Zabelle

Rating:
Summary: A Wonderful, Evocative Novel
Review: I have read extensively about the Armenian genocide and emigration to this country because my grandfather was Armenian. This novel is both enjoyable and informative. The character development and weaving of present and past together are done well. Another great book on this subject, nonfiction, is Black Dog of Fate by Peter Balakian.

Rating:
Summary: Incredible!
Review: I loved this book! I was unable to put it down for the 2 days it took me to read it. Even read it at work!

The journey begins with Zabelle as a little Armenian girl in Turkey, who must remain strong enough to survive the massacres without the help of her parents. She finds two friends who help one another through the terrible time.

As the novel continues, the reader sees Zabelle mature into a young woman, then into a mother, and grandmother respectively. When she is still young, her "guardians" help arrange a marriage for her to an Armenian man (a few years her senior) who lives in the U.S.A. Once she moves to America, Zabelle then gets to deal not only with learning English, but also with his mother-in-law, who cannot stand her!

You'll laugh and cry while reading this book. Zabelle is an incredible woman, who makes the best of tough times. A sub plot to her life story runs continuously through the latter part of the book--what happens to Armenian children growing up in the U.S. (or any "foreign" country). Zabelle must struggle with seeing her children rejecting the values and traditions she'd grown up with.

The best part about this book was the ending, but I can't comment on it. I don't want to ruin the surprise. I'm sure you too will enjoy it. It's a magnificent read!

Rating:
Summary: A Great Book
Review: I loved this book! Zabelle is an inspiration to us all. An orphaned survivor of the Armenian Genocide, this amazing woman never loses her dignity, her strength, or her sense of humor. This book is not only about surviving oppression. It's about rebuilding one's life in a new country (Zabelle marries an Armenian grocer and moves from Constantinople to Watertown, Massachusetts). It's about coping with an overbearing mother-in-law. It's about unrequited love. And it's about finding one's center through family, friends, and community. Nancy Kricorian's wonderfully crafted story will remind you what's important in life. It will also make you laugh, cry, and wish you were Armenian.

Rating:
Summary: Armenian Stories from Long Ago
Review: I read the book in 2 days. I grew up in Watertown, MA and still live here. I can relate to the story, the street names,the places and the Armenian culture. Nancy Kricorian describes everything in detail about the town and the people. I even found myself driving by the house on Walnut and Lincoln streets. Great Book.

Rating:
Summary: Thought-provoking and provocative
Review: Our Armenian literature is so sadly based in the horrors of the genocide. Understandably so. However, this novel was refreshingly kind to the reader in allowing us to follow Zabelle's life as a survivor of the horrors. This book allows the reader to laugh and live with Zabelle, who survived the unspeakable. Author is very approachable. Although we had never met, after sending her a letter praising her book, she personally responded. Any book tours to SF planned?

Rating:
Summary: A thoroughly enjoyable read
Review: This is a wonderful book - easy, quick to read and keeps one's interest all the way through. I was so enthralled with this book that I immediately started looking for other books written by Kricorian. She is a fantastic writer.

Rating:
Summary: A thoroughly enjoyable read
Review: This is a wonderful book - easy, quick to read and keeps one's interest all the way through. I was so enthralled with this book that I immediately started looking for other books written by Kricorian. She is a fantastic writer.

Rating:
Summary: Armenian Stories from Long Ago
Review: Zabelle is really an amazing story. I am a Bulgarian-Armenian American teenager growing up in Washington, but the story of Zabelle was really touching. Zabelle is a character that transcends time and space, and hers is a story that was shared by many other Armenian American women coming to the New World after the Genocide of 1915. My favorite episode from Zabelle was when she quarelled with her mother-in-law, the domineering Vartanoush Chahasbanian. Really, a domineering mother-in-law is one of those things that Armenians all over the world know about. The story of Zabelle is truly one of the best novels on Armenian American women, and perhaps the only one currently available, that spoke to me directly and Ms. Kricorian did an excellent job of making the words speak for themselves. I enjoyed reading this book greatly and it encourages me to read other books about Armenian Americans. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!