I just finished Death and the Penguin. I heard and interview with the author Andrey Kurkov on the BBC one night. I thought it was a delightful novel. It's an examination of life in Ukraine post USSR, set in 1995ish. It uses the vehicle of a penguin named Misha to represent the common man as the Soviet Union broke up. Misha stands mutely, shuffling around unhappily. He accepts his frozen fish, and never has any purpose in his days. There is a strong criticism against Russia, corruption, and oligarchs in the book.
Anyone else ever read the book?
Anyone else ever read the book?
