Review: The Spice Box Letters by Eve Makis

The Spice Box Letters

by Eve Makis

Publisher: Thomas Dunne

Pages: 320

Format: book

Buy the Book: Amazon 

Goodreads:  Katerina inherits a scented, wooden spice box after her grandmother Mariam dies. It contains letters and a diary, written in Armenian. As she pieces together her family story, Katerina learns that Mariam's childhood was shattered by the Armenian tragedy of 1915.

Mariam was exiled from her home in Turkey and separated from her beloved brother, Gabriel, her life marred by grief and the loss of her first love. Dissatisfied and restless, Katerina tries to find resolution in her own life as she completes Mariam's story – on a journey that takes her across Cyprus and then half a world away to New York.

Miracles, it seems, can happen – for those trapped by the past, and for Katerina herself.


Kritters Thoughts:  I am embarrassed to say that all I know of the Armenian tragedy, I have learned from the Kardashians, so when I was pitched this book to read I knew immediately that I would want to read it and read a fictional tale of what happened to the Armenians.  

Told in three points of view, one is current day and Katerina is mourning the recent death of her grandmother and in going through her things with her mother they find a spice box with letters and a journal, but all written in Armenian.  She decides to take a vacation and escape life a little and on vacation she finds a guy who speaks the language and is willing to read her grandmother's journal to her and she is surprised by what he tells her.  The other viewpoint are the journal entries and they way they flow together just makes the story so hard to put down!  The final viewpoint is a member of the family (don't want to reveal too much!).  

Family was a big part of this book and how much family means even in the midst of major crisis.  I loved reading about the resilience of people and how they would go to any lengths to reconnect with their family and how long they will wish hope and pray for their family members.

I loved this book.  It was a quick slim read, but packed a good punch.  I say this a few times, but if you have read a few historical fiction reads, pick this one next because it takes you to a time and place that isn't covered often.

Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Sourcebooks PR.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.