Destiny of Dreams: Time Is Dear is an eye-opening look at the long-lasting effects of religious persecution on a hardworking Armenian family from those dark years at the turn of the century, and then again in the 1960s. Hrant is but a young boy watching his family try to escape genocide. Rather than becoming embittered and filled with hate, Hrant allows the lessons taught by his parents, such as love and empathy, to shape the man he becomes. Moving forward several decades, 13-year-old Cassie is plagued by nighttime terrors. The nightmares are affecting her school performance and her attitude. Her grandparents, particularly Grampa Hrant, step in to help Cassie through the difficult time. The elegantly intertwined journey through both time periods intersects in ways both heartbreaking and heartwarming.
Borne from the devastating history of her own family, Cathy Burnham Martin presents readers with a story that is tragically more fact than fiction. The characters and culture of the Gulumian family are rich and warm, in stark contrast to the cold world where they find themselves, a world divided by deep-seated religious beliefs and prejudices. Hrant may be a young boy when we get to know him in the story, but his resilience and courage are larger than life. The detailed history included in Destiny of Dreams: Time Is Dear is solid, but too little outer dialogue and too much inner dialogue slows the pacing of an important account. Cassie is quite different from her grandfather, and her conflicted emotions overshadow powerful moments of connection between the two. However, the strong family bonds and the lovely heritage are firmly intact. Two stories unified by one spirit, Destiny of Dreams: Time Is Dear is not simply a story of strife, but it is a beautiful portrayal of faith, inner strength, and dignity.
