Review of 'Three Apples Fell From the Sky' by Narine Abgaryan

I really liked this book. It reminded me so much of a time that I wasn't even a part of, but I became familiar with through the stories of my grandparents and even my parents. I also remember not too long ago reading a similar piece by Ivailo Petrov (Преди да се родя и след смъртта ми) that transported me to a time when everything was so simplistically chaotic. This book meant a lot to me because it has charm and gave me the chance to take a look into another culture and see the similarities between our people, our rituals, and all the rich connections. While reading the book, I had to remind myself that the story is not set in Bulgaria. I guess the times were different, and we were much more alike than we are now? 

Spoilers ahead. 

I didn't expect the rush with by far my favorite character, Anatolia, who started the story dying, but as the story progressed, she delivered a life at the end of it. Anatolia was involved in such an interesting storyline that I remember thinking sometimes, "let’s go back to her, I want to know more about what happened to her." Of course, all the characters were a bit cuckoo, and they had funny and dramatic moments throughout, which only added more relatability and heart to the story. "If God wants to punish, he will first take away the mind." We all feel a bit cuckoo almost every day. So, it was refreshing that the author was going for it. 

The stories felt real even as the book continued with all it's craziness. I really believe that the author had a trip to this village and went through all of their journals or spoke with at least some of them in order to collect this reality that she presented to me in her book. I almost didn't want to leave this village, this cozy place, until Nastasya came into the story. She felt different, a bit modern; I bet she was the author. And everything the author wrote about the character, she experienced on her trip to Maran. It felt like she broke the spell of the book, and I don't blame her. In my mind, she infused her own reality with the one she had heard about, the one she was presenting incredibly well. I took it with a bit of disappointment because all that I cared about was this warm feeling of being a fly on the wall and watch some other people go crazy for a change, but with the selfish realism of Nastasya, I was bound to leave the landscape for a while. Of course, I am not complaining; with all the characters of Maran, I recognized a bit of myself in all of them. Valinka, anyone? 

Spoilers end. 

Going through all my bookmarks is a great reminder of what I felt during and after this book, so make a dozen for yourself, and I laughed and I smiled. I strongly recommend to my fellow Bulgarians to read the book in Bulgarian; I can’t imagine it being better in English. I guess we really have a lot in common with our Armenian brothers and sisters. 

   For whom did the three apples fall from the sky? 

One for the teller of the story, one for the listener, and the third for the one who 'took it to heart. 

Beautiful.

Iliya Badev