A review by tomaxhull
Grey Bees by Andrey Kurkov

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Slow-paced, but always interesting, with a dry understated wit and some lovely turns of phrase in the translation. It takes a while to work out where (if anywhere) this story is going, but you do feel at ease matching the pace of Kurkov's placid protagonist and the small happenings of his life. The book nicely skirts painting  a picture of war on some overwrought grander scale, there are no daring heroes or awful villains; it stays within the lives of real people, and the skilful metaphor it's building towards only emerges when it's earned its place.