Written with authority and skill. A profoundly moving testament to an event almost ignored by history: the Armenian genocide.
They were recognized as the first Christians, raised in the Apostolic Faith by the Vardaped. For them the Bible is Astuadsashuntch, the breath of God.
Written as memories, spanning almost a century, this is the story of a few survivors from the vast Armenian Diaspora, bearing witness to the atrocities inflicted on them. An extraordinary book, overflowing with compassion and empathy.

Song of the Land: A Book of Migrants and Memories by Robert Burden is a complex historical fiction novel that reads like a memoir.

James Stares, born to an English father and Armenian mother, was raised as an English child with little knowledge of or exposure to his mother’s people, language, history, or culture.

James’ parents met in Egypt; his father was stationed there at the end of World War Two and his mother, was an Armenian Egyptian subject employed with the British Forces. His father had to apply for permission to marry and after 2 years was finally granted approval.

Following the death of his father, James is driven to find out more about his maternal side. Through interviews, travels, and research, James discovers a beautiful and harsh history.

The book travels back and forth throughout the decades of the past 100 years looking at the rippling effects of the Armenian Genocide which took place at the beginning of WWI. This difficult time in history saw the mass murder and expulsion of so many Armenians from their homelands. James discovers the path that led to the relocation of his mother’s family, and many others, to Egypt and beyond. As he explores his own history, James meets interesting people and hears powerful stories of survival and strength.

Some parts of this book are absolutely gorgeous...
“So many voices seemed to speak as one on the wind at this land's end, whispering the words 'remember me', an invocation to the singer of the song of the land. For my life, too, has been a search for home, in the growing uncertainty about who my people were or where I belonged.”

Some parts I found very confusing. I had to flip around through the book trying to establish relationships, voices, and timeline. The list of characters, a timeline, and a map would have been nice right at the front.

Recommended for: people who like historical fiction, but not looking for romance or the standard WWI or WWII story.

My rating: 4*
3* for the reading experience
5* for opening my eyes to the Armenian experience over the last 100 years

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