Death and the Penguin (Panther)
Andrey Kurkov
A BBC Two Between the Covers Pick
'A tragicomic masterpiece' Daily Telegraph
All that stands between one man and murder by the mafia is a penguin.
Viktor is an aspiring writer in Ukraine with only Misha, his pet penguin, for company.
Although Viktor would prefer to write short stories, he earns a living composing obituaries for a newspaper. He longs to see his work published, yet the subjects of his obituaries continue to cling to life.
But when Viktor opens the newspaper to see his work in print for the first time, his pride swiftly turns to terror. Viktor and Misha have been drawn into a trap from which there appears to be no escape.
'A striking portrait of post-Soviet isolation... In this bleak moral landscape Kurkov manages to find ample refuge for his dark humour' New York Times
Product Details
About Andrey Kurkov
Reviews for Death and the Penguin (Panther)
The Times
A chilling black comedy
Guardian
A striking portrait of post-Soviet isolation... In this bleak moral landscape Kurkov manages to find ample refuge for his dark humour
New York Times
A minor tragi-comic masterpiece
Daily Telegraph
A brilliant satirical take on life in modern-day Kiev. Watch out, though, as Kurkov's writing style is highly addictive
Punch
'Our anti-hero finds himself writing obituaries for soon to be deceased undesirables in the chaotic and dangerous modern Ukraine, macaberly observed by his depressed pet King Penguin Misha. Immensely readable with terrifically dark humour, loved it.'
Wayne Winstone, Ottakars
One of my favourite novels of all time
Misha Glenny