Monday, November 06, 2006

Death and the Penguin - Andrey Kurkov

Andrey Kurkov’s Death and the Penguin is a very Russian satire, set in the city of Kiev.

Viktor is a writer. But economic necessity means he writes obituaries for a newspaper, and not short stories. But writing about death in advance of it happening is a tricky business - involving the Russian mafia, lots of killing and plenty of vodka.

Viktor neither comes across as a hero nor a villain. But he does share his life with a penguin that’ll make you smile.

Check out Kurkov’s other translated work: Penguin Lost, The Case of the General’s Thumb and A Matter of Death and Life.

1 comment:

Alan in Belfast (Alan Meban) said...

It was good for a reading in bed in a strange hotel room.

Tried any of Pennac's stuff - the Malaussène series?