Rob Spence reviewed Death and the Penguin (Panther) by Andrey Kurkov
Death and the Penguin is a novel by Ukrainian author Andrey Kurkov. Originally published in …
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.
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.