Play Book Tag discussion

Three Apples Fell from the Sky by Narine Abgaryan - My Review

The title comes from an Armenian proverb and the book is structured according to each line: “As has been established in Maran legends since time immemorial, the night will drop them to earth from the sky: one apple for the one who saw, another for the one who told the story, and a third for the one who listened and believed in what is good.”

It is a story of people living in the remote mountainous Armenian village of Maran, where communications are sparse, natural calamities are numerous, and the people in the community must look out for each other. Time seems to have stopped in an earlier era. As the story opens, fifty-something Anatolia has decided it is time to die but the people of the village reach out to her, and soon she rediscovers her optimism. The second part revolves around a couple whose grandson is the only child-survivor of the great famine. In the third part, the first two storylines converge.

The writing is wonderful and provides a flavor of the traditions of the village:
“A table set for a wake stood under a sprawling nut tree and the edges of the tablecloth fluttered. There was nothing on it now but empty dishes and salt cellars; food would be brought out immediately after the funeral. One of the old women would stand by the gate, toss a towel over her shoulder, place a bucket of water next to herself, and wait patiently. Each person returning from the cemetery would approach her and cup their hands. She would scoop out a mugful of water and pour it into their outstretched hands, washing away the cemetery’s sorrow. After rinsing, they would wipe their hands on the towel hanging from her shoulder, and only then would they go into the yard, where the wake table awaited, set according to all the rules.”

It has a fable-like quality, with a dash of magical realism. Even though it contains multiple tragedies, the people succeed in retaining a hopeful optimism. It contains beautiful descriptions of the region, food, and customs. I read the English translation from the original Russian by Lisa C. Hayden. If you are looking for a timeless uplifting read that never descends into over-sentimentality, give this one a try.