author of The Hidden Mary Chamberlain
'I loved this! A tender and quirky tale of stoicism, resilience and love... The ultimate feel-good story of an unlikely romance and the warmth of a community, drawn with humour, empathy and an earthy, magical charm.'
Asian Review of Books
'A poignant, bittersweet, fable-like story... The strongest message that shines through this finely translated novel is that resignation need not lead to cynicism.'
author of Laurus Eugene Vodolazkin
'Suffused with kindness, humour, subtlety and understated finesse.'
New European
'Abgaryan's affectionate portrayal of rural rhythms and unlikely romance is an absolute joy.'
End of the Word blogspot
'A magical novel. It manages to be life-affirming without descending into cheap sentimentality... Abgaryan achieves this challenging balance in part through the beauty of the novel's prose, which mimics the oral storytelling of myths and legends.'
La Couleur des Mots blog (France)
'A perfect book for anyone who wants to learn more about Armenia: its customs, its beliefs, traditions and history... A heartfelt, delicate novel.'
meduza.io
'Abgaryan’s work conveys a deep belief in the resilience of humanity without glossing over the horrors of human conflict.'
Foreword Reviews
'A charming novel... [It] teems with minor characters whose quirks are at times amusing and at times heartbreaking... A warm-hearted story about family, friendship, and community.'
The Book Trail
'A quiet song of a novel. A novel that opens and lingers... that sweeps over you like a wave on a beach.'
Ma Lecturothèque (France)
'A superb novel... I urge you to read it.'
The Common
'To render the richness of Maran’s culture, translator Lisa C. Hayden confidently navigates the linguistic complexities of this book... Her translation is visual and sensory... Dramatic and humorous.'
Asymptote Journal
'Abgaryan's folktale [is] so improbably of the moment... [her] leisurely, painstaking prose — in Hayden’s lyrical translation — is an added gift for readers at the moment, because it prompts us to adjust to the 'measured pace of existence' that is now also our own.'
author of The Big Green Tent Ludmila Ulitskaya
'Read this book. It's balm for the soul.'
Russia Beyond
'The novel’s plot consists of multiple stories of very ordinary but bold and beautiful people, with so much love and humour that cannot fail to go away feeling positive and uplifted.'
Faith Sullivan
'At the charming heart of Three Apples Fell from the Sky, pulses the certain knowledge that 'it takes a village' – a village to bleed, to weep, and, finally, to laugh and celebrate as one.'
Un Univers de Livres blog (France)
'Abgaryan's descriptions are beautifully written... I couldn't put this book down.'
Prestaplume (France)
'A novel about ordinary life, written with extraordinary sensitivity and tenderness.'
author of The Big Green Tent Lyudmila Ulitskaya
‘Read this book. It's balm for the soul.’
