Book Review Waterline by Aram Mrjoian

 

Obviously, it is still 2025 and I am still reading on the theme of Water.  I'm not sure where this is getting me, the theme, that is, but I am definitely picking up books I might have otherwise ignored.  This one was difficult to ignore because of the bright colors used on the cover. 

Secondarily, I wanted to read this because I had a good friend in my first two years of college who was Armenian.  Her mother often discussed this genocide which, of course, I had not heard about. Her mother always reminded us that "You can't give up because you don't know what will happen tomorrow"  this is in very stark contrast to my Mom who would wonder and worry incessantly about what could happen tomorrow. So, it's stuck with me. 

The novel, however... 

Has nothing to do with my college friend beyond the fact that both my friend and the novel characters were both affected by the Armenian genocide. Or maybe, if I spoke with her today I'd find out it had EVERYTHING to do with her, who knows.  

     

    For me this is an astounding work of fiction, that I think, is advertised as something that is maybe isn't. 

What I thought I was going to get- a deep look at the generational trauma of the Armenian genocide and how it affects persons today. 

What I feel I got?- A deep look at grief  and the effects of suicide within a close knit family, with a nod to generational trauma related in this case to the Armenian genocide. 

    Both of these are things worth writing about, but as I read through this book, I definitely felt that they were two different things  and that reviewers were leaning into the historical aspect very heavily, when the book just touches on it as part of the family lore. Mrjoian says that he intended that less than 10% of the novel be focused on the genocide - which I believe he achieved. The genocide itself was like a ghostly spectre sort of hovering about throughout all of the characters we are introduced to- in one way or another.  Reviewers, however, really pushed the genocide connection which lead me to think that I would be getting chunks and chunks of history. 

For me, this was a novel of a portrait of deep grief and the way a family processed this grief in the modern era. The author explores different ways to process (or not process) grief and loss and leaves space for readers to recognize themselves in characters and processes. Some characters drink, others find release in movement (hiking, swimming, sex, exercise classes) while others power forward and only melt down when it all becomes too much. The knowledge of the genocide seeps in at the corners of their minds, and affects the choices they make in grief, but a glaring direct connection isn't present- which is likely the point. Perhaps, generational trauma isn't a sledgehammer exactly, but more of an insidious process that finds us and creates core expectations and beliefs that we'd be hard pressed to explain. 

   This is a worthy read, but I can't say it would be one if you wanted to learn exact details of the Armenian Genocide. The writing is gorgeous and to the point and I'd gladly read another work by Mrjoian any time- but I might check into the topic a wee bit more deeply before diving in!

STATS

First Published : June 3, 2025 

Pages: 288

Available as an Audio Book : yes

Trigger Warnings: suicide, generational trauma, genocide, alcohol and drug use, revenge porn, infidelity, as always this is likely not a complete list, so please read responsibly.