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eccles's review
challenging
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Utterly incomprehensible, as I suppose modern Russian literature is supposed to be. I’m guessing it’s allegorical somehow, in some absurdist vein, but the allusions are lost on me. The work is built on four independent threads: the sailor walking for years dragging the Fuse, an undying searchlight crew forever travelling through the dark, the “frying pan” pair lost in the wilderness and the ever-present, ever-floating airship. Each set of characters is sympathetic and engaging in their own obscure way, and there is a gentle, dreamlike quality to the surrealism that wafts even the most impatient reader onward. I suppose I should sit with it a while, but I’m left slightly irritated with the investment.
sarahcapa's review
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
geesummer's review against another edition
4.0
I’m not sure I know entirely what happened in this book, but I don’t think it matters. I truly went on a journey while reading this, one where I was constantly asking questions only to have them never answered while reading. It wasn’t until days or weeks had passed that I started finding my answers. This book deserves to be read more than once, although I still think the answers will arrive days later. The Bickford Fuse will clearly stay with me for the rest of my life. Kurkov is both a genius and a poet.
louisec's review
adventurous
challenging
funny
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
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