Forgotten Fire by Adam Bagdasarian

Rating: unrated

Genre: historical fiction

It is about a privileged Armenian boy named Vahan Kandarian whose life is shattered by the Armenian genocide in 1915. It explores themes of grief, betrayal, and finding inner strength to survive. Through the book, Vahan becomes an orphan, servant, and prisoner, and despite all odds, he survives the trauma. The book is based on the real-life experiences of the author's great uncle, so it describes in detail how Vahan finds his "survivor inside" and becomes a man his father is proud of.

The main character is Vahan. He is a courageous 12-year-old boy who has to face hunger, danger, and horrible living conditions throughout the book to survive after losing his family in the genocide. He acts tough and like a grown-up, but deep down, he is the same terrified little boy he was at the beginning. It is through perseverance and bravery that he survives. Amenouhi, Vahan's older sister, is beautiful and courageous. He goes to her for comfort and safety. In the beginning of the book and mourns her memory throughout his time on his own. Seta is Vahan's first love. She is an Armenian girl whom Vahan meets while staying in the house of the Turkish Governor. They meet and fall in love. Seta is caring and understanding with Vahan and the trauma he has gone through. He dramatically passes away after giving birth to the Governor's baby.

It reminds me of the book Night by Elie Wiesel. Both books tell stores of courage, bravery, and overcoming odds to survive. In both books characters face hunger, loss, and danger, but their inspirational stories educate and give hope to readers that they can also overcome hardships in their own lives.

I really liked this book. I read it as a part of an English course I took at North Smithfield High School called Intro to Genocide. The book was very educational and tells the horrifying genocide that occurred as part of World War I. It was engaging the entire way through, and even though there were some graphic parts of it and it has a very somber and dark tone to it, I just couldn't put it down. I also think it is a really important book to read for older teenagers, as it explores what happens when hatred overcomes a nation and its people. I would recommend it to others, but I wouldn't recommend it to people under the age of 16, as it can be graphic with violence and abuse.

I did like the cover. The single image in black and white lets the reader know that it will be a serious, more dark-toned book. It gives the reader a sense of what the book will be about: struggle, survival, and hope.

I really liked how the book was told from the perspective of a 12-year-old boy. Oftentimes in serious books about war and genocide, they are told very seriously by an older gentleman recounting the events, or it is a more nonfiction style book giving facts and some survivor testimonies. But in this book, it is told through the eyes of a boy, where he sees parts of the genocide that others telling the story wouldn't, like how he had to rely on adults to help him and how his innocence and youth helped him get sympathy from others in order for him to survive.

Reviewed by Sophia C