Meet the Cast
Vahan Kenderian
Our narrator and main guy starts out as an innocent, twelve-year-old boy in a comfortable home. He's got a maid, a cook, and even someone to do his laundry—it sounds like a pretty nice life. But...
Selim Bey
The "butcher of the Armenians" or "monster" and "madman" (as Vahan calls him) gives Vahan a place to stay after he's worn out his welcome with the Altoonians (17.6). Vahan struggles with the idea o...
Vahan's Family
We only briefly get to see Vahan's family at home before the problems start for them. It's clear that they're a loving, supportive bunch though, and at first, Vahan puts them all on a pedestal. As...
Seranoush and Seta
Even though Vahan meets these two ladies in different places and times in the novel, we're grouping them together because they bring out the same qualities in him. If you think about it, these chic...
Mrs. Estelle Altoonian and Pattoo Altoonian
Where's a kid gonna go when he's got no place to stay? The Altoonians', of course. Vahan finds refuge with his pal from school, and it's a totally wise place to turn to. He describes Pattoo as "cou...
Dr. and Mrs. Tashian
By the time Vahan hooks up with the Tashians, he's already seen death, violence, and racism from most people, so he's a little jaded. But when he first meets them, he tells us of Mrs. Tashian: "the...
Turkish Refugees
We're not sure how we feel about the Turkish refugees. On the one hand, they take Vahan—or should we say, Galib—in, give him a place to stay, let him eat, and provide protection for him. On the...
Ara Sarkisian
In the eight days Vahan stays with Ara, he gets to know the jovial, big-hearted Armenian pretty well—Ara has a penchant for telling stories, and Vahan quickly learns about everything from eating...