For Corinne Zarzavadjan, transmission is not limited to history books; it nestles in everyday gestures, such as cooking, embroidery or sewing. She evokes her grandmother’s teaching: “between you and me, there must be a thread that is always tight. This wire must never crack“. This transmission is also that of an unalterable hope which allows the Armenian people to overcome the trials of history.
Shedding light on little-known history (1908-1909)
The originality of the work lies in its temporal framework. Corinne Zarzavatdjian chose to tell the beginnings of the 1915 drama, notably the period of 1908-1909. It highlights the massacres in Adana in the spring of 1909, which historians consider to be the “répétition générale de 1915“. The novel illustrates the disillusionment of a people in the face of the Ottoman Empire’s unfulfilled promises of equality, transformed into nationalism and hatred.
A double trajectory: Paris and the Ottoman Empire
The story navigates between two worlds: the dazzling Paris of the Belle Époque and the harsh reality of the Ottoman Empire. In France, the Hagopian family integrates, driven by the desire to become French people like the others. The characters flourish through crafts requiring precision and a sense of beauty:
“Men work as tailors, shoemakers or grocers. Women emancipate themselves through sewing and embroidery, sometimes working for large houses like Jeanne Lanvin” explains Corinne Zarzavatdjian who highlights the sacrifices made for the future, such as the sale of family jewelry to allow the young Anouche to study in a prestigious private course.
The Quest for Rose: An omnipresent absence
The plot is carried by the figure of Rose, who disappeared ten years earlier after having performed acts of bravery and resistance. It was the chance discovery of one of her jewels at an auction that pushed her father to undertake a journey across the Ottoman Empire to discover the truth about her fate.
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The rose garden of Garabed, An Armenian destiny – Les Presses de la Cité – 22.90 euros.Â
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