Death and the Penguin (Panther)

by ,

English language

Published Aug. 25, 2002

ISBN:
978-1-86046-945-9
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4 stars (4 reviews)

Death and the Penguin is a novel by Ukrainian author Andrey Kurkov. Originally published in 1996 in Russian (as Смерть постороннего, Smert' postoronnego), it was translated and published in English in 2001. The events of the novel take place in 1996 and 1997 in Kyiv. It is a bleak, satirical work with surreal elements and dark humour. The novel became Kurkov's most famous work, translated into more than 30 languages. In 1997, the novel was translated into German and published by the Swiss publishing house Diogenes, and it was for the German-language edition that Picknick auf dem Eis first appeared. The novel was first published in Ukrainian under the title Death of a Stranger in 2000, translated by Lesya Gerasymchuk. The Ukrainian translation of the novel, published between the Dutch (in the Netherlands) and Traditional Chinese (in Taiwan) editions, became the first Ukrainian translation of any Kurkov book.

7 editions

reviewed Death and the Penguin (Panther) by Andrey Kurkov

Do read it :)

5 stars

A friend found this for 30p in an out-of-the-way charity shop and got it for on the basis of it being a very good deal and being unsure how to pronounce the author's name (and therefore I'd like it). It's sat on the shelf all these years, but I'm very glad he did. Quietly absurdist, yet feels well grounded in the realities of time and place. Pacing, flow and details are excellent; exceptionally well written and translated. Don't find out more about it, wondering what is going on is part of its appeal, just read it :)

reviewed Death and the Penguin (Panther) by Andrey Kurkov

Darkly amusing

4 stars

My first by this author, and it won't be the last. In post-Soviet Ukraine, Viktor lives a lonely life with the penguin he rescued from the zoo. Then he is offered a lucrative job compiling obituaries for a newspaper. It soon becomes apparent that all is not as it seems, as Viktor becomes embroiled in the shady criminal world of Kyiv. I was reminded of Bulgakov and Kafka in the way ludicrous events are presented in a flat, matter-of-fact tone. There are moments of poignancy and humour too. And of course, the novel seems ever more relevant now.

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4 stars