TV presentation of Guzel Yakhina's book “Train to Samarkand” (video)

In 1923, 500 homeless children were evacuated to Samarkand. The journey was arduous, marked by terrifying scenes and spanning vast territories – from the forests of the Volga region and the steppes of Kazakhstan to the deserts of Kyzylkum and the mountains of Turkestan. The story unfolds with complex destinies and features realistic characters, including refugee peasants, Chekists, Cossacks, and a unique world of young wanderers who have their own language, psychology, superstition, and high hopes. 

Despite the weighty subject matter, readers of "Train to Samarkand" bear witness to the children's long journey, marked by suffering, hunger, severe diseases, and unimaginable challenges. Margarit Sargsyan, the editor of the Armenian translation, commented on the book's plot during the TV presentation, emphasizing its importance. She recommends reading this work as essential. “Reading the book first allows thinking about what consequences wars can have, what state people can reach, how they can annoy each other, what relations can be between people for a piece of bread”.

According to the translator, the language used in “Train to Samarkand” is both weighty and complicated. Even during the editing process, it was impossible to contain the emotional impact, as a narrative involving the plight of dying children is bound to evoke strong reactions from anyone who reads it.

The book was published in cooperation with Newmag and “Oracle”, an Armenian-Russian series of books. Ruben Ishkhanyan, the head of the publishing house, believes that the book was initially published to highlight this topic. According to Ishkhanyan, the famine of the 1920s described in the book, unlike the famine of the 1940s in Russia, was deliberately created by the Bolsheviks. «When an artificial famine is deliberately created, it becomes exceedingly horrifying and cruel, marking a painful chapter in world history, especially for Russians. This topic is also intertwined with Guzel Yakhina's political stance”.

According to Ruben Ishkhanyan, Guzel Yakhina's example should become contagious for Armenian writers. It should encourage us to search for and discover such compelling topics, write about them, and reveal the darker chapters of history to future generations. “We still lack a comprehensive understanding of subjects like Artsakh, the events of 1918-1920, or even the true history of Armenia”, he remarked.

According to Naira Khachatryan, the translator of Guzel Yakhina's previous book “Zuleikha Opens Her Eyes”, it's impossible to remain emotionally detached while reading this book. She elaborates on why the author categorizes the book as adventure literature. “Despite the fictional nature of the book, there's an element of legend to it when we consider the settings and characters. If we set aside the depiction of a profound story, it can certainly be seen as an adventure, as it follows a journey on a train where various events unfold”.

Guzel Yakhina's book stirred up significant attention in the Russian literary world due to its relatively unexplored and somewhat controversial subject matter.