Andreï Kourkov

Written in the waning days of the Soviet Union (although not published until decades later), Kurkov gives us an absurdist glimpse into the lives of a number of true believers as they struggle through the dying days of a society with a broken social contract. The author tells us in his introduction that this is a novel about "Soviet Man" as he negotiates his way in a new post Stalin 'Khrushcheian" reality. Wonderful Russian/Soviet history references make this book even more poignant, and perhaps even a little more absurd..… (more)

21. The Silver Bone by Andrey Kurkov
OPD: 2020 translation: from Russian by Boris Drayluk (2024)
format: 288-page hardcover
acquired: library loan read: Apr 7-13 time reading: 8:16, 1.7 mpp
rating: 3½
genre/style: historical-setting mystery theme: Booker 2024
locations: Kyiv (now Ukraine) 1919
about the author: Ukrainian author and public intellectual who writes in Russian. Born in Leningrad (St. Petersburg), Russia, 1961

I picked this up wondering if I should read it then or return it to the library, and I read the first few pages. I was taken in by marauding Cossacks. In the opening scene our main character watches his father instantly killed by a Cossack sword, himself barely surviving because he was pushed and the fatal strike took off his ear, leaving him alive. Wandering around, he finds no sympathy.

Were in 1919 Kyiv, and the Bolshevik army has just (temporarily) evicted the local white army, to which these Cossacks were attached. This wasn't a pogrom, but a retreat with random violence. As the book evolves, and one-eared boy, Samson, having recently lost all his family, needs a job and joins the now-hiring undermanned Bolshevik police force. There are no veterans, and Samson is thoroughly unqualified. Although he has an unusual advantage, care of an odd aspect to his severed ear. He pursues what he knows, starting close to home with silver looted by Bolshevik soldiers he is forced to house.

This is mystery book and the mystery itself is light (and maybe not worth the violence the investigation leads to). I found myself a little disappointed as the book turned its focus on the mystery and resolves that. This 1919 Ukraine world itself is quite interesting, a nice setting. Far more interesting than the mystery, to me. Still, this was mostly an easy fun read.

2024
https://www.librarything.com/topic/358760#8514386… (more)

Samson and his father were walking home when a sabre was swung by a cossack hacking Samson's father's head in half and slicing off Samson's right ear. He saves the ear and stores it in a tin, shut away in a drawer. And from this point on, Samson's world is a reaction to the events going on outside as groups and armies fight for control of the city, Kyiv, and the country. Each day seems to bring a new leadership and if one day you are wearing a white armband you are considered to be on the 'right' side, it is almost guaranteed that you won't want to be seen wearing it the next day as another group sweep in. Set amongst this turmoil, Samson becomes a policeman, of sorts, and sets out to investigate crimes starting with the one happening in his own apartment.

At the mercy of different armies, Bolsheviks, The Chekas, Cossacks, two soldiers who have deserted take up accomodation in Samson's father's office, sleeping there and using it as a dumping ground for all the loot they collect. Samson's ear overhears the deserters talking and he takes it upon himself to get them arrested and all their loot transported to the police station. Through his investigations he meets people that become friends and who help him including a young woman, Nadezhda, an idealist, who moves into the apartment because it is deemed to be too big for Samson on his own.

I enjoyed the history of Kyiv at the time, early 1900s, the descriptions of the place and the emergence of Samson as a detective. He isn't dark, he has friends and he is a helpful person determined to do the 'right' thing. The emphasis on food, warm clothing and firewood helps to show a city on the edge, where small acts of kindness go a long way. Money is constantly changing and you are never quite sure what you need to pay with. I also enjoyed the slightly traditional tale voice that the story had. Parts of it are a little surreal and so it doesn't read like an American detective novel.

What I was less sure about was the role of the silver bone. I know what happened to it but in itself it didn't really feel that important to the story and even at the end I was left wondering why. I also didn't think that the ear had been used to its fullest extent - maybe that will happen in future stories.

A mixed bag of treasure.… (more)

It’s just at the end of WWI and Ukraine is in chaos. The Russian (Red) army has possession of Kiev, but the White Army continues to fight not very far away. In addition, there are Cossacks, Chinese Communist troops, Ottoman and Hetman (new term for me) also in the picture, making it sometimes a challenge to distinguish the good guys.

In the opening sentences, Samson Kolechko’s father is killed by a Cossack’s saber. Samson is also struck, but he is merely concussed and has an ear cut off. He retains the ear, hoping to have it reattached. Although reattachment isn’t possible, he discovers the severed ear can hear conversations around it, giving him a remote listening device.

The Russian Army billets two soldiers in Samson’s apartment. They have orders to commandeer from the civilian population all goods that may be of use to the Russian army. Eventually, with the help of the detached ear, Samson realizes that some of the goods they are confiscating are being stolen by the soldiers and ending up at his place instead of the proper requisitioned goods site.

When his father’s desk is taken by mistake, Samson files a complaint with the authorities. Due to the shortage of workers, he is offered a job trying to solve thefts by soldiers in the city. His first case of course, is solving the thefts of the two soldiers billeted in his apartment. Jobs no longer pay salaries; a government job however does pay in meal vouchers at the local government cafeteria, so Samson abandons his hopes of becoming an electrical engineer and becomes a crime investigator instead.

He finds the two have obtained a curious assortment of goods, including a great deal of silver objects, most notably a life size human femur made entirely of silver.

The historical details were fascinating. I knew nothing about this part of the Ukraine’s history. The author slowly builds the world of the historical Ukraine, richly generous in the details. This is the first book for the series and due to the author’s world building, I felt the mystery itself was rather slow getting started as Samson doesn’t start his investigating until after a third of the book has passed. I liked Samson as a character, as well as his boss and the woman probably destined to become his love interest. The solution to the mystery is quite unique and stays within the time-context of the story. I’ll look forward to reading the next in the series.… (more)