلاً من فرده على امتداد السماء.. زابيل التي لم يكن لها يد في أي من أقدارها، لكنها فازت في كل رهانات الحياة بصلابة نفسها التي لا تعرف الانهزام.. زابيل التي أخذت منها الأيام كل ما أحبّته وخصّتها برفيقة استثنائية قادرة على خلق السعادة في أعتى لحظات الحزن.
لقد حزنتُ معكِ يا زابيل، وضحكت ملء قلبي على شقاوتك، والنتيجة الحتميّة هي أني أحببتكِ.
هذه الرواية لا يمكن أن تُكتب بشكل أفضل مما هي عليه، استمتاع كامل من دون أي لحظة ملل أو شرود، رواية بالرغم مما حُمّلت به من مشاعر إلا أنها خفيفة على الروح، تنهل منها النفس وتطلب المزيد.
زابيل الجميلة، برقّة طفلة، وقوّة شابة، واستبسال أم، وطيبة جدّة.. زابيل التي أقفلت دواخلها وخبّأت مشاعرها دوماً، كطائر ضمّ جناحيه واحتضن نفسه بعيداً عن الخطر، وتلهّى بتلوين ريشه في عشه الآمن بدلاً من فرده على امتداد السماء.. زابيل التي لم يكن لها يد في أي من أقدارها، لكنها فازت في كل رهانات الحياة بصلابة نفسها التي لا تعرف الانهزام.. زابيل التي أخذت منها الأيام كل ما أحبّته وخصّتها برفيقة استثنائية قادرة على خلق السعادة في أعتى لحظات الحزن.
لقد حزنتُ معكِ يا زابيل، وضحكت ملء قلبي على شقاوتك، والنتيجة الحتميّة هي أني أحببتكِ.
June 3, 2024
I have read several narratives of this horrifying period in Armenian history, but I have found that it is underrepresented in most accounts of genocide and war. Most of my reading on these topics has been focused on WW II and that Holocaust. I have noted that the generations which followed both abominations have tried to preserve and honor those who died and those who survived. Krikorian dealt with these atrocities for the Armenian people realistically but sensitively.
Zabelle survived the death of most of her loved ones, starvation, illness, slavery and the Death March to Ottoman Turkey. Through an arranged marriage, she found herself in a strange land- America. Her adjustment to her new world and customs is typical for immigrants from any country to the US. Learning the language, relating to others and discovering new modes of education and different foods had to be negotiated. Yet for her generation, many clung to their familiar fare, speech and people of their own ethnic origin.
I enjoyed the discussions of the meals and the treats they consumed and some of the ethnic celebrations. I must note that much of this narrative focuses on Watertown, Massachusetts, a town nearby where I live. It is a wonderful close-knit community still, with ethnic restaurants, shops, bakeries, schools and churches. The Charles River flows near there and the streets surrounding this area and many of the companies are still in existence.
This is a touching, often humorous account of Zabelle, her family and her life. Krikorian captured the essence of the Armenian experience well in this slim offering.
Note: At the conclusion of the narrative, the author included acknowledgements, in which she thanked "Mrs.Alice Kharibian" for relating her story and what she knew of Krikorian's grandmother's. So, as we often see in today's films, this was "based on a true story"!
Zabelle survived the death of most of her loved ones, starvation, illness, slavery and the Death March to Ottoman Turkey. Through an arranged marriage, she found herself in a strange land- America. Her adjustment to her new world and customs is typical for immigrants from any country to the US. Learning the language, relating to others and discovering new modes of education and different foods had to be negotiated. Yet for her generation, many clung to their familiar fare, speech and people of their own ethnic origin.
I enjoyed the discussions of the meals and the treats they consumed and some of the ethnic celebrations. I must note that much of this narrative focuses on Watertown, Massachusetts, a town nearby where I live. It is a wonderful close-knit community still, with ethnic restaurants, shops, bakeries, schools and churches. The Charles River flows near there and the streets surrounding this area and many of the companies are still in existence.
This is a touching, often humorous account of Zabelle, her family and her life. Krikorian captured the essence of the Armenian experience well in this slim offering.
Note: At the conclusion of the narrative, the author included acknowledgements, in which she thanked "Mrs.Alice Kharibian" for relating her story and what she knew of Krikorian's grandmother's. So, as we often see in today's films, this was "based on a true story"!
May 28, 2022
Ghosts from an Armenian Past
A beautifully melancholic tale of womanhood, resilience, and familial relationships. Written in the reverse chronological order, the book starts with the death of the eponymous main character, Zabelle, and traces her life from losing her family in the Armenian Genocide and becoming an orphaned at a young age to traveling on a ship to the United States and starting a new life in Watertown to raising a family with her husband and watching her children grow up. Along the way, she navigates through personal losses and heartbreaks and comes to terms with her traumatic past.
Zabelle is one of a kind. She is funny; she is rebellious; she is sad, and above all, she is extremely lovable. The remarkable thing is that while pursuing the American dream, Zabelle firmly holds on to her Armenian roots. The first-person narration immerses the reader into the world of Zabelle. Each character in the book is idiosyncratic and well-rounded, be it Zabelle's ever-serious husband Toros, her childhood friend Arsineh, or her lover Moses. Especially, the bitter relationship between Zabelle and her mother-in-law Vartanoush is explored well. Zabelle's short-lived romantic affair with her coworker Moses is poignant and brings a tear to the eye.
The book is rich in Armenian culture, Biblical references, and poetic imagery (it comes as no surprise that the author is also an accomplished poet). Author Nancy Kricorian is one of the finest literary voices in the Armenian diaspora, and she deserves due credit for telling such a wonderful story with utmost conviction.
A beautifully melancholic tale of womanhood, resilience, and familial relationships. Written in the reverse chronological order, the book starts with the death of the eponymous main character, Zabelle, and traces her life from losing her family in the Armenian Genocide and becoming an orphaned at a young age to traveling on a ship to the United States and starting a new life in Watertown to raising a family with her husband and watching her children grow up. Along the way, she navigates through personal losses and heartbreaks and comes to terms with her traumatic past.
Zabelle is one of a kind. She is funny; she is rebellious; she is sad, and above all, she is extremely lovable. The remarkable thing is that while pursuing the American dream, Zabelle firmly holds on to her Armenian roots. The first-person narration immerses the reader into the world of Zabelle. Each character in the book is idiosyncratic and well-rounded, be it Zabelle's ever-serious husband Toros, her childhood friend Arsineh, or her lover Moses. Especially, the bitter relationship between Zabelle and her mother-in-law Vartanoush is explored well. Zabelle's short-lived romantic affair with her coworker Moses is poignant and brings a tear to the eye.
The book is rich in Armenian culture, Biblical references, and poetic imagery (it comes as no surprise that the author is also an accomplished poet). Author Nancy Kricorian is one of the finest literary voices in the Armenian diaspora, and she deserves due credit for telling such a wonderful story with utmost conviction.
January 22, 2014
A haunting tale of genocide, emigration and immigration examined through the experience of an Armenian woman caught between three continents and three generations. Most people are entirely unaware of the atrocities committed against the Armenian people in recent history -- I take that back, most people have never even heard of Armenia to begin with -- so this book is also a personal exegesis and seems to have been directly inspired by the author's own family history.
February 26, 2017
A wonderful book. It read much as i imagine the diary of a woman like Zabelle might actually read. She allowed herself to feel, a bit, what she actually felt deeply, hugely; because had she allowed herself that real emotional latitude, life's pains, disappointments, disasters, dearths would have been lethal. She was a survivor; first of the Armenian Genocide - hers of 1916 - but it went on for years - taking somewhere from 1-1.5 million Armenians, previously living at peace for untold generations in the Ottoman Empire. But then, as now, when lives, governments, situations become, or seem to become, more difficult, some majorities blame random minorities - even if they had been friends or neighbors last week. Many sensible become afraid, and the bully - the Turk, the (1938) German, the Trump, take charge.
At her death, her children know nothing, apparently, about what she had been through. She either chose not to tell them, or was waiting for them to ask, and they never did. This is such clear contradistinction to friends of mine who are the children of survivors of other genocide attempts / holocausts, whose parents seemingly never let the sun set without reminding them of their alleged duties as the offspring of survivors to..what? make up for the millions lost? This crippling pressure never seemed anything but a burden for my friends to overcome. So where is the balance between learning one's history and burdening the next generation with unhealthy and unrealistic expectations?
Like most survivors, Zabelle rolled with what came - she took the Turkish name she was given, but was happy to be rescued and re-Armenian-ified. She married, sight unseen and was shipped to the USA to live a difficult life - again, tolerating and finding her level of survival in a honest way. A huge disappointment was her eldest son. Typical was this beautiful insight about her son who is embarrassed of her, avoids her: “What can you do? They spend a small time in your body, a small time in your arms, and a lifetime walking away...There was a small room that I visited once in awhile in the house of memory where he remained.”
As i try to learn important parts of history that were redacted from my state education -both the beautiful, but heartbreaking "Birds Without Wings" and this sweet book are important notes of the horrible Armenian genocide.
At her death, her children know nothing, apparently, about what she had been through. She either chose not to tell them, or was waiting for them to ask, and they never did. This is such clear contradistinction to friends of mine who are the children of survivors of other genocide attempts / holocausts, whose parents seemingly never let the sun set without reminding them of their alleged duties as the offspring of survivors to..what? make up for the millions lost? This crippling pressure never seemed anything but a burden for my friends to overcome. So where is the balance between learning one's history and burdening the next generation with unhealthy and unrealistic expectations?
Like most survivors, Zabelle rolled with what came - she took the Turkish name she was given, but was happy to be rescued and re-Armenian-ified. She married, sight unseen and was shipped to the USA to live a difficult life - again, tolerating and finding her level of survival in a honest way. A huge disappointment was her eldest son. Typical was this beautiful insight about her son who is embarrassed of her, avoids her: “What can you do? They spend a small time in your body, a small time in your arms, and a lifetime walking away...There was a small room that I visited once in awhile in the house of memory where he remained.”
As i try to learn important parts of history that were redacted from my state education -both the beautiful, but heartbreaking "Birds Without Wings" and this sweet book are important notes of the horrible Armenian genocide.
November 4, 2022
Գիրք սփյուռքի կազմավորման առաջին տասնամյակների, եղեռնի հիշողության հետ ապրելու, երեխաներին այն փոխանցել/լռելու, նոր բարքերն ընդունելու, սեփական արժեքների հետ կոնֆլիկտ ունեցող երկրորդ սերնդի, ավանդական ընտանիքի այլ մշակույթի հետ բախման, ծնողության, երեխաների օտարացման ու երևի էլի այլ թեմաների մասին:
Գիրքը Զաբելի օրագիրը ոնց որ լինի, ժամանակագրական հերթականությամբ հաշվետվություն անծանոթ մարդու հետ անծանոթ երկրում ամուսնության, մայրության և նոր երկրում հին երկրի մտածելակերպով կյանքն ապրելու:
Իմ համար կարևոր պահերը կամ բաց թողված էին կամ Զաբելի կողմնակալ ձայնով, որ ամբողջական պատկերացում չես կազմում: Գիրքը արժի կարդալ առանց ակնկալիքների, որ կերպարների այս կամ այն արարքը միշտ պարզ կլինի, կամա թե ակամա լռությամբ շատ բաներ թողվում է ընթերցողի կամքին:
Գիրքը Զաբելի օրագիրը ոնց որ լինի, ժամանակագրական հերթականությամբ հաշվետվություն անծանոթ մարդու հետ անծանոթ երկրում ամուսնության, մայրության և նոր երկրում հին երկրի մտածելակերպով կյանքն ապրելու:
Իմ համար կարևոր պահերը կամ բաց թողված էին կամ Զաբելի կողմնակալ ձայնով, որ ամբողջական պատկերացում չես կազմում: Գիրքը արժի կարդալ առանց ակնկալիքների, որ կերպարների այս կամ այն արարքը միշտ պարզ կլինի, կամա թե ակամա լռությամբ շատ բաներ թողվում է ընթերցողի կամքին:
August 30, 2012
What I enjoyed about this historical fiction is that it discusses the Armenian Genocide in a way that I could digest quickly and easily. So many of the non-fictional books which discuss the horrors of the genocide leave one feeling despair for the senseless and brutal deaths that occurred, but this book rather takes the reader on a journey that ends in hope and happiness. It is a beautiful story which can shed light on the life of a survivor of the Armenian genocide.
October 30, 2022
3.5 stars
Nancy Kricorian's "Zabelle" is the story of the Armenian Genocide survivor Zabelle who moves to the US for an arranged marriage, has kids and grandchildren who grow up as Americans.
This novel covers topics like the Armenian Genocide, motherhood and identity of Armenian Americans. Apart for being a yet another valuable and important novel that covers the atrocities our people were forced to go through in the early 20th century, it is also a source of information for those of us who don't know much about Armenian Americans and their identity struggles. Nancy Kricorian not only managed to accurately portray the fact that second generation Armenians drift away from their roots but also she dissected the entire process and showed why those things happened.
What I missed in the later parts of the novel (that is, after Zabelle fell off the stairs) was a bit of drama and tension. The topics were there. But they were briefly covered and skipped and thus making the novel rather monotonous (hence 3.5 stars).
In any case, I recommend reading this book to those who want to learn more about the diasporan identity.
Nancy Kricorian's "Zabelle" is the story of the Armenian Genocide survivor Zabelle who moves to the US for an arranged marriage, has kids and grandchildren who grow up as Americans.
This novel covers topics like the Armenian Genocide, motherhood and identity of Armenian Americans. Apart for being a yet another valuable and important novel that covers the atrocities our people were forced to go through in the early 20th century, it is also a source of information for those of us who don't know much about Armenian Americans and their identity struggles. Nancy Kricorian not only managed to accurately portray the fact that second generation Armenians drift away from their roots but also she dissected the entire process and showed why those things happened.
What I missed in the later parts of the novel (that is, after Zabelle fell off the stairs) was a bit of drama and tension. The topics were there. But they were briefly covered and skipped and thus making the novel rather monotonous (hence 3.5 stars).
In any case, I recommend reading this book to those who want to learn more about the diasporan identity.
February 4, 2023
The ending of the novel was actually written as the beginning of this story. For me this was problematic. This very sad ending had been revealed and I was taken aback to further reading. But my curiosity persuaded further reading of Zabelle's life details which were unbeknownst to her three children and my keen interest in the Armenian genocide.
Young Zabelle and her family had to flee Armenia from the Turkish atrocities. Many challenges had to be overcome and a great price was paid. The Armenians were constantly attacked during their journey through extreme heat, killings, and torture. To her utter horror, her entire family was killed and she was the only one that survived and ended up in an orphanage.
Her only way to survive was to marry sight unseen and then she and her cruel mother-in-law sailed to the states. The mother-in-law made her life unbearable, but she had three beautiful children who she doted on. Growing up the children had gone their own ways and disappointment was a big part of her life.
Young Zabelle and her family had to flee Armenia from the Turkish atrocities. Many challenges had to be overcome and a great price was paid. The Armenians were constantly attacked during their journey through extreme heat, killings, and torture. To her utter horror, her entire family was killed and she was the only one that survived and ended up in an orphanage.
Her only way to survive was to marry sight unseen and then she and her cruel mother-in-law sailed to the states. The mother-in-law made her life unbearable, but she had three beautiful children who she doted on. Growing up the children had gone their own ways and disappointment was a big part of her life.
October 10, 2020
غادرتُ صديقا خفيف الظل، مليئا بالمشاعر المتناقضة: حزن، فرح، ضحك، بكاء..
غادرت رواية وجدانيّة، بدأت الرحلة من مدينة "هادجن" أين أشارت الكاتبة لمجازر العثمانيين ضد الأرمن وحملات التهجير التي طالتهم، لتحملنا إلى "زابيل" الطفلة التي هُجّرت من أرضها، وسُلبت طفولتها، قُتل والدها، توفّيت أمها..
وجدت نفسها في دار أيتام في إسطنبول ثم خادمة لعائلة تركية..
ثم تعود بترتيبات قدرية إلى المجتمع الأرمني لتنطلق رحلتها كزوجَة صغيرة.
"زابيل" الطفلة الشقية، الخادمة المطيعة، الزوجة المتمردة حينا المسالمة أحيانا، الأم المضحيّة.
سنرحل معها من المجزرة إلى قصص أخرى اجتماعية داخل المجتمع الأرمني المصغّر في المهجر.
رواية رغم عمق ما روته إلا أنها خفيفة، مشوقة، تُلتَهم سريعا.
♥️
غادرت رواية وجدانيّة، بدأت الرحلة من مدينة "هادجن" أين أشارت الكاتبة لمجازر العثمانيين ضد الأرمن وحملات التهجير التي طالتهم، لتحملنا إلى "زابيل" الطفلة التي هُجّرت من أرضها، وسُلبت طفولتها، قُتل والدها، توفّيت أمها..
وجدت نفسها في دار أيتام في إسطنبول ثم خادمة لعائلة تركية..
ثم تعود بترتيبات قدرية إلى المجتمع الأرمني لتنطلق رحلتها كزوجَة صغيرة.
"زابيل" الطفلة الشقية، الخادمة المطيعة، الزوجة المتمردة حينا المسالمة أحيانا، الأم المضحيّة.
سنرحل معها من المجزرة إلى قصص أخرى اجتماعية داخل المجتمع الأرمني المصغّر في المهجر.
رواية رغم عمق ما روته إلا أنها خفيفة، مشوقة، تُلتَهم سريعا.
♥️
October 28, 2012
Reading this book is like reading someone's private diary. There's almost zero character development, plot, or, frankly, history (even though it's historical fiction), but it is an unbelievable page-turner!
June 16, 2017
I was surprised at how interested I was in this tale. I read the entire thing in a day. It held my attention the entire time. I can't think how it could be made better. I considered giving it 5 stars, but I know a year from now it won't live in my memory the way those stories do to which I give that extra star. (Harry Potter, Tolkien, Anne Rice's vampires and witches, 1984, The Handmaid's Tale, Fahrenheit 451, The Brothers Karamazov, Harrison Bergeron, Something Wicked this Way Comes, Living My Life, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, Heavier Then Heaven, etc.)
September 9, 2013
This book is amazing, I couldn't put it down, I finished it in less than 24 hours. I truly recommend it, it's written beautifully, and as an Armenian I was over whelmed by everything, every detail, every word. Definitely one of those books that I don't mind reading again.
March 2, 2018
A part of 20th century I really didn't know much about, the Turkish slaughter of the Armenian people during WWI. I would like to think that the horrors of this story are truly fiction, but I know they weren't. It's a slim novel that flashes back and forth along Zabelle's life and it's done quite well. As usual for this technique it suffers a bit in straightening out the characters, but that's my only criticism. I would read Kricorian again.
April 8, 2025
Made me very sad … a direct story about genocide and assimilation. The question of preservation and remembrance in America. Is it because of America that our histories are forgotten? Or was it the Genocide, sealing our fates for a broken lineage and culture, desperate to remember. Idk. But it’s Armenian Genocide remembrance month, and often the only way I can remember is through literature
April 5, 2019
I have a voracious appetite for anything about the Armenian genocide, but this book fell short for me on so many levels. Boo.
February 4, 2020
A most enjoyable novel that speaks of triumph over adversity and a reading gift. I came late to Zabelle, which published in 1998 and well before the 100th anniversary remembrance of the Armenian Genocide of 1915. Zabelle is an engaging and delightfully-paced novel that spans the life of one Genocide survivor, a child during the atrocities perpetrated in the Ottoman Empire. The novel—assuredly a work of fiction, but still quite real and true—summarizes the story of countless displaced Armenians who arrived in the United States and in many other nations as part of the Armenian Diaspora. Kricorian tells of a warm-hearted woman who built and rebuilt life, who loved and fantasized, dealt with cultural and linguistic upheaval and trauma, had a family and watched her children mature and saw them use their gifts and talents in diverse ways.
August 30, 2015
A book you don't want to put down and that offers that first-hand account of a tragedy that everyone seems to be opinionated about, but (too?) few personal stories seem to follow from. Some criticize it from not being sufficiently 'historical', an unfair accusation because in hindsight it all appears to be crystal-clear (certainly for those presenting history as black and white) but in reality a family, simply being a pawn in a societal and political web, lives its own stories. A story undoubtedly against the backdrop of historical event, but not pretending to be aware of full events as they unfold.
Zabelle's story is at times a heartbreaking account of the struggles of life and at times a view on life in a new land, a different environment, another context. A fine story.
Zabelle's story is at times a heartbreaking account of the struggles of life and at times a view on life in a new land, a different environment, another context. A fine story.
August 5, 2020
I enjoyed every single page of this book. It’s hard to imagine that such a horrifying story can be told in such a way that it often makes you actually smile. “Armeense ogen” is full of humor, love and compassion and draws a wonderful pictures of true friendship between two very different women.
Also the depiction of an Armenian mother struggling to keep her children away from the “odar” culture and to marry her children to Armenians only is so true-to-life and at times hilarious that you even hear the thoughts racing in Zabelle’s head when she finds out about her children’s relationship with “odars”.
Also the depiction of an Armenian mother struggling to keep her children away from the “odar” culture and to marry her children to Armenians only is so true-to-life and at times hilarious that you even hear the thoughts racing in Zabelle’s head when she finds out about her children’s relationship with “odars”.
February 15, 2012
This novel-told-as-memoir of one Armenian woman's story gives touching insight into how the Armenian genocide propelled a traditional community into Watertown, Massachusetts, and how their identities, relationships and dreams were shaped by culture and history. Simply written, you come to love the characters and care about what happens to them, realizing that all our life stories have deeper meaning that we usually grant them. As someone who lived in Watertown, the places and situations are vivid and endearing. A really nice read.
April 19, 2024
Zabelle is a wonderful read. This book confronts the painful reality of the Armenian diaspora. The author smoothly illustrates the slow changes in Armenian identity over the generations through the eyes of a Genocide survivor. From Zabelle, to her American-born children, to her American grandchildren- her story, her language, her pain, and her last name all faded away throughout her own lifetime.
February 13, 2013
Great women's history of Armenian immigrants to New England in the early 20th century. Nice job of layering the stories of the different generations and time periods. I am eagerly awaiting my copy of All The Light There Was which is Kircorian's lates novel. It's about Armenian families living in Paris under German occupation, and the advance chapter I read has stayed with me for months.
February 9, 2016
Fast read, great ethnic (Armenian) fiction. I never tire of reading the "American immigrant" story, it just never gets old. I was very sad about Zabelle's son Moses separating himself from her and the family, though. Also after comparing my mother-in-law with Zabelle's, I feel much better about mine!
February 23, 2009
This is such a charming book. It chronicles the sentiment and horror of the "old country" coupled with the uncertainty that comes with forced assimilation into the new world. It's a dazzling portrait of a woman's life from start to finish. (or finish to start?)
January 8, 2012
I've really enjoyed reading this novel. Having to know about the Armenian people in such a lovely way is a great inspiration for me as a Palestinian. Thank you Nancy Kricorian for letting us know her people's story.
January 16, 2013
not particularly well written but an interesting story none the less.
January 13, 2020
Each Armenian family has a genocide tale in their past. The story of Zabelle is beautiful!
February 2, 2023
Zabelle faces many dilemmas throughout the novel. The choice between vile food or meeting the demise of starvation might be the most striking dilemma During the time in which she escaped the genocide, she had to choose between consumption of repugnant food and starvation. When they are reunited, later in the novel, Arsinee affectionately chides Zabelle for her unhappiness with her current homelife. Zabelle does not speak about her distaste of Vartanoush’s cooking which has the taste of “shoe leather” (91).
However, Arsinee seems to read her mind when she says “You’re so soft, Zabelle. If I hadn’t found food for us, you would have starved. ‘Oh no, Arsinee, I can’t beg for money! Oh Arsinee, I can’t eat that!’ I made you do it. I had to be jarbig for the three of us,” (91). Arsinee states that she had to be “jarbig”, or sharp-witted, in order for them to survive. She made the difficult choices that were necessary in order for Zabelle and her to live through their abject situation.
Genocide has a profound effect upon Zabelle. She witnesses horrible travesties as a young child which come back to her in the form of vivid flashbacks and haunting memories. For instance, as a child, she saw a mother toss her baby into a river. Another woman fortunately seems to rescue the baby. This striking moment reminds Zabelle of “Moses in the bulrushes” (23). Her recollection of the Moses-like event may have prompted her to name her own child Moses later on in the story. Although, she may have named her child after co-worker Moses Bodjakanian.
Besides influencing her selection of a name for her first-born son, the events of the genocide had crippling effects on Zabelle later on in life. Zabelle is traumatized to the extent that she believes that “The Turks” are attacking her and will “break down the door” (23). Zabelle has a sense of fear and feels shell-shocked throughout the rest of her life because of the hardships and terrors she experienced during her youth.
Two major themes stand out: these include oppression and the love of family. From the beginning, Zabelle is very oppressed. She is forced to leave her home and loses her entire family in the process. She manages to survive and is welcomed into a family in America where, in spite of difficulty and maltreatment, she provides unconditional love to her children and does her best to provide for them, despite the less than ideal circumstances of her arranged marriage. There is also the enduring love that she has for Moses; although, they eventually go their separate ways. The unfailing love and resolve which Zabelle displays time and again is a testament to her resilience and courageous spirit.
However, Arsinee seems to read her mind when she says “You’re so soft, Zabelle. If I hadn’t found food for us, you would have starved. ‘Oh no, Arsinee, I can’t beg for money! Oh Arsinee, I can’t eat that!’ I made you do it. I had to be jarbig for the three of us,” (91). Arsinee states that she had to be “jarbig”, or sharp-witted, in order for them to survive. She made the difficult choices that were necessary in order for Zabelle and her to live through their abject situation.
Genocide has a profound effect upon Zabelle. She witnesses horrible travesties as a young child which come back to her in the form of vivid flashbacks and haunting memories. For instance, as a child, she saw a mother toss her baby into a river. Another woman fortunately seems to rescue the baby. This striking moment reminds Zabelle of “Moses in the bulrushes” (23). Her recollection of the Moses-like event may have prompted her to name her own child Moses later on in the story. Although, she may have named her child after co-worker Moses Bodjakanian.
Besides influencing her selection of a name for her first-born son, the events of the genocide had crippling effects on Zabelle later on in life. Zabelle is traumatized to the extent that she believes that “The Turks” are attacking her and will “break down the door” (23). Zabelle has a sense of fear and feels shell-shocked throughout the rest of her life because of the hardships and terrors she experienced during her youth.
Two major themes stand out: these include oppression and the love of family. From the beginning, Zabelle is very oppressed. She is forced to leave her home and loses her entire family in the process. She manages to survive and is welcomed into a family in America where, in spite of difficulty and maltreatment, she provides unconditional love to her children and does her best to provide for them, despite the less than ideal circumstances of her arranged marriage. There is also the enduring love that she has for Moses; although, they eventually go their separate ways. The unfailing love and resolve which Zabelle displays time and again is a testament to her resilience and courageous spirit.
January 5, 2023
As the story opens, Elderly Zabelle is dying. When her 3 adult children gather to plan her eulogy, they realize how little they knew about her life. We then go back in time to see young Zabelle playing in the garden with her cousins, playing with her beloved kitten, being sung to. And then the Turks round up all the Armenian men and march them out of town. The women and children prepare to flee, choosing what to take and what to leave behind. As they march towards an uncertain future they learn that all those men were shot and left in a mass grave- fathers, uncles and grandfathers all gone. They eventually make camp in a desert, trading whatever remains for food, scrounging from the dead to find things for makeshift shelter or to keep them warm at night. Soon her baby brother dies, then her mother. and little Zabelle is an orphan, begging with fellow orphans for enough food to get by, eating things others throw away. When she's taken to an orphanage it is a relief to have someone looking out for her, and when she becomes a servant she doesn't mind hard work, learning everything she can from the aging cook. Life continues this way as she enters her teens- what would once have seemed like hardships are now seen as blessings after what she has endured, and ultimately she is chosen by an old Armenian woman to accompany her to America and be wife to her Armenian son. She is eager to start over in a new land, eager to learn English, but her now mother-in-law rules the house and is none too kind to her, and her new husband, while not cruel, is content with his mother's rule and her subpar cooking. One day in church she is reunited with fellow orphan Arsinee, who may have saved her life by forcing her to beg, to eat things she might never have considered, to survive. These 2 friends share a biting sense of humor about even the worst of their lives (those mothers in law!)
Zabelle's way of looking at life, her descriptions of people and events around her are always tinged with humor, and she and husband Toros must adapt as their children seem more American than Armenian, wishing to choose their own paths, their own spouses- not even Armenian ones!
I did not know much about the historic events related here, but appreciated Zabelle for her strength and humor, and enjoyed this book greatly.
Zabelle's way of looking at life, her descriptions of people and events around her are always tinged with humor, and she and husband Toros must adapt as their children seem more American than Armenian, wishing to choose their own paths, their own spouses- not even Armenian ones!
I did not know much about the historic events related here, but appreciated Zabelle for her strength and humor, and enjoyed this book greatly.
June 10, 2021
للتو انهيتِ الرواية، عدد صفحاتها ٢٣٤ .
اصف الرواية بإنها مخيبة للأمل وبشكل كبير، اول فصول الكتاب تتحدث عن مجزرة الترك ضد الأرمن وللاسف الكاتبة لم توفق في كتابة تفاصيل فاجعة المجزرة و موت الارمن والعذاب الذي لاقى الأرمن من بعد وصولهم تركيا وصفتها بشكل مختصر جدًا غير أنّ وبكل صراحة لم اتأثر بشكل كبير بهذه المجزة ويرجع ذلك لأسلوبها . وبعد فصول المجزة والحرب تأتي فصول حياة زابيل والنقلة النوعية الاولى لحياتها في ميتم اسطنبول و سرعة تأقلمها فيه، والنقلة الثانيه في حياتها ذاهبها إلى إمريكا والزواج بدايةً بأم الزوجة المتسلطة والحُب في وسط العمل ونهايةً بالأنجاب وحياة أطفالها فيما بعد.
في هذه الفصول الأخيرة عرفت أكثر عن المجتمع الأرمن وعاداته.
اقتباسات من الكتاب:
"سيعطيها الله جسدًا جديدًا، جسدًا من غير آلام في اليدين أو وهن الشيخوخة. لن يكون هناك غبار في الجنة، ولا رقع بالية على البسط الشرقيّة. لن يمرض أحد أو يجوع. ولن تُبتلى بالكوابيس."
"شعرت وكأنني غصن مقطوع من شجرة. جرفني النهر، وتابعت العوم قدر ما استطعت."
"لقد بدأ الطفل رحلته داخلي كبذرة صغيرة، تكاد تكون مجردّ فكرة. وقد تشكلت ثنيات بصماته، وكانت أذناه تستمتع إلى أصوات دمي المتدفّق. سيخرج من جسدي إلى النور شخصًا جديدًا، حيث ستنبسط الحياة أمامه كسجّادة."
"ما هي مشكلتك؟ هلأ تحليت بالشجاعة مرة واحدة في حياتك؟ هل ستمضين حياتك تنتحبين وتعصرين يديك؟ عليك أن تكون سعيدة بكونك على قيد الحياة. عليك أن تتّمتعي برؤية أشياء جديدة".
"إن الأطفال كالبذور؛ يمكن لكميّة الماء والشمس ونوع التربة أن تؤثّر في مدى طول النبتة والعرض الذي ستصبح عليه، لكن شكل الورقة ولون البتلة يُحددّ قبل اختراق البرعم للأرض. "
"ماذا عسى المرء أن يفعل؟ يمضون وقتًا قصيرًا في جسدنا، ثم وقتًا قصيرًا على ذراعنا، ثم عمرًا كاملًا بعيدًا عنا."
"كان من الغريب أن يموت شخص أحبّه المرء ومع ذلك يواصل. فيجد طعامًا ويضعه في فمه. ويشرب الماء، ويسير، ويفتح شفتيه فتخرج الكلمات. يرتدي ثيابه. ثم يخلع ثيابه. وينام. ويحلم. ويواصل الحياة."
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