Book Review

Death and the Penguin

By Andrey Kurkov

Published by Vintage

Viktor and Misha share a small flat in Kiev, the former trying – unsuccessfully – to get his work published, the latter standing quietly behind the green sofa, staring at the wall.

One day, the Editor-in-Chief of Capital News rings Viktor with a lucrative proposal: he wants him to write obituaries of still-living people, basing them on notes supplied by the Chief.

Viktor accepts without asking too many questions. Soon, however, his involvement in the scheme has disturbing repercussions: he is ‘asked’ to look after four-year-old Sonya (the daughter of one of Chief’s associates), and, when the subjects of his obituaries start dying, has to attend the funerals with Misha in tow as a mascot.

Then, as the gravity of Viktor’s situation dawns on him, poor Misha falls ill.

Kurkov’s black comedy is an understated masterpiece. His deadpan style is perfectly suited to Viktor and Misha’s melancholic outlook on life. Viktor almost sleepwalks into trouble, but his life is so dull that he gives little consideration to the consequences of his actions.

However, all the characters in the book are disarmingly polite and cheery despite the grim nature of their lives and occupations. Reading this book is, in fact, a curiously uplifting experience.

As Audrey, who recommended Death and the Penguin to me, so eloquently put it, 'this is surely the best ever short novel about an adorable penguin and his involvement in the Mafia – a truly heart-warming tale’.

Reviewed by James Smith, Booktrust website editor

Two other novels by Andrey Kurkov

In Penguin Lost, the sequel to Death and the Penguin, Viktor finds himself once more out of his depth, this time helping out in an election campaign.

A Matter of Death and Life is about a man who hires a contract killer to murder him, but then changes his mind.

Translator: George Bird