Children of War by Ahmet Yorulmaz
Hassanakis is a young Muslim boy of Turkish descent growing up on Crete during WWI. Fifteen generations of his family have lived on the island and until now he has never had any reason not to think he is a Cretan. But with the Great Powers tussling over the collapsing Ottoman Empire and the island’s Christians in rebellion, an outbreak of ethnic violence forces his family to flee to the Cretan city of Chania.
He begins to lay down roots and his snappy dress earns him the nickname of Hassan ‘the mirror’. As WWI draws to a close and the Turkish War of Independence rages, he begins a heady romance with the elegant Hüsniye.
There are rumours that the Cretan Muslims will be sent to Turkey but Hassanakis can’t believe he will be sent to a country whose language he barely knows and where he knows no-one.
Author Details
Ahmet Yorulmaz was a Turkish a journalist, author and translator. He was born in Ayvalik to a family of Cretan Turks deported to mainland Turkey as part of the Greek-Turkish population exchange decreed in the Treaty of Lausanne. He was fluent in modern Greek and translated novels and poems from contemporary Greek literature to Turkish. Most of his original works were written with the aim of making people learn about Ayvalık, the city where he grew up. He dedicated himself to Greek-Turkish friendship and rapprochement.
Translator Details
Paula Darwish is a freelance translator and professional musician. She read Turkish Language and Literature with Middle Eastern History at SOAS in London graduating with a First in 1997. She is a qualified member of the Institute of Translators and Interpreters (MITI).
Review
Children of War embodies everything I love about good historical fiction - you learn about people’s everyday lives and also about the events which shaped them. There is so much about Crete and Greek / Turkish relations that I did not know about and I am now going to read more into this area.
The author’s family was one of the misplaced Turks who left Crete and whilst writing this novel based it from the diary’s of a refugee. This gives the book the air of originality, believability and a true voice of the time. Although the book deals with the murder and violence which occurs during this period, it does feel slightly removed from the readers experience. However, this is mainly due to the family’s propensity to err towards the values of peace and harmony with their Greek neighbours. It was refreshing to see these types of beliefs reflected in the novel and have them dealt with compassion and empathy. Especially in an era with so much military turmoil.
I found the character of Hassan to be an engaging narrator who reflects the main themes of the book. He loves and will do anything for his family, is dependable and reliable, embraces peace and co-existing with the Greeks, and his love life was a perfect antidote to the violence in the book.
I can’t imagine how it must feel to be made to leave your home just because you are different to others. That wrench must be the worst event in peoples lives. Too much of this is still happening in today’s world due to violence and ideas of ruling elites, people who don’t think about the affect on the common people. Children of War does address this but don’t expect a harrowing account of mistreatment and abuse, this is more a subtle telling of this story. It bases itself on everyday stories and how Hassan travels through his young life. It is quite simply beautiful.
