A review by roberto
Death and the Penguin by Andrey Kurkov

dark reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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.