A Child of the Orient

"A Child of the Orient" by Demetra Vaka is a tale set in the early 1900s, highlighting a young Greek girl's experiences as she grows up amidst cultural clashes and old tensions between Greeks and Turks. The story explores themes of identity and the confusing nature of friendship when your nation has strong historical conflicts. Through her important relationship with her Turkish friend, the book digs into the contrasts of her upbringing, with the struggle between cultural loyalty and personal love being front and center. When the story starts, the young main character is given a Greek flag on her fifth birthday, a symbol that comes to represent an important part of her cultural heritage and the expectations that come along with that when dealing with old enemies; although she realizes that this is her history, she questions the hate that is expected as she has Turkish friends. Childhood friendships and the character's dawning awareness of cultural and political divides add complexity, showing the struggles of love and hate as she navigates her childhood against a difficult political backdrop.