Recently while on a month long tour I listened to many audible books during long rides in jeeps, vans, busses and trains. Today’s book review All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker is one of those Audible books.
All the Colors of the Dark
This novel is long and was a perfect one for long car rides on Audible. It was also very engaging and full of well developed and interesting characters. In fact it was the characters more than the plot that I loved the most about this book. Each character is unique and flawed with themes of poverty, addiction, loneliness, obsession and lifelong friendship.
Patch & Saint
Two childhood friends are the focus of this novel that spans decades. Patch, with his one eye and Saint with her commitment to Patch, take very different paths in life as a result of both family upbringing and unexpected circumstances.
One Moment Changes Everything
Whitaker introduces us to 13-year old Patch who witnesses and averts a possible kidnapping of his 13-year old crush Misty. The events that surround this moment will alter the path of Patch’s life and everything that happens moving forward. The book is sprawling in its scope and will cover a turbulent life for Patch and all those he meets, including the girl he saved Misty and the girl he couldn’t save but may have imagined Grace.
Saint, a brilliant young girl and Patch’s only friend at 13 years, will also find her life obsession following the events that take place with Misty’s abduction attempt. Saint will find her life moving forward to an eventual role in law enforcement, due to her inability to leave the cold case be. Throughout her life her tumultuous relationship with Patch as he is both victim and suspect will be loyal yet rocky.
A Bit Slow
I really did like this book, pretty epic, but at times a bit slow and overmuch. At over 600 pages it may be daunting for some readers, but I found the Audible version satisfying.
Welcome to the first of a series of eight weekly posts covering the eight countries I visited this fall. My journey was epic and I chose not to write posts while traveling, in an effort to be engaged and present on this amazing odyssey. I hope you will enjoy reading my posts covering all that happened over the two months of travel – The Good, The Bad & The Beautiful. Let’s begin with Yerevan Armenia.
Mother Armenia, Yerevan
Where Am I?
Yerevan, Armenia is not on everyone’s travel bucket list, but it was on mine after reading about it from another travel blogger several years ago. In fact we were scheduled for this trip when Covid shut the world down. So we were happy to finally get to the beautiful Caucasus region.
Armenia was the first of eight former Soviet states we would visit on this whirlwind trip. Over the past 8 plus years on the Grand Adventure, I have grown to really appreciate what it was like behind the Iron Curtain and why many people believe things were better for them during that time. Not all, but many people miss the security they enjoyed during the Soviet era.
Where is Armenia?
A Little History
Armenia, one of the oldest countries in the world, boasts a rich and complex history that dates back to ancient times. The region was home to the Urartian Kingdom in the 9th century BCE, which laid the foundation for Armenian culture and identity. The Kingdom of Armenia was officially established in 301 CE when it became the first nation to adopt Christianity as its state religion, a pivotal moment that significantly influenced its cultural and social development. Throughout the centuries, Armenia faced numerous invasions and occupations, including those by the Persians, Romans, Byzantines, and later the Seljuks and Ottomans, which shaped its political landscape and often led to the displacement of its people.
Yerevan is known for it’s delicious water and free drinking fountains around the city.
Many ancient and beautiful monasteries survived the Soviet era
Learning about the Armenian Genocide was eye-opening for me. In the early 20th century, Armenia experienced one of the most tragic events in its history: the Armenian Genocide. Perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire during World War I, an estimated 1.5 million Armenians were extinguished. Why have I never heard about this?
Following the war, Armenia briefly declared independence in 1918 but was soon incorporated into the Soviet Union in 1920, where it remained until the dissolution of the USSR in 1991.
Few people are aware of the horrific genocide the Armenian people suffered at the hands of the Ottoman Empire in the early 20th Century. Armenia’s relation with Turkey remains strained.
How’s it Going?
Since gaining independence 1991, Armenia has sought to rebuild its national identity and address the historical injustices faced by its people. The country is navigating complex geopolitical challenges, particularly its relationship with neighboring Turkey and Azerbaijan. Armenia is part of the EU’s Eastern Partnership since 2009. Today, Armenia is recognized for its rich cultural heritage, including its ancient churches and monasteries, and its ongoing efforts to establish itself as a modern nation-state in the South Caucasus region. The world-wide Armenian diaspora (about 10 million) create awareness around the world about this little known and beautiful region of our planet.
Monastery at Lake Sevan
As a visitor to Yerevan Armenia, we found most everything inexpensive from restaurants to tours and souvenirs. During our stay we ate delicious meals with drinks in Yerevan for less than $25 USD for two. Gas prices however, were about $5.30 gallon. The average monthly salary in Armenia is around $675 USD a month.
We even found a couple of craft breweries. Hubby happy.
The Good
Armenia is still working its way through issues from the past Soviet era, but the people we met seem happy with the direction of their country with some exceptions regarding education. In Yerevan (one of the oldest cities in the world) we had a great Airbnb with an engaged and friendly host. We did three tours; a history walking tour, a food walking tour and a cooking class and market tour. These were all private tours we booked through Viator, and we had excellent guides and experiences. All of our guides spoke great English and were enthusiastic about the future of their country.
Fun cooking class with a local
Walking tour we learned so many things including about the more than 115 drinking fountains around the city
Jengyalov Hac is one of the best things I have ever eaten. Without our guide we would never have known about this herb stuffed sandwich.
The Bad
Similar to our visit last spring to Albania and Serbia, the traffic was awful. It’s clear that the pace of automobile acquisition in Yerevan, Armenia after independence has outmatched that of infrastructure development. Drivers are aggressive, blaring horns constantly and the din can be annoying. Most drivers seem untrained with little regard for rules of the road. Case in point – we ordered a taxi on a rainy day. The taxi arrived and it was an old car, no seat belts and past it’s prime. In hindsight we should never have gotten in this vehicle. But we did. The driver was driving way too fast, in the wrong lane and swerved to miss a car. We crashed into a concrete barrier. Unfortunately, because we were not wearing seat belts, my husband hit is head hard on the ceiling and suffered a concussion.
Accident does not look bad, but our injuries were due to the fact we were not wearing seat belts. Despite rules for such safety features, we had little recourse.
Because of the concussion and my husband needing to rest, we ended up missing our all day tour outside of the city to Khor Virap and the Tatev Monastery. Even though I did not visit these places, I still recommend them if you have the chance. These are the top sights outside of Yerevan. It was disappointing but necessary for us to not travel on the day after our taxi accident.
Khor Virap (Canva) with Mount Ararat in the distance
Genocide
The Genocide is one of the worst things that has happened to the Armenian people, and it is something few people in the world know about. The Armenian genocide was the systematic destruction of the Armenian people and identity in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. Spearheaded by the ruling Committee of Union and Progress (CUP), it was implemented primarily through the mass murder of around one million Armenians during death marches to the Syrian Desert and the forced Islamization of others, primarily women and children. Today in Yerevan, this horrific period is remembered with an excellent Armenian Genocide Memorial & Museum that is a must visit for everyone visiting Armenia.
Areminan Genocide Museum
Today Armenia has no diplomatic relations with neighboring Azerbaijan. There are no open border crossings which presents a problem for visitors navigating the Caucasus region. This is due to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict – an ethnic and territorial dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan. This is an ongoing issue, very volatile, with no negotiations in sight.
The Beautiful
Yerevan, Armenia has many beautiful sites. We enjoyed our time inside the city. Our favorite places included the giant statue of Mother Armenia, the view of Mount Ararat (Armenians believe it to be where Noah’s Ark is), the Yerevan Cascade Climb, Matenadaran Manuscript Library, Republic Square and the amazing Genocide Memorial and Museum. We spent several hours exploring the National Gallery of Armenia and the GUM Market (has nothing to do with chewing gum) and we recommend both.
Cascade Climb
Republic Square
Lake Sevan
The beautiful and kind people stood out. They were interested in us and welcoming. Like many of the countries we visit, we did not meet any other Americans. Most of the visitors are from Europe.
Unique and kind people
Genocide Memorial
National Gallery of Armenia
Mount Ararat on a cloudy day. Most of the mountain currently lies in Turkey and is one of Armenia’s border conflicts with that nation
A shout out to the local Emergency Room too. Our wonderful Airbnb host personally escorted us to the emergency room on a Sunday, stayed with us the entire time and translated for us. We would have been lost without him. Our ER visit with CatScan and prescriptions was $128.
We were lucky to have our Airbnb host help us at the hospital
Armenians are proud of their unique language and alphabet. The Armenian alphabet, created in 405 AD by the linguist and theologian Mesrop Mashtots, is a unique script that reflects the rich cultural and historical heritage of the Armenian people.
An outdoor exhibit explains the unique and ancient Armenian alphabet
Food Glorious Food
Our food tour and cooking class both provided us an eye-opening education to the cuisine of Armenia. We had amazing Khorovats – like a shishkebab grilled meat; dolma, vine leaf wrapped meat; ghapama (my favorite), a spectacular stuffed pumpkin or squash; gata – a sweet bread; pickles of every persuasion; jengyalov hac – an incredible herb filled flat bread wrap; and the famous lavash flat bread served at every meal.
Making lavish in the giant oven
Ghapama is a stuffed pumpkin meal
Here below is a link to our YouTube video about Armenian Food. Delicious.
Watch this video to learn more about the surprising cuisines of Armenia
Yerevan, Armenia – The Good, The Bad & The Beautiful
Yerevan, Armenia was a perfect place to spend a week. Plenty of time to see many historical sites, museums and parks and to eat the great food. We really enjoyed the people, the architecture and the culture. We enjoyed learning about the Armenian Apostolic Church (97% of Armenians are Christian) founded 301 AD. Christianity is the official state religion.
Historic Yerevan Church
This tiny country packs a powerful punch. Yerevan is small and easy to maneuver. It is an up and coming destination you should have on your radar. I highly recommend it. Yerevan Armenia – The Good, The Bad & The Beautiful.
Bond Historic Neighborhood of Yerevan
We love it when you pin and share and comment about our posts. Be sure and come back next Friday for our post about Tbilisi Georgia.
How does more than a million people die and nobody know about it? This is the story of the Armenian Genocide in 1915 & 1916. Here is my book review The Sandcastle Girls by Chris Bohjalian.
Armenia
Thanks to my friend Ruth, this book was recommended to me just days before I arrived for a week long visit in the city of Yerevan Armenia. Thank goodness for that too. I really had only a spark of knowledge about this horrific historical event – mostly only what I had pulled up while reading blogs about Yerevan. Reading The Sandcastle Girls was eye-opening. A painful and terrifying time in history that no one talks about.
Book Review The Sandcastle Girls by Chris Bohjalian
Bohjalian is a lovely writer and his handling of this sensitive subject was incredible, while still providing factual information in a fictional novel. The book begins with Christian missionary Elizabeth arrives with her father to Syria from Boston to deliver food and medical supplies to Armenian refugees. The missionary party is appalled at what they find in Aleppo and the efforts by the Turks to cleanse the area of Christina Amermenias. The missionary operation stumbles on roadblock after roadblock in its effort to get supplies to the refugees in need.
Elizabeth befriends Armenian Armen, a young man who has lost his wife and daughter to the genocide. He feels sure they are dead but he cannot stop looking for them as many women and children are arriving in Aleppo clearly tortured and abused. Armen joins the British Army in Egypt and he and Elizabeth begin a long correspondence and friendship.
Family Secrets
Present day we meet Laura Petrosian, a writer, researching her family history. Like many family histories there are many skeletons in the closet. As Laura realizes some truths about her grandparents, she is thrust into the past atrocities of Armenia and must find answers.
Beautiful Story of a Difficult Subject
Bohjalian’s talent is showcased in this astute and penetrating story of a difficult subject. I have no doubt most readers of this review are as ignorant of this historical event as I was. Never was this mentioned in any of my history or political science classes I took in high school and college. It’s a horrific event that has been swept under the carpet with political leaders turning a blind eye. Turkey refuses to call it a genocide, despite the fact that most nations, including the United States have acknowledged the brutal actions of the Ottoman Empire. Everyone should read this book and learn. Then you should visit the beautiful country of Armenia.
Be sure to read my travel blog post coming this Friday about my week in Armenia last September.
“Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves, and, under a just God, cannot long retain it.” -Abraham Lincoln.
Erik Larson is one of my favorite authors, his book Devil in the White City one of my favorite reads of all time. In his latest work, Larson tackles the complicated issue of the five months between the election of Abraham Lincoln and the start of the Civil War. Here is my book review The Demon of Unrest by Erik Larson.
A Country Divided
Many authors of late have used the current divide in our nation and in US politics to revisit the not so distant topic of a nation at odds, a country divided and the eventual war that would kill more than 750,000 people and nearly take down the union.
Only 160 years ago, the United States was on the brink of disaster, bitterly at odds as Lincoln came to office. He inherited the demon of unrest – a bitter south hell-bent on keeping slavery as a way to continue their antebellum way of life, and cotton as king.
Fort Sumter
Larson takes the reader through the five months from election to war, writing with intrigue and brilliantly researched. The book is a gripping account of misinformation, egos, errors and betrayals that eventually led to the Confederacy shelling Fort Sumter in Charleston and leading to all out war.
Book Review The Demon of Unrest by Erik Larson
This is a fascinating and well written and researched account of this important time in history, yet told in a chronological novel narrative. I learned many new facts about this period of history and was intrigued throughout the book. It is suspenseful and heartfelt and should make every reader realize how perilous a nation is, both in the past and present.
*****Five stars for The Demon of Unrest by Erik Larson – a must read for anyone who thinks it could not happen again. Thank you for reading my book review The Demon of Unrest by Erik Larson. See last week’s book review Loved and Missed by Susie Boyt.
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What lengths would you go to to save a little girl, a granddaughter, a life. Susie Boyt imagines it all in this novel. Here is my book review Loved and Missed by Susie Boyt.
Family
Despite all her efforts, single mother Ruth has a very difficult relationship with her drug addicted daughter Eleanor. Ruth has done everything she can providing love and support, food and money, advice and distance to help her only daughter. How much can a parent bare, when their adult child is lost and not wanting to be saved?
Then a Baby
When Eleanor gives birth and actually marries the father, Ruth is hopeful again. But soon it is clear to Ruth that the child is being neglected in the drug infested home. She takes the baby saying just for a few days…
Baby Lily will always know her mother, but Ruth will be the real mother as Lily thrives and the two find a new way of life. Lily grows and changes and blossoms into a teenager, though always questioning the lack of her mother’s love. Ruth will also put away her life’s disappointments and focus on bringing up Lily.
Tragedy
Boyt’s story is heartfelt and identifiable, especially for any women who has raised a child. This is not a happy book, filled with love, loss, heartbreak and in the end, retrospection. But it’s witty, honest, sweet and perceptive. ****Four stars for Loved and Missed by Susie Boyt.
Thank you for reading my book review Loved and Missed by Susie Boyt. See last week’s book review The Winemakers Wife by Kristin Harmel. We love it when you pin and share our book reviews. Thank you.
I enjoyed this story about the Champagne region of France during the Nazi occupation of World War II. Thanks to my friend Sonia for the recommendation. Here is my book review The Winemakers Wife by Kristin Harmel.
Reims France
Although I have traveled pretty extensively in France, Reims is one area I have not been. After reading this book and the history of Reims both during WWI and WWII I think I will add it to my next French itinerary.
Reims is the focus of The Winemakers Wife. We are treated to two interesting parallel stories; the first is current day when we meet Liv who has just been divorced and is heartbroken in New York City. Her Grandmother Edith comes knocking on her door and whisks her off to France.
World War Two
The second parallel story introduces us to Edith as a young women in Reims as well as her best friend Ines, who is married to Michele, a prominent champagne maker in the Reims region known for it’s quality champagne.
Ines and Edith are caught up in the confusion of the occupation where the Nazi soldiers are taking Champagne and anything else they want, while the French people are nearly starving.
Two Worlds Collide
As these two story lines and their characters collide, Liv will find herself astonished by the unknown history of her Grandmother Edith and Reims. Meanwhile Edith has spent 75 years living with regret and oppressive guilt and at 99 years old will finly secure the future for her granddaughter before she says her final goodbye.
Book Review The Winemakers Wife
I really enjoyed this book and it kept my interest throughout although there were a couple of too convenient coincidences added to further the plot. However there also was an unexpected plot twist I didn’t see coming…I always enjoy it when that happens.
****Four stars for The Winemakers Wife by Kristin Harmel. See last week’s book review I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger.
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I am normally a BIG fan of Leif Enger and have read several of his books. But this one….I struggled with it despite wanting to love it. Here is my book review I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger.
What is Happening?
I have read and loved many dystopian novels over the past few years, some of my favorites being Station Eleven, To Paradise and Cloud Cuckoo Land. Going into I Cheerfully Refuse I didn’t realize it was set in the not too distant future. It takes a long time in the story to really grasp it, at least it did for me. Hints are dropped here and there and eventually the understanding comes….
Dark Times
Enger introduces us to Lark and Rainy, a couple living in the not too distant, but much changed future. When Lark is murdered, Rainy finds himself on the run in a sailboat. As the reader is pulled into Enger’s beautiful story telling, we realize how crazy the world is, run by billionaires and astronauts, with massive and dangerous climate changes creating havoc. Food shortages are part of life, books are illegal and a rash of suicides occur regularly because no one wants to continue to suffer.
It’s not a happy book- a dystopian novel of despair and destruction mixed with love and longing. And so different than anything I have read by Enger. Maybe I just wasn’t up to it – feeling the gloom in our planet currently. You’ll need to decide for yourself. I give I Cheerfully Refuse four stars ****. Let me know what you think?
Thank you for reading my Book Review I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger. See last week’s Book Review The Unmaking of June Farrow. We love it when you comment, pin and share our book reviews. Thank you.
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