Why a Booktrail?
1915, 1985, 2000s: A scent box leads a woman on a journey for the truth.
The Spice Box Letters
What you need to know before your trail
Katerina inherits a scented spice box after her grandmother Mariam dies. It contains letters and a diary, written in Armenian. As she pieces together her family story, Katerina learns that Mariam’s childhood was shattered by the Armenian tragedy of 1915. Exiled from her home in Turkey and separated from her beloved brother, Mariam’s life was marred by grief and the loss of her first love. Dissatisfied and restless, Katerina tries to find resolution in her own life as she completes Mariam’s story – on a journey that takes her across Cyprus and then half a world away to New York. Miracles, it seems, can happen – for those trapped by the past, and for Katerina herself.
Travel Guide
Armenia
Armenia and the Armenian Genocide
“Our world was a dangerous place, my father warned, and he was not alone in voicing his fears. Dire predictions resounded in every Armenian backyard and coffee house.”
The story quickly weaves between 1915 and to present day 1985. The story shows the painful and tragic times the Armenian people suffered during this time. This horrific genocide altered the course of so Armenian people and their families. We see this horror through the eyes of seven year old Miriam. Later on we experience the pain of her grieving family as they go through her things after her death.
Miriam’s life and the truth of her life, comes through the translation of her journal into Armenian. This is a raw and visceral, personal account of a genocide and its aftermath down the years.
BookTrail Boarding Pass: The Spice Box Letters
Destination/location:Armenia Author/guide: Eve Makis Departure Time: 1915, 1985, 2000s
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