Literature expert Hasmik Hakobyan's extensive professional reference to Susanna Harutyunyan's book "The Guilty Past of the Forest"

Literature expert Hasmik Hakobyan emphasizes in her article that Susanna Harutyunyan's prose is characterized by cinematic thinking and an elaborate image system. The story commences with a depiction of a specific event, followed by an exploration of its context and descriptions of preceding occurrences.

"The titles also adhere to this logic, such as: "One Day Ago", "That Happy Day", and so forth. The protagonist of the story "That Happy Day", Thero, believes she is the spark that continues to inspire her husband Varazdat. However, she leaps from the balcony upon witnessing Varazdat's shock as he drops and shatters a glass upon learning of the death of his former classmate, Flor. "It seemed to Thero that only upon his demise would the cup fall so utterly from her husband's hand and break into pieces on the floor like that" (p. 97). Through her adept writing, the author unveils the hidden emotions of the characters' souls through the fragments of the shattered glass and Varazdat's restrained tears, providing a poignant depiction of the human psyche."

Some stories conclude with an "unfinished" ending, maintaining the mystery and intrigue woven throughout the narrative, as seen in the story "Khuluhamr". According to the book reviewer, this sense of mystery is a hallmark of Susanna Harutyunyan's other works too. In her novel "Andranik's Last Horse", there is a richness in mysterious episodes. This authorial approach imbues originality into her works, which are further enriched by displays of stylistic diversity.

"The story "Vuvuzel", which is about the revolution of 2018, stands out for its polyphony and diversity of perspectives. This historical event is presented from the point of view of the daily life and biographical circumstances of one individual, Vahe, but others have also been noticed”.

The literary critic highlights the author's unique approach to selecting titles, noting their characteristic nature and occasional semantic duality, which adds depth to the reader's interpretation. A prime example is found in the story "The Red Line". “Here, the title prompts contemplation on whether the teacher Mamo transgressed a moral boundary by subjecting students to grueling mathematics exercises or if it was the nurse's betrayal that led to his condemnation upon returning from exile. Drawing its title from the Spanish "Bullfight", the narrative delves into the daily disputes among women, where the argument's subject matter becomes trivial compared to the habit of contention itself, persisting even after one of them passes away”.

The literary expert highlights Susanna Harutyunyan's adeptness in character creation, emphasizing the interplay between plot development, authorial intent, and linguistic style. “Notably, the stories exhibit a rich linguistic and stylistic diversity that contributes to comprehensive character descriptions. Linguistic techniques for character portrayal can be categorized into lexical and syntactic subgroups. Through careful selection and manipulation of language, the author achieves immediacy and expressiveness in character dialogue. Certain syntactic structures and deviations are strategically employed to broaden the spectrum of communication and reveal hidden psychological depths within the characters”.

Hasmik Hakobyan highlights the distinctiveness of Harutyunyan's short story collection "The Guilty Past of the Forest," noting its modern thematic relevance, documentary content, and stylistic and structural diversity, which collectively contribute to the cohesive narrative. The author's focus extends beyond mere portrayal of phenomena; rather, she delves into the boundaries of individual agency within historical contexts, exploring philosophical and psychological dimensions of both individuals and reality.