Death and the Penguin
As seen:
By Andrey Kurkov
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1 review
All that stands between one man and murder by the mafia is a penguin.
Viktor is an aspiring writer 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 he opens the newspaper to see his work in print for the first time, his pride swiftly turns to terror. He and Misha have been drawn into a trap from which there appears to be no escape.
‘A tragicomic masterpiece’ Daily Telegraph
‘A black comedy of rare distinction and the penguin is an invention of genius’ Spectator
WITH A FOREWORD BY THE AUTHOR
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This unusual and original book from Ukrainian writer Andrey Kurkov is captivating. It centres on the life of Victor, who lives in his small, high-rise apartment alone, save for the penguin he rescued from the state zoo when it was closing.
The narrative follows Viktor's increasingly dangerous job as a journalist, alongside his methodical love and care of his penguin. Viktor has ideas about how he should protect and nurture the animal, stealing out at night to break the ice on the Dnieper river, to allow it to swim and buying the best fish he can afford.
There has been suggestion that Kurkov's penguin is a metaphor for Ukraine and the final part of the story could certainly lend itself to the notion. The incongruity of the penguin in Viktor's life and his care of the mute, calm and poised animal, watching silently from across the room, could arguably be a characterisation of Ukraine's position - historically - in the USSR. There is a sense of waiting in the story and a certain secrecy to everything Viktor does, belied by his role as a journalist. Ultimately, this is a wonderfully written story, whatever its implied message!
I would highly recommend this title.
