Book Review | Lydia’s Journey: An Armenian Refugee’s Story

Lydia’s Journey: An Armenian Refugee’s Story
By Katherine Covell
232 pages
Published 2023

Lydia’s Journey: An Armenian Refugee’s Story is a beautiful book inspired by an 800-word biography written by author Katherine Covell’s oldest sister. It documents the story of Covell’s mother Lydia Zakarian, an Armenian Genocide survivor who passed away in 1965. 

Covell researched the book using letters containing posthumous second-hand recollections of the events that occurred during the Armenian Genocide. The book includes records such as Zakarian’s high school graduation diploma from the American High School for Girls in Aleppo, Syria.

Lydia’s Journey delves into the psychological aspect of the immense shame and guilt associated with the sexual abuse of Armenian women during the Genocide. This includes background and psychological evaluations of the tattoo on Zakarian’s face. In one of the letters, Zakarian describes her life as a domestic slave. The branding of Armenian women and young girls had enormous implications on the psyche. It was a time when things were left unsaid, and people suffered internally as well as externally.

In a photo of her taken to show to her future husband, you don’t see the tattoo that she endured, because the photo was altered, but you do see the tattoo in her citizenship papers from 1959. Zakarian’s marriage was arranged when she was at an orphanage in Aleppo.

“I suspect Katherine Covell’s work as a developmental psychologist allowed her some insight into the effects of the abuse,” Tim Covell, the author’s son, told the Weekly.

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Although the story is based on real events, parts of the book include events that are changed. Zakarian had four brothers and an older sister. None of them survived the atrocity of the Armenian Genocide. In the book, she has one brother. Zakarian was sold into slavery by her father, whereas in the book it’s by her mother. 

“The fostering of Jewish children in the UK and other countries, the Kindertransport, was a real historical event that Katherine incorporated into the novel. All of the characters involved are fictional and, as far as I know, the real Lydia did not participate in the fostering,” Tim Covell said.

Lydia’s Journey is poignantly written and emphasizes many topics such as the desire to help others in need of protection, something Armenian children could not experience. It also explores family dynamics and what was considered right and wrong at the time. The book introduces painful topics that the mind can’t comprehend. 

Lydia’s Journey is available on Amazon and at Barnes and Noble.

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Talar Keoseyan

Talar Keoseyan is a mother, educator and writer. She is the author of Vanna's Adventures (discusses Armenian traditions and customs); Mom and Dad, Why Do I Need to Know My Armenian Heritage? (a children's book about being proud of our heritage); Our Tigran and Tigran's Song (written in honor of Tigran Harutyunyan, a fedayee from the 44 Day War). Talar was a member of the Philadelphia AYF (Papken Suni and Sebouh chapters), as well as Homenetmen, Hamazkayin and ARS. She is currently a member of the La Crescenta "Talin" ARS chapter. She can be reached at talar725@gmail.com or Hokees1111 on Instagram.

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