Newmag presents the Armenian publication of Guzel Yakhina’s “Zuleikha Opens Her Eyes” novel (trailer in Armenian)

The script of “Zuleikha Opens Her Eyes” book is developed around a young woman; whose name is Zuleikha. The actions in the novel begin in 1930. The young Tatar family becomes one of the many victims of the Stalin regime. Zuleikha watches as her husband is murdered by communists. Zuleikha herself is sent into exile in Siberia. She goes through monstrous difficulties, miraculously survives, and receives the "ordinary female happiness" that has been given to her.

The exiled uneducated peasants, intellectuals and criminals, Muslims and Christians, pagans and atheists, Russians, Germans, Tatars, all of them gather near the coast of Angara River in Siberia. In the endless taiga, every day they fought against the harsh nature and the ruthless state, defending their right to live. The second part of the novel is a survival story about people, who barely survived without food or shelter in the taiga near the coast of Angara River. 

The stories of homeless people with unknown fates became the plot of Guzel Yakhina's novel. The source of inspiration for the book was the story of an old woman, who survived the Siberian exile. All the stories included in the book are in the time frame of 1930-1946. Guzel Yakhina was able to present the controversial topic of the horrors of the Stalin period with historical accuracy and sensitivity.

For almost two years Guzel Yakhina studied historical events and archival documents. The book was written in 8 months. The book became a bestseller a few months after its publication. Within two years it was translated into 20 languages. Guzel Yakhina is a winner of the Big Book literary prize and the Yasnaya Polyana Literary Award.