Penguin Lost continues straight after the cliffhanger ending of Death and the Penguin, continuing Victor Zolotaryov’s adventures in post-Soviet Ukraine in the early 2010s (nearly two decades before the current president, Zelensky, was elected with his anti-corruption pledges). Misha the Penguin is indeed lost for most of the story so it focuses on Victor’s morally passive experiences of the corrupt broken society of Ukraine and neighbouring Russia, including war-torn Chechnya. Like the first book, it is an absurdist, satirical fable that meanders along as Victor resumes his search for Misha. Originally called “Snail’s Law”, it depicts a world where those with wealth and power enjoy shell-like protection but others risk being squashed like a slug unless they can find a way to protect themselves.

It was difficult to read at the beginning, but when Victor finally left Kiev, then all went very quickly and very interesting. I want 3rd part

Kommt nicht an "Picknick auf dem Eis" heran.

The sequel to Death and the Penguin...maybe even quirkier than the first one! Victor tries to find Misha the penquin after stealing the penquin’s place on a trip back to Antarctica. Started slowly for me, but eventually sucked me in.

"For three months I didn't touch a newspaper, and started drinking. And now see what they write! In Russia 10,000 die annually from drinking home-brewed vodka, and in Ukraine 4000. How about that, then?" page 182

69th book of 2023.

Death and the Penguin is pretty much my best read of the year so far. I edited my review of it the other day because I was on the beach with a Frenchwoman my father went to university with in the 70s. Whilst replying to her question about what I'd be reading, she exploded with pure joy when I mentioned Kurkov. She hadn't thought about him or 'those penguin books' for years (e.g. at least 20), but remembered them fondly. In fact, the bits she recounted, laughing, were the baths Misha has, and the frozen fish he eats. Misha being the penguin, of course. Penguin Lost is the sequel, following on from the ending of the last. Viktor is without Misha and he wants him back (as, by now, the reader does). So, he gets wrapped up in all sorts again, this time an election campaign, but there's journalism and war, too. The crux of the book, for me, was the inevitable reunion with Misha. Sonya returns too, in all her adorable glory. There's something so delightful about these books. Numerous lines had me smiling ear-to-ear on my lunchbreaks. Big fan of Kurkov now. Will probably read everything else he's got.

A bit uneven, and not as surprisingly delightful as Death and the Penguin, but more ups than downs.

The dark humor was carried off well but the annoying, wild impulsiveness that many great Russian writers indulge in kept me from a five star review.