Death and the Penguin

Jan 15, 2026 7:10 PM

Author: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

Reviews

A tragicomic masterpiece

—— Daily Telegraph

The deadpan tone works perfectly and it will be a hard-hearted reader who is not touched by Viktor's relationship with his unusual pet

—— The Times

A black comedy of rare dinstinction and the penguin is an invention of genius

—— Spectator

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

—— Martin Booth , 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

A great fun summer read

—— Woman

Imaginative and transporting, but entirely unfussy and unsentimental, the novel is written with a glint in the eye that gives it that extra bit of wind beneath its wings

—— Nicola Barr , Guardian

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