Orhan's Inheritance

By: Aline Ohanesian

Narrated by: Assaf Cohen

Length: 8 hrs and 13 mins

Publisher's summary

When Orhan's brilliant and eccentric grandfather - a man who built a dynasty out of making kilim rugs - is found dead, submerged in a vat of dye, Orhan inherits the decades-old business. But his grandfather's will raises more questions than answers.

Kemal has left the family estate to a stranger, thousands of miles away, an aging woman in an Armenian retirement home in Los Angeles. Her existence and secrecy about her past only deepen the mystery of why Orhan's grandfather would have willed their home in Turkey to an unknown woman rather than to his own son or grandson.

Left with only Kemal's ancient sketchbook and intent on righting this injustice, Orhan boards a plane to Los Angeles. There, over many meetings, he will not only unearth the story that 87-year-old Seda so closely guards, but discover that Seda's past now threatens to unravel his future. It's a story that, if told, has the power to undo the legacy upon which his family is built.

Moving back and forth in time, between the last years of the Ottoman Empire and the 1990s, Orhan's Inheritance is a story of passionate love, unspeakable horrors, incredible resilience, and the hidden stories that haunt a family.

©2015 Aline Ohanesian (P)2015 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

Armenian genocide

A genocide of life. It hurts now as it did then. And all who touched it. Never to be forgotten that there are good and bad in all people.

Easy historical fiction

Having grown up in California with an Armenian family friend, I was aware of the Armenian genocide at an early age. This book will serve to educate those who have not been exposed to this side of Turkish history.
The narration was very pleasant to listen to and i will look for other books narrated by him. The story was involving and piqued my interest throughout. While it may not be "literary fiction" it is a story well told.

Awful narrator, better than average historical novel.

I rarely dislike a narrator on audible; I am a flexible listener and appreciate a variety of interpretations. However this narrator sounded like a teenage boy reading out loud in English class. He interpreted every sentence the same way, whether it was a description of the landscape, a character's words, or a philosophical statement. It was ludicrous, especially when it came to the more poetic passages in the book. I almost didn't finish the book, but I'm glad I did, because I enjoyed the book overall. But really, this was a terrible choice for a narrator.

A well performed great read

The only complaint I have is that the story should have been written as at least four books with more detail. I hated when it was over and wanted to hear more about the characters...

Horrors of war and genocide

This story is compelling and draws you into the culture and heartache of Turkey. Excellent!

3.5 Stars The Ending Was Deflating!!

Ohanesian does a good job of making the plight of the Armenians exiled from Turkey come to life. I liked the book and particularly the characters of Orhan and Kemal. The book is well-written, but the author is trying to do so much that inevitably some things fall through the cracks. The ending seemed rushed and became a philosophical debate between Orhan and Anni. When the plot twists are revealed, I felt we needed to see the events leading Seda to leave Turkey, i.e. where did the love for her husband go; how did she and her brother arrive here. On the other hand, the author made clear the necessity of an admission from Turkey of the guilt they bear for the exile and death of the Christian Armenians. The psychology that requires that admission was finally clear to me. Another example of evil done in the name of God, as if we needed any more.

Assaf Cohen was good with the delivery of the story

Well written with historic accuracy

This was a very well written book addressing the Armenian genocide with a love story woven into it. The author carefully constructed the story to not offend the reader and logically laid out the story to make it believable. From what I know, the story is historically accurate and the controversial issues are interwoven into the love story. Whether true or fictional, it is a beautiful story of people being people but getting caught up in governmental brutalities. Enjoyed the book and would recommend it to anyone.

Okay

It was okay. Kept my interest but I didn't miss it when I didn't have time to listen.

Hard to put down

This is a well written story about a subject that most Americans know nothing about - the Armenian Genocide. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing history told through the eyes of of the main character who is my contemporary.

Surprisingly Good

Purchased this book as the daily deal, and very happy I did because story was really interesting! Learned a lot about the Armenian genocide; a period of time I knew nothing of, nor that Turkey was also involved. Persons who enjoy historical fiction should definitely try listening. The narrator did a pretty nice job of presenting the story as well. Worth checking out.