Teenagers Kevork and his betrothed Marta are the lucky ones. They have managed so far to survive the Armenian genocide in Turkey, and both are disguised as Muslims. But Marta is still in Turkey, pregnant with another man's child. And Kevork is living as an Arab in Syria.
Kevork yearns to get back into Turkey and search for Marta, but with the war raging and the genocide still in progress, the journey will be impossibly dangerous. Meanwhile, Marta worries that even if Kevork has survived and they are reunited, will he be able to accept what she has become? And what has happened to her sister, Mariam, who was sold as a slave to the highest bidder?
Daughter of War is a gripping story of enduring love and loyalty set against the horrors of Turkey during World War I.
"This is an exciting story. . . There is a lot of thrilling action in a certainly exotic setting. Readers of Armenian descent will find this especially relevant to their own cultural understanding, but any readers who like historical fiction filled with danger, tragedy, and survival will like this novel."
— KLIATT
"This is a powerful, often harrowing novel that will appeal to those who appreciate books about people surviving in spite of grave injustices."
— School Library Journal
"(The story) is upfront about the unspeakable brutality, the betrayals and the casual murders even as it offers the constant surprise of soldiers, diplomats, nurses, missionaries, and children acting as rescuers. Add this to the Holocaust curriculum."
— Booklist
"Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch's novel, Daughter of War, is hard-hitting and troublesome and, as she would wish, highly educational. . . a powerful and moving read.
Recommended."
— CM Magazine
"From the first page I was hooked. . . Daughter of War is a good read, as well as a compelling look at an event too little known in the Western World."
— Canadian Children's Book News
"Daughter of War is a deftly written historical fiction novel, sure to enthrall readers with a story set amid events that truly happened. A top pick for community library literary collections."
— Midwest Book Review
"A powerful sequel to her 2003 novel, Nobody's Child."
— Winnipeg Free Press
"Marta's and Kevork's compelling stories drive the reader through the novel. They are strong, evolving protagonists and you care about them. There are times, however, when their story is swallowed by the history lessons that Skrypuch wants to put in the spotlight. It's a tribute to her writing that even in those lessons you do not want to put the book down. The stories of Marta and Kevork overcome the history - and in the scheme of things, perhaps that's exactly as it should be."
— The Waterloo Record
"A powerful novel based on first-hand accounts of actual historical events and will appeal to teens and adults. It leaves readers with a powerful question: "But was anywhere safe when you were Armenian?"
— Curled Up With a Good (Kid's) Book
Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch
is the author of many books for children and young adults, including Call Me Aram, Aram's Choice, Silver Threads, Enough, The Hunger, and Hope's War. Her novel about the Armenian genocide, Nobody's Child, was nominated for the Red Maple Award, the Alberta Rocky Mountain Book Award, and the B.C. Stellar Award; it was also listed by Resource Links as a "Best Book." An English scholar and former librarian, Marsha lives in Brantford, Ontario, with her husband and son.
ALA Best Books for Young Adults 2009 nominee
On the 2009 USBBY list of Outstanding International Books
White Pine nominee, 2009
On Resource Link's "Best of 2008" List
On the Cooperative Children's Book Center Best-of-the-Year list for 2009
Canadian Children's Book Centre Our Choice, 2009
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