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Reviews tagging 'Death'
Три ябълки паднаха от небето by Емилия Л. Масларова, Иван Масларов, Наринэ Абгарян, Narine Abgaryan
12 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.
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
flyintothestorm's review against another edition
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
nicoleines's review against another edition
slow-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Animal death, and Child death
augdafrog's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Domestic abuse, and Child death
steveatwaywords's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- 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
There are many who love this work, and I can understand its appeal. And I admit, I would never have chosen this book on my own from its premise: a small village in Armenia, slowly aging into extinction, and the lives of those who pass away there.
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.
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
Minor: War
bookwyrmknits's review against another edition
So far, I have yet to see the good times mentioned in the book's summary. There has been death and war and famine and blood and domestic abuse. I'm sure there is some charm to be found in this story, but I don't have the patience to look for it under all of this grim description of bad times.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Blood, and Grief
Minor: War and Death
196books's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
slow-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Death, Domestic abuse, and Child death
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).
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).
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
ladymirtazapine's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Child death, Pregnancy, Animal death, Blood, Death, Infertility, Medical content, War, and Grief