I'm not entirely sure if this charming novel is in fact magical realism, but it certainly verges on it, and I get the same feeling from it as I often get from other magical realist texts, so why not. There's not, it must be said, a great deal of plot here. Just a tiny, isolated village in the mountains of Armenia, and how the small population struggles to survive there when earthquakes, mudslides, famine, and the conflicts of the outside world strip that village of its population over generations. I don't know that I'd call it "delightful," because it is in many places too sad for that, but that sadness is beautifully leavened by joy and genuine friendships, and the strongly drawn relationships between the inhabitants of Maran are the real strength of this book. It's warm and sad and there's a lovely romance between two older people who are basically looking not to die alone, but who are surprised to find that their relationship is more satisfying than they could ever expect.

There's something very kind about the tone of this book, and I appreciate that. It's going on my to-buy list, that's for sure, once this copy goes back to the library.