Some books you read, some books you breathe...
I was hesitant to start reading "Simon" due to the inclusion of an adultery theme. Typically, I'm not a fan of love triangles, and despite my admiration for Narine Abgarian's writing, I felt a bit of reluctance. I'm happy I got over it, because, as stated above, this is one of those books you breathe. but it doesn't dominate the storyline; rather, it serves as a catalyst to drive change. Each of the four women (five, including Simon's wife, Melania) who encounter Simon undergoes a profound personal transformation, embarking on a path of self-discovery, and Simon's death brings them all together, providing an opportunity for healing.
Widow Silvia's locket. One would think her fate unfair - Silvia, brought up in a warm and loving family, academically gifted and with a bright future ahead of her, ends up in a loveless marriage with a psychologically abusive partner, whose nomenclaturist family helped him confine her into a mental institution and separate her from her baby. When she meets Simon, she is isolated and shattered by her experiences, and hasn't seen her daughter since she was a baby. Simon becomes the catalyst for Silvia to experience unconditional love and begin the process of healing her wounded spirit - as well as reconnecting with her past. It was a heart-warming story, one that also delves into the unbreakable bond between mother and daughter, that deeply touched me.
Eliza's perfume. Eliza, the youngest of three sisters, defied expectations from the start; anticipated to be a boy, she instead emerged as a gentle and absent-minded girl with an inclination for domestic chores. She married young, with a man whose parents wanted to separate him from his lover, finding affection with her in-laws but coldness from her spouse. Her connection with Simon came later in life, following a divorce and her children's departure to America. Simon played a pivotal role in helping her to see her own beauty and femininity and to reconcile with her past. A melancholic story of self-discovery.
Sofia's pearls. Unhappy marriages seem to be the norm for Simon's lovers - Sofia's early marriage, motivated not by affection but by her desire to don the dress, to a man of notably lesser social standing, is no exception. This union was further strained by their shared heartbreak over their inability to have children. Sofia's yearning for her husband, who had taken up work in Kazakhstan, sent her into Simon's arms, where she found a new sense of purpose. This is the story I felt less involved in, though it is hearts-warming in its own right.
Susanna's drawings. Susanna and Simon were on the path to marriage when a harrowing event caused Simon to flee, resulting in Susanna being coerced into marrying her assailant as a means to quell the gossip. Simon ended up marrying Melania, who was Susanna's friend since childhood. As time passed, Simon and Susanna found their way back to each other, with him becoming a source of comfort and a means to ease her tormenting dreams. Among all the narratives, Susanna's story struck the deepest chord with me.
It astonishes me how Narine Abgarian has crafted characters of such depth, complexity, and relatability, along with their intricate life stories, within the confines of a relatively brief book. Each narrative possesses enough substance and emotional depth to stand alone as its own novel, richly woven with the full spectrum of human aspirations, dreams, and sufferings. Furthermore, the characters who orbit these women's lives—Simon, Melania, and even the cross-eyed Vardanuș, who, much like Simon, leaves a significant mark on the lives of these women—are portrayed with striking vividness and realism.
Once more, just as in "Three Apples Fell from the Sky", the setting itself becomes a character. Abgarian chose her hometown of Berd as the backdrop for unfolding the tales of these characters, where every street, house, and tree is intricately woven into the narrative. The depiction of Armenia, spanning both the Soviet era and its aftermath, resonates deeply with me and likely with anyone who comes from the post-communist space. The author has masterfully created a vibrant, almost cinematic world, rich with the scents of Armenian cuisine and the languid warmth of summer days. I found myself falling in love all over again with her complex, lyrical, yet incisively sharp writing, dotted with effervescent humor, that made me feel part of these women's stories.