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jesstherese's review against another edition
challenging
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
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.
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.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Infertility, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, and Sexism
ghilimei's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Grief, Death, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Child death and Death of parent
Minor: War
hochstaplerin's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
flyintothestorm's review
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Grief
Moderate: Domestic abuse, War, and Sexual violence
emybooksandcoffee's review against another edition
4.0
How I love when I read obscure hidden gems like that! An amazing family saga of a country most people know nothing about. Beautiful characters and descriptions. Could have used a little more dialogue but so be it. It was narrated like a fairytale, even though most of the events that happened to these people were beyond tragic.
andra17's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
wjecky18's review against another edition
5.0
I started this as a way of getting my mind of fantasy books for a little bit. I honestly wasn’t expecting to like it but this is such an ordinary, heartwarming story about a little village in the Armenian mountains and about a small and close community of people doing ordinary things and surviving and living ordinary events. I am truly smitten.