A Review Of Annihilation: A Story of the Armenian Genocide By Michael Bosland

SUMMARY: Her government wants her dead. The Republic of Turkey doesn’t want you to hear about her. Rosmerta Bedrosian is a thirteen-year-old girl living with her Armenian family in Eastern Anatolia in 1915. Frustrated by their declining fortunes, the Ottoman state needs a scapegoat. They find one in their Christian subjects and drive the Armenian population on death marches into the Syrian desert.

The BookViral Review: Genre – Historical Fiction

A novel of the highest order Bosland’s debut release Annihilation: A Story of the Armenian Genocide proves a powerful elicitation of time and place, characters, moral choices, horror and brutality as he draws us in from one page to the next. 

Flawlessly written Annihilation transcends the historically damning period of The Armenian Genocide which resulted in the systematic mass extermination and expulsion of 1.5 million ethnic Armenians within the Ottoman Empire to bring us genuine insight. With Rosmerta at the centre of Bosland’s narrative it’s a harrowing read at times but with the relationship dynamics wonderfully observed and Bosland’s superb ear for dialogue he echoes the thoughts of his characters with a timely clarity which proves tremendously powerful. Skilfully weaving a tapestry of individual lives and sweeping events to create an epic vision of a country and people during a time of tremendous suffering. 

Well researched and refreshingly devoid of trite commentary Annihilation not only proves an enthralling read but an enlightening one too, a feat to which many authors might aspire and few notably achieve. More importantly, Bosland reminds us that even in the face of unimaginable horrors love and passion still have important roles to play in forging a person’s destiny.

A riveting read from start to finish Annihilation: A Story of the Armenian Genocide is recommended without reservation.