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eliterate's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
To call this book a slow burn would be an understatement. I'd seen this guy compared to pretty much every author out there from Murakami to Kafka; surprisingly enough, I'd never seen anyone compare Kurkov to Rushdie, which is strange because Kurkov's writing style very much feels like if Rushdie had the attention span to remember to punctuate his sentences. Point being, though, these comparisons didn't really click with me 'till I was about halfway through the book. The color grey (and also bees for that matter) acts as recurring symbolism, but very fitting symbolism given the book's writing style. It's a mixture of a war going on and a hellish, bleak portrayal of the Russian government (the black), and also just this guy living his everyday life tending to his bees, going from place to place (white). Pretty good book, even if I wish I read Death and the Penguin first.
steph's review against another edition
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
807gmadre's review against another edition
3.0
I fully appreciated the opportunity to learn about the daily lives of people caught up in the 2014 Crimean Conflict (an area routinely invaded by Russians since 1853). Not surprisingly, there is a fair bit of self-medicating with alcohol. Lots of fake news. I learned about the seasonal activities that occupy honey beekeepers. I quite liked the main character, Sergey Sergeyich, whose personality and mannerisms reminded me of my maternal Gigi. I did not understand the symbolism behind most of the dream sequences. Final verdict: I liked this book, but did not LOVE it!
akbauer88's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Decent read. We learn the main characters flaw but he doesn't do much to change them. Kind of an it is what it is attitude but not in a bad way necessarily. Enjoyed the characters narration of traveling to and from the different zones and villages. Would recommend for anyone wanting a good slower paced read.
sheemsinbk's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
phwoooarker's review against another edition
2.0
God this was such a pointless, unrelenting slog. I know we're meant to fawn over anything that comes out of Ukraine now, but this was SO BORING. I forced myself to read it because it was a book club pick. It's about a beekeeper living in the Donbas grey zone during the first Russian invasion around 2014-2016. Everyone in his small village has fled with the exception of his childhood rival and a few soldiers. It should be an interesting read but - and I cannot emphasize this enough - NOTHING HAPPENS. On top of that, the characters are completely bland and passive. Even when the main character leaves the village to take his bees on holiday, which happens around a third of the way in... Things don't get any more interesting.
jjha's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
roam_'s review against another edition
4.0
I am always happy to spend time with the protagonists in Andrey Kurkov novels as their general outlook on life is a good guide for navigating unsettled, politically charged, oppressive environments while focusing on what is good in life - penguins before and now bees!
christynhoover's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5