Critical Book Review: "Forgotten Fire" by Adam Bagdasarian
In his book Forgotten Fire, author Adam Bagdasarian investigates the Armenian Genocide through the eyes of a twelve year old Armenian boy named Vahan Kenderian. Through Vahan, the reader experiences the atrocities committed during the 1915 genocide of Armenians in Turkey. The Turks, who were Muslim, viewed the Christian Armenians as inferiors and treated them as such; under Turkish law, Armenians had nearly no rights, no fair justice in Turkish courts, could not bear arms, and were taxed far higher than Turks, which led to many families losing their possessions and homes. But unlike many other Armenian families of the time, Vahan's family, consisting of two girls, four boys (including Vahan), Vahan's Uncle Mumpreh, grandmother Toumia, and mother and father, was wealthy and respected by the Turks in their town of Bitlis. Before the Turkish gendarmes (police officers), took Vahan's father and uncle away, Vahan had never had to work a day in his life. But his life is soon shaken and turned upside down by the Turks. Soon after his father and uncle were taken away, more Turkish gendarmes come to the home and kill Vahan's two oldest brothers. The family is taken to the Goryann Inn, where they are imprisoned with dozens of other Armenians. Fearing the worst, Vahan's older sister kills herself here, and the family is reduced further. The Turks order the Armenians to be transported to another location, and begin marching them. During this march, Vahan's grandmother is killed by the gendarmes, and Vahan and his brother, Sisak escape and separate from each other. Not knowing where else to go, Vahan goes to his best friend's house, Patoo. However, Patoo's mother refuses to hide Vahan and throws him out. Vahan eventually finds his brother Sisak extremely sick and about to die in the street. With nothing he can do, Vahan watches his brother die. Struck with grief, he returns to his former home which is now in the possession of the feared Turkish governor, Selim Bey, known as the