Scan barcode
indoorg1rl's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was a short story that packed a punch. It contained two parts. There was the novella part which was set in the 80s Sydney, followed by an essay reflecting on the historic events that inspired it and meditating on how history could impact fiction in general.
The audiobook was so quick to go through (only 3 hours in total), and I loved the suspense building up from the start. However, the highlight for me was definitely the essay part, as it was narrated by Ashley herself and I could tell how passionate she was on the topic!
As to Ashley’s wish for the novella to ‘arouse curiosity’, I’d say she was successful in doing so, as I wouldn’t have known about the assassination of the Turkish Consul-General in the 80s and the Armenian genocide during WWI, had it not been for this book.
If you could get access to this audiobook, I’d recommend checking it out!
(Thanks to the author for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review)
sammmmmie's review against another edition
4.0
If you have had the pleasure of reading Dark Mode and loved the true crime element of the story - Ashley’s first book “My Name is Revenge” will definitely be of interest to you.
The first section of the book details a true crime reenactment of the murder of a Turkish diplomat and his bodyguard that occurred in Sydney in the 1980’s. This story, currently an unsolved crime, merges fact and fiction to tell the story of the Armenian genocide at the end of WW1 and the repercussions of the silencing of this atrocity.
The second part of the book is a detailed study of the tragedy of the Armenian genocide and the how and why this atrocity, which in many ways is comparable to the holocaust, has been largely ignored by history. It is truly staggering that a major historical event such as this has been ignored for so long. I had an elementary knowledge of the Armenian genocide, so I really enjoyed the deep dive history lesson. It is evident that the close family connection to this genocide has sparked a passion in Ashley to share this important piece of history. Whether you are a history buff or not, a major historical event like this should be common knowledge. If the attempted erasure of their people isn’t awful enough, the continued secrecy surrounding these atrocities adds insult to injury. The Armenian people deserve to have their story told. At only 3 hours, it is a quick but informative listen and I urge everyone to give this audiobook a listen.
Thank you so much to Ashley Kalagian Blunt for gifting me access to this audiobook and for sharing this important story with the world.
The first section of the book details a true crime reenactment of the murder of a Turkish diplomat and his bodyguard that occurred in Sydney in the 1980’s. This story, currently an unsolved crime, merges fact and fiction to tell the story of the Armenian genocide at the end of WW1 and the repercussions of the silencing of this atrocity.
The second part of the book is a detailed study of the tragedy of the Armenian genocide and the how and why this atrocity, which in many ways is comparable to the holocaust, has been largely ignored by history. It is truly staggering that a major historical event such as this has been ignored for so long. I had an elementary knowledge of the Armenian genocide, so I really enjoyed the deep dive history lesson. It is evident that the close family connection to this genocide has sparked a passion in Ashley to share this important piece of history. Whether you are a history buff or not, a major historical event like this should be common knowledge. If the attempted erasure of their people isn’t awful enough, the continued secrecy surrounding these atrocities adds insult to injury. The Armenian people deserve to have their story told. At only 3 hours, it is a quick but informative listen and I urge everyone to give this audiobook a listen.
Thank you so much to Ashley Kalagian Blunt for gifting me access to this audiobook and for sharing this important story with the world.
mandylovestoread's review
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.0
booksweread's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
theveryhungrythesaurus's review
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
rivqa's review against another edition
4.0
A brilliant, evocatively written novella that tackles thorny ethical issues against a background of tragedy and injustice. The accompanying essays neatly contextualise aspects of the Armenian Genocide, which might be unfamiliar territory for many readers. Recommended for history buffs and others.
More...