Orhan's Inheritance

Summary

Orhan’s Inheritance follows Orhan, a young Turkish man who unexpectedly inherits his grandfather’s house in a village in Anatolia. The inheritance is complicated by the appearance of Seda, an elderly Armenian American woman who claims that the property belongs to her family. Determined to understand the dispute, Orhan investigates his grandfather’s past and uncovers a history connected to the Armenian genocide of 1915. Through alternating perspectives and different periods, the novel reveals how violence, forced displacement, and silence have shaped two families across generations. As Orhan learns about the experiences of those who came before him, he must reconsider the stories he has inherited about his family and country. Ohanesian explores historical memory, responsibility, and the difficult process of confronting atrocities that remain painful long after the events themselves.