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cgreenstein's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This book has no plot, which is a bit of a hurdle when, like me, you read mainly for plot, but once I realized that this was a story about the stories of a slowly dying, isolated, traditional, rural Armenian village, then I was able to get on board to enjoy the vivid cast of characters in all their ordinary foibles, humorous idiosyncrasies, and mystical encounters. While the first 2/3 were veeeeery slow and disconnected, I enjoyed the last third of the book very much, and I wouldn't have if the first 2/3 hadn't laid the groundwork for caring about the characters and setting up the eventual understated-but-satisfying payoffs. (But seriously, the first 2/3 are slow.) If you read for language and to immerse yourself in a different time and place, this is a good book to pick up.
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Infertility, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, and Sexism
ghilimei's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Blood, Grief, Death, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Child death and Death of parent
Minor: War
flyintothestorm's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death and Grief
Moderate: Domestic abuse, War, and Sexual violence
nicoleines's review against another edition
4.5
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Animal death, and Child death
augdafrog's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Domestic abuse, and Child death
steveatwaywords's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
But of course, this is not what Abgaryan is about, merely. As with its people, readers must allow this work to unfold slowly on its own terms. Don't look for an actionable plot or a direction for resolution of conflict here. Each character, richly revealed through memory and routine, grows or fails to, understands or not, reaches out or lives apart, and asks for little more than is found underfoot. Keep waiting, reader, through the better part of its pages, thinking you may at last have put your finger on a theme or significance.
But that expectation, too, may be thwarted. There is magic here, a mystery or four, a suspicion, a new uncovering perhaps, but this, too, happens on its own terms, and we may not recognize it at first or for some time after, just as its characters. And what we make of it, too, may be hope or resignation, satisfaction or love, but at least the promise of something more.
As you can tell, this is not a traditional novel, but I recommend it for the experience of it, not the "novel" of it, and that may be its highest compliment.
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
Minor: War
bookwyrmknits's review against another edition
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Blood, and Grief
Minor: War and Death
196books's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Moderate: Blood, Death, Domestic abuse, and Child death
lindseyhall44's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
5.0
which is both life affirming and a testament to story telling. Brimmed with love, grief, and eventual joy, Three Apples Fell from the sky gives us the power to face tomorrow full of optimism.
I would highly, highly recommend (after checking trigger warnings)!
*Reminds me a lot of One Hundred Years of Solitude (but less dark).
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death of parent, Child death, Infertility, Animal death, Blood, Death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, War, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
ladymirtazapine's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Child death, Pregnancy, Animal death, Blood, Death, Infertility, Medical content, War, and Grief