Jalaleddin

by Hagob Melik Hagobian (Raffi), Donald Abcarian (Translator)

As the ruthless Ottoman and Russian empires clashed under the false banner of religion, the unsuspecting Armenian and Assyrian peasants of Albak were caught in a holocaust of burning, looting and massacre. Engulfed in the inescapable impact of these events, Raffi set aside everything else to write his first historical novel, "Jalaleddin". With sparing but vivid strokes he fashioned a stark, compact drama of epic proportions, forging a story that at once crystallized the emotions of the Armenian public, showed them the path to freedom, and set their fate squarely before them. But with its call to self-defense and its frontal assault on the clerical establishments of two major religions, "Jalaleddin" was not appreciated by everyone. Immediately upon publication it set off a firestorm of controversy and was bitterly attacked for its ideas in the conservative Armenian press.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Classics

68 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1878

Reviews

[Mara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed my time with this little Armenian classic - I had vaguely heard of Raffi before, but I knew nothing of his importance to forming a modern sense of Armenian national identity nor had I read any of his work prior to this novella. It's important to know a few things about this little book: 1) the translation style is quite literal rather than "smoothing out" for English speakers (which I quite liked for the kind of story this is, but should be noted), 2) this reads almost like a parable or fairy tale (albeit a very dark one), and 3) this is short. Overall, I found this deeply moving, thought provoking, and all together different than most classic literature I have read, and I am very thankful to the translators for reaching out to bring this to my attention. It was a nice change of pace

[Katie Lumsden · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings on this. The history behind it is interesting, but the novella itself felt a little too short and not as developed as I would have liked.

[Khalil Barahaoua · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kitab-Dalish is literally me.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book through a Goodreads giveaway.

This is a sad, moving novella that was inspired by real-life atrocities that took place in the late 1870s.
I found this to be a quick, engrossing read. The other reviewers are not kidding: the ending feels extremely abrupt. I was shocked when I realized I had read the last sentence. To be fair, I'm not sure that the end ought to have been dragged out further; what needed to be said had been said.

This edition contains a map of the region the story takes place in, a forward and an afterward, as well as a great number of annotations. I found them very useful as I am not familiar with the time or place.
While I can not speak to the accuracy of the translation, given the care that was taken with the rest of the ebook, I feel that the original text was likely treated with respect.

[Roman Brasoveanu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Outside of its commentary on Armenia, this novella is unremarkable.

It repeatedly offers the following as its thesis:
“Sarhat reached the conclusion that his people were to blame for not understanding the necessities of life, and for failing to realize that they live on earth with other humans, not angels”

Raffi claims that the docility of the Armenian people had led to their frequent torture and sorry state, giving examples of the horrors perpetrated against them by the Kurds and Ottoman indifference to these crimes.

The Armenians are contrasted with the Yezidis, who defend themselves, in the person of Město.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A tale of Kurds massacring Armenians in Eastern Anatolia in 1877, during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878. The main character is a bandit from a village where the the Kurds are murdering and pillaging. He has been away for 10 years, when he has heard of troubles in the area. He is worried about an old love, his treasure. He is determined to find out what has happened to her.

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won the ebook in a Goodreads giveaway and was surprised by how much I enjoyed it! I know virtually nothing about the Armenian/Ottoman conflict in the late 1800s, so I expected this to be a difficult read. My only complaint is that I wish it was longer, as the ending felt very rushed.

[all good people read good books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Raffi Ermeni edebiyatının en güçlü yazarlarından. Jalaleddin ilginç sorunsallar açtı Ermeniliğin ontolojisini anlamam açısından bana. Siz de alın siz de okuyun valla ne diyim. ŞAHSIM adına Donald Abcarian çevirisini öneririm.

[Ciara · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Armenia)

[Olya]

The central theme of the book is the continuous struggle of Armenians against Turkish rule and Kurdish looting and the frustration from the inability of the nation to organize and defend itself. Another common dilemma in Raffi's work is also reflected here: the choice between personal happiness and societal good and as usual for his heroes, it is solved in favor of perceived societal good. These questions seem relevant for the Armenian reality even now, however, Raffi's romanticized views should definitely be taken with a grain of salt both in terms of the historical context and the current reality. For instance, although the protagonists of this novel want to help the villagers, their actions seem more like an adventure than a clear plan. What would happen after the success of one adventure? How exactly would the security of the Armenian villagers be guaranteed in face of pending revenge? I do, however, agree with the basic notion that victim mentality is not helpful and action is needed to guarantee the survival of a small nation in face of adversity.

[Gareth Reeves · Rating 5 out of 5]

An economical bolt out of hell, is how Harold Bloom described Macbeth, comparing it to a similarly economical play Dr Faustus. I would apply this phrase without reservation to Jalaleddin ('Juhl-all-ed-deen'). It is a brief but powerful novella set during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877/78, about which I knew nothing, and in places is deeply (and necessarily) violent, and ends abruptly, though not unsatisfactorily. There are very few short works, especially quest novels, that pack such a wallop as this one does (even more impressive given its original publication date, 1878).

This translation contains useful, non-intrusive notes, and the standard of proofreading was generally very high for such a new publisher (a few widowed lines at the end of chapters, making for large blank spaces).

(I wouldn't have found the book if it weren't for Steve Donoghue's end-of-year lists—so thank you, Steve.)

[Adam Bulley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweeping philosophical reflection on mankind hidden in the story of one man's journey. This is a beautiful, thought-provoking read but comes along with simultaneous edge-of-your-chair action. It is a rare gem of a book that combines such qualities. I won't ruin the story, but the finale is especially brilliant. This book had me thinking hard about redemption, the nature and ethics of violence, the corrupting and uplifting influences of religion, and the different potencies of brotherly, familial, and romantic love.

[Eva · Rating 3 out of 5]

A tale of old

This tale tells of battles long ago in a far away land. The notes were helpful to understand unfamiliar terms and pronounce names. Ageless themes included love, hate, despair, bravery, teamwork and religion.

[Hibiscus · Rating 3 out of 5]

1877 թիվ։ Քրդական ցեղերը ավիրում են Վանի հայկական գյուղերը։ Հայ եկեղեցականները հորդորում են թշնամուն չդիմադրել, վրեժխնդրության չսադրել՝ նոր բռնություններից խուսափելու պատճառաբանմամբ։

Գրքում քննադատվում է մեր իսկ կերպարը, մեր տկարությունն ու վախը, ոչ ամենևին նենգ կամ բիրտ դուշմանը։ Ճիշտ որ։

[Kerri K · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this e-book from a Goodreads giveaway. The story held my interest. I realize it's a novella, but the ending could have been better. It was rushed compared to the rest of the story.

[Jess B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a short but beautiful story filled with amazing imagery. My heart ached for the characters after finishing the novella.