Orhan's Inheritance, Aline Ohanesian, Three Stars

Yes it's another Armenian genocide story. Ohanesian does a nice job creating a cast of characters and tells the story well, even if it's a story that has been told many times. Her writing is far from page-turning at the outset, but as she weaves her plot and exposes more of her characters, the book becomes more engrossing and interesting. Perhaps what struck me most was the sympathetic way she approached her Turkish characters, not leaving them as two-dimensional or demons, but real living people. The lack of reaction among the Turks at the reading of the will with the mention of an obviously Armenian name struck me as very unrealistic, but apart from that small flaw, she captures "types" of Turks and Armenians you could run into anywhere, who almost come right off the page. For those unfamiliar with the topic, it's not a bad fiction introduction to it, although (obviously) it is told from the Armenian point of view. For those who know it well already, they likely will appreciate the way Ohanesian brings her characters and plot-line to life. For as much as she focuses on the visual arts, she could have done more to bring her settings to life, but she at least brings the key places into focus for the reader. A good read, but not a must-read.