Debut Novel Explores Armenian Genocide Through Three Generations

Rebecca Gopoian's debut novel "First Rule of Fire" traces the Gazarian family across three generations and historical periods, beginning with 14-year-old Jivan surviving the Armenian Genocide in 1914 Ottoman Turkey, followed by his wife Araxie's struggle to rebuild in 1928 America, and concluding with their granddaughter Miriam navigating identity as a half-Armenian, half-Jewish teenager in 1981.

Gopoian drew inspiration from family diaries and accounts of relatives' experiences during the Genocide, including her grandfather's service as a gamavor. The novel examines how trauma manifests across generations through themes of shame, erasure, and inherited grief. While addressing heavy subject matter, the narrative includes moments of humor and warmth that humanize characters, particularly through scenes involving Giragos's comic relief during Jivan's survival journey.

Symbolism throughout the work uses fire and altered perceptions of the natural world to represent trauma's lasting impact on survivors and their descendants.