Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

Y del cielo cayeron tres manzanas by Narine Abgaryan

4 reviews

cgreenstein's review against another edition

hopeful reflective slow-paced

• 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 refers to Romani people with a racial slur and characterizes them stereotypically, just as a heads-up. It's not the focus of the book, but it does pop up for several short sections. I don't know enough about the cultural context of the book to judge to what extent this language and characterization is exoticization vs. racism vs. what modern Western readers would label a tone-deaf attempt to depict a minority group through the lens of the majority group that's then filtered through the prism of something that's set over the course of the late 1800s through to the 1960s or 70s.

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.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Infertility, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, and Sexism

darumachan's review against another edition

sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

this book is quiet, but by no means gentle-- despite reading the reviews of it I was not prepared for the physical and social violence that was in store. I suppose the constantly neutral tone and broad scope created distance for the reader, as with a fairytale, but the residents of this village seemed very spiteful and ill-intentioned toward one another and reading it felt like being trapped in a beige nightmare.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Child death, Physical abuse, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, War, Excrement, and Sexual violence

Racist descriptions of Romani; crude and ignorant descriptions of mental health

lindseyhall44's review against another edition

emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

5.0

A beautiful, fable-esque novel
 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).

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Content Warnings

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

cthornhill's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I cannot stop smiling having finished this book. It has warmed me, body and soul. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood

Moderate: Death and Death of parent

Minor: Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infertility, Medical content, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, and Sexual violence