
At the beginning of the last century, almost the entire Armenian population of Manam (Turkey) was executed by the Turkish army, and the few who survived were deported to Syria.
Lea, a Canadian teacher, decides to reconstruct the story that her grandmother, a survivor of this tragic event, never wanted to tell. Author Rima Elkouri traces Lea's journey as she dares to unravel the knot of pain and sorrow that resides in her grandmother's and her people’s souls. Despite the horror narrated, there is no lack of tenderness and hope, as we discover brave individuals who, with great moral effort and love for their people, choose the path of life, not vengeance.
The moral issues that arise in the story, tremendous and brutal, challenge us who live in areas without armed conflict: Is it easy to be good? What do you do if your family is mercilessly humiliated? Do we allow immigrants to keep their customs?, etc.
Rima Elkouri is a columnist for Le Presse, the largest French-language newspaper in North America, and has been awarded the Jules Fournier Prize from the Superior Council of the French Language of Quebec. Her writings focus on the advocacy of women's rights globally, addressing topics such as the Arab Spring, the Middle East, and the migration crisis in Europe.