Hambardzumyan weaves universal and Armenian themes in bilingual ‘Top Ten Stories’
Diana Hambardzumyan’s Top Ten Stories lives up to its title while offering far more than expected. Far from being a conventional collection, these stories open a window into contemporary life, Armenian culture and the layered complexities of identity.
Published in Montreal as a bilingual edition in Eastern Armenian and English, the book presents 10 carefully crafted stories that showcase Hambardzumyan’s sensitivity to detail and emotion.
The range is striking, moving from quiet family tensions and personal memories to broader societal shifts shaped by the pull between tradition and modernity. Each story stands alone, yet all are connected by a quiet strength—whether in confronting loss, protecting dignity or finding meaning in everyday moments. Throughout the collection, she weaves a rich emotional tapestry of heartbreak, irony, compassion and subtle humor, all seamlessly integrated into distinctly Armenian contexts.
Hambardzumyan’s unique narrative voice captivates throughout. She glides from dreamlike nostalgia to razor-sharp observations of everyday life with remarkable fluidity. This distinctive dual tone shines in her environmental descriptions, whether portraying urban corners or rural landscapes. Across these varied settings, her characters grapple with universal human concerns: loss, belonging and the search for identity.
The English translations, handled by eight different translators, show varying degrees of success. Some passages flow naturally in English, while others feel stiff or overly literal. Despite this unevenness, all translations remain accessible, allowing readers to follow each narrative without difficulty. Minor editorial refinements like reducing pronoun repetition, adjusting word order or naturalizing certain phrases would have created a more harmonious reading experience.
Among the collection’s standout pieces is ‘The Donkey Who Went to Jerusalem Forty Times,’ masterfully translated by Nayiri Hakhverdian. Here, Hambardzumyan blends humor and compassion to explore a character’s desperate yearning to transform from ‘donkey’ to ‘horse.’ The protagonist doggedly follows the same path year after year, convinced that mere repetition can alter his fate. The surrounding community’s skepticism and life’s mounting challenges reveal the painful truth that external changes alone cannot transform one’s essential nature. Through this donkey-horse metaphor, Hambardzumyan gently satirizes the illusion that transformation can occur without genuine effort and self-awareness.
Top Ten Stories stands as a brilliant contribution to contemporary Armenian literature. Throughout these narratives, Hambardzumyan combines intuitive sensitivity, emotional depth and gentle yet persistent optimism. The bilingual presentation makes these profoundly human themes accessible to a broader audience. By skillfully interweaving traditional and modern elements, Hambardzumyan cements her reputation as an essential voice in today’s Armenian literary landscape.
This review was originally published in Torontohye (#212, April 2025) in Western Armenian.
Rupen Janbazian
Thank you so much, Rupen! Hope your review will inspire more readers to read my book.