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The Case of the General Thumb Melville International Crime Andrey Kurkov George Bird 9781612190600 Books

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The Case of the General Thumb Melville International Crime Andrey Kurkov George Bird 9781612190600 Books

When looked at objectively, the plot of this book is quite serious with dispassionate murders, cold assassinations, and security service parlor games. Yet it is the tone that seemingly becomes a character unto itself. There is an overriding detached nonchalance in almost every incredible action that takes place. Though set in 1999 and mostly dealing with Ukraine and Russia, one would think the Cold War was still on with its grey drabness and the Soviet citizenry's resignation that nothing will ever change. I found all of that completely fascinating.

Where it lost marks from me was in the crisscrossing plot between Ukrainian Police Lieutenant Viktor Slutsky and Russian KGB officer Nik Tsensky. Both are being played by higher-ups and we are let in onto that fact from the start. So suspense was lacking and at times the chapter-to-chapter switch between them grew confusing and disjointed. What helped was the speed and length of the book which grew to the fairly obvious conclusion that Ukraine and Russia are symbiotically, economically, and historically entwined and that the serfs of the day continue to be pawns in the game of Czars.


Tags : The Case of the General's Thumb (Melville International Crime) [Andrey Kurkov, George Bird] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. <b>John Le Carré meets Mikhail Bulgakov in this international crime thriller by the author of the acclaimed Death and the Penguin</i></b> The corpse of a distinguished general is found attached to an advertising balloon—and minus his thumb. Police Lieutenant Viktor Slutsky is sent in to investigate. So,Andrey Kurkov, George Bird,The Case of the General's Thumb (Melville International Crime),Melville International Crime,161219060X,Police - Russia (Federation),Police;Russia (Federation);Fiction.,Private investigators - Russia (Federation),Private investigators;Russia (Federation);Fiction.,Suspense fiction,Suspense fiction.,Crime & mystery,FICTION Mystery & Detective Hard-Boiled,Fiction,Fiction - Mystery Detective,Fiction-Mystery & Detective,GENERAL,General Adult,MYSTERY AND SUSPENSE FICTION,Mystery & Detective - Hard-Boiled,MysterySuspense,Police,Private investigators,RUSSIAN NOVEL AND SHORT STORY,Russia (Federation),United States,mystery books; thrillers; crime; crime fiction; crime books; noir; hard boiled; detective novels; detective; hardboiled; french books; thriller; french literature; german; mystery and thrillers; 20th century; translation; mystery and suspense; detective fiction; murder; private eye; suspense books; suspense; russian; american literature; pulp; 1940s; 1930s; hollywood; adventure books; mystery suspense; mystery; fiction; fiction books; mysteries; murder mystery books; mysteries and thrillers; mystery thriller suspense; mystery novels,mystery books;crime books;detective novels;mystery;mystery and thrillers;mystery and suspense;fiction;fiction books;mysteries;murder mystery books;mysteries and thrillers;mystery thriller suspense;mystery novels;thrillers;crime;crime fiction;noir;hard boiled;detective;hardboiled;french books;thriller;detective fiction;20th century;french literature;translation;german;private eye;murder;suspense books;suspense;pulp;american literature;1940s;russian;1930s;hollywood;mystery suspense;adventure books

The Case of the General Thumb Melville International Crime Andrey Kurkov George Bird 9781612190600 Books Reviews

This was my first exposure to Andrey Kurkov, and my first exploration of modern Russian literature more recent than The Gulag Archipelago. [Note although he writes in Russian, Andrey Kurkov is Ukrainian] It was interesting to see what I have been missing.

Everyone is more or less aware of the English and American crime and espionage genres (spies and crooks oft go hand in hand); they are well established and have their particular trademarks. "The Case of the General's Thumb" introduced me to a new cultural and literary milieu - and after some adjustment I have to say it was a pleasant surprise.

Some of the adjustment was cultural. Character dialog patterns were unfamiliar, and the settings unknown. It was truly foreign territory in many regards. An American reader of an American novel will understand often unspoken cues to events and cultural commonalities; I had to work sometimes to put pieces together.

The writing style and pacing of "General's Thumb" were also different than I was used to. Part of this may have been due to translation into English, but I believe it was mostly a stylistic difference, and it was simply that -- different.

Different can be good, and "General's Thumb" is a thoroughly enjoyable read. Kurkov gives us a story that is fast-paced, with enough plot intricacies to keep the reader on his/her toes. The characters may be foreign to American readers, but they live and die by the same human aspirations and failings we all do. If you want a new spin on crime novels, check this out.
Great book, timely delivery.
Kurkov makes a sad commentary about the country's
powers while following the life of a low level security
personnel. The story is so cleverly wrought The thumb's
secret is kept in the dark until the last minute.
I could not put it down and had to finish the book
at one go.
This is more a political thriller than a crime novel, and perhaps that's the point In Ukraine and Russia, politics and crime are about the same thing. Human life is cheap in this book, and facts are negotiable. Further, the narrator is not always reliable. Very, very dark.
I have liked all three novels that I read by A. Kurkov. The short sort of deadpan chapters and the author/translator's compact descriptions impressed me and gave me a real sense of place and climate. Death and the Penguin and Penguin Lost were both full of surprises and insights into the reassemblance of the Independent Ukraine. The first two books had moments of complete hilarity, this book is more complex, and required more concentration maybe than I was able to give it. The contrasting protagonists charged with investigating the mission of General Bronitsky and the reasons for his murder-- allowed two interlaced strands of plot that really allowed the author to inform you about the world from his unique perspective. I was looking for this novel's relationship the other novels about the obituary writer--- I read all three on a and have am dismayed that I can't flip pages between the three. I recommend them all with 5 stars, really. I had to give it 4 because i know I missed something.
When looked at objectively, the plot of this book is quite serious with dispassionate murders, cold assassinations, and security service parlor games. Yet it is the tone that seemingly becomes a character unto itself. There is an overriding detached nonchalance in almost every incredible action that takes place. Though set in 1999 and mostly dealing with Ukraine and Russia, one would think the Cold War was still on with its grey drabness and the Soviet citizenry's resignation that nothing will ever change. I found all of that completely fascinating.

Where it lost marks from me was in the crisscrossing plot between Ukrainian Police Lieutenant Viktor Slutsky and Russian KGB officer Nik Tsensky. Both are being played by higher-ups and we are let in onto that fact from the start. So suspense was lacking and at times the chapter-to-chapter switch between them grew confusing and disjointed. What helped was the speed and length of the book which grew to the fairly obvious conclusion that Ukraine and Russia are symbiotically, economically, and historically entwined and that the serfs of the day continue to be pawns in the game of Czars.