“Death And The Penguin” (1996) by Andrey Kurkov

After the long hot Summer HBG relocated to Lierna off the shore of Lake Como to discuss Tristan’s Summer sizzlers which had a distinctly Ukrainian vibe 

BOOK: “Death And The Penguin” (1996) by Andrey Kurkov

 Death and the Penguin is a novel by Ukrainian author Andrey Kurkov. Originally published in 1996 in Russian, it was translated and published in English in 2001. It is a bleak, satirical work with surreal elements and dark humour, and is also credited by The Independent's Lesley Chamberlain as being one of the texts to "get Russian literature going again after the post-Soviet hiatus”

Viktor’s pet penguin, Misha, is a marvellous creation who symbolises the confusion and loss of community that characterises post-Soviet Ukraine. Just as Misha the penguin is cut off from his natural, collective and co-opeative environment so Viktor is struggling to survive in a city that is confusing and unwelcoming to its human population.

On the face of it 'Death and the Penguin’ should be quite depressing given the environment and the plot and yet where Andrey Kurkov  really succeeds is in making it really readable, amusing and a bit of a page turner. It's blackly comic critique of post-Soviet corruption in Ukraine - and the inevitable bleakness -  is actually all part of the novel’s appeal. 

So, far from being depressing,  'Death and the Penguin’ is actually very readable, amusing and quietly rails against the world it describes. 

We also enjoyed the details of Ukrainian habits and culture: for example the interlude at the dasha, and the way pretty much every social interaction involves drinking

In short, it’s a charming, gripping, original, funny and provocative absurdist novel. 

Tristan 6/10

Keith 6/10

Nick 6/10

Roland 5/10

Robin 7.5/10

Hamish 8/10

Nigel 8/10

MUSIC: “Light” (2010) by DakhaBrakha

Light is the third studio album by the Ukrainian folk music band DakhaBrakha. It was released in 2010.

^ Robin / Roland / Keith - WTF?!

FILM: “Everything Is Illuminated” (2005)

Everything Is Illuminated is a 2005 biographical drama film, written and directed by Liev Schreiber and starring Elijah Wood and Eugene Hütz. It was adapted from the novel of the same name by Jonathan Safran Foer, and was the debut film of Liev Schreiberboth as a director and as a screenwriter.

^ Nick / Keith - WTF?!

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More Lake Como shots....