Title: Like Water on Stone by Dana Walrath
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Culture: Armenian
Themes: Cultural traditions, Family, Music, Survival

Faith, Family and Freedom

I purchased this book from my local library (Leander Library) from their onsite bookstore. Does your local library have a bookstore or book sale events? If so, you should check it out! Somehow, it made it to the bottom of my to be read pile, so I thought it was time bring it to the top and read it. I was not so prepared for all the tears I was going to shed while reading this book.

Like Water on Stone tells an intense story of survival in the Armenian Highlands during the Armenian war of 1915. Siblings Shahen Donabedian who dreams of going to New York and Sosi, his twin sister who is in love are forced to survive as the Ottoman pashas set their plans to eliminate all Armenians. After a horrifying attack leaves them orphaned, Shahen and Sosi flee into the mountains, carrying their little sister, Mariam. Shahen keeps their parents' fate a secret from his sisters. But the children are not alone. An eagle named Ardziv watches over them as they run at night and hide each day, making their way across mountain ridges and rivers red with blood.

With beautiful prose, Walrath took me on Shahen and Sosi’s survival journey to Aleppo and under the watchful eye of Ardziv. Full of tension and tears, I eagerly turned the page to see what would happen next as the children encountered the Ottomans, villagers and the forces of mother nature throughout their journey. Even though the journey was tough, there were bright spots because of memories the children shared of family gatherings where dancing and music from the oud were vividly described. Kindness from villagers who take them in, cloth them, and feed them and their final arrival in Aleppo give this heartbreaking story a fitting and happy ending.

The symbolism of Ardiziv is lost upon me. As an eagle who can see near and far and has suffered its on heartbreak, it is the perfect animal to watch over and protect the children. An eagle in Christianity is often seen as a symbol of strength, bravery, and God’s loving care when is exactly what it does for Shahen, Sosi, and Mariam.

I truly enjoyed reading Like Water on Stone by Dana Walrath, I highly recommend it for your next poetry read.