Orhan's Inheritance

Assaf Cohen's narration sets the mood for this lush literary drama about the secrets we discover after a loved one's death. Orhan discovers that his grandfather's past haunts his own future. Cohen voices Orhan's dreams and trials as he travels from Turkey to Los Angeles in order to track down the stranger who has inherited the family home. The pace is steady, moving the story forward and drawing the listener into the escalating tension. Various characters, like Orhan's father, come to life in gruff tones. Such distinctions help the listener keep track of the diverse cast. The narrator moves between male and female characters seamlessly, preserving the spell. M.R. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine

July 1, 2015

Ohanesian's debut follows two families--one Turkish, one Armenian--from the end of the Ottoman Empire to the 1990s in this harrowing story of death, life, love, sacrifice, resilience, and hope. Learning that his grandfather left their ancestral home to an Armenian stranger in a California retirement home, Orhan searches for answers to questions raised by his grandfather's will, only to discover that the woman beneficiary had no legal relationship to him or his father--possibly voiding the will under existing Turkish law. Orhan's research also introduces him to the Turks' and Armenians' turbulent history and the Armenian genocide. Assaf Cohen's professional, emotive reading draws in listeners. VERDICT This will appeal to fiction listeners with an international and historical bent. ["Ohanesian's beautifully written debut brings to life a historic tragedy that Turkey still denies ever happened.... Moving and unforgettable": LJ 4/15/15 starred review of the Algonquin hc.]--Laurie Selwyn, formerly with Grayson Cty. Law Lib., Sherman, TX

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