Reviews

Jimi Hendrix Live in Lviv: A Novel by Andrey Kurkov

grayfox14's review against another edition

adventurous funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0

cwurst's review against another edition

funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

mainlybookerreader's review against another edition

adventurous challenging funny hopeful informative lighthearted mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.25

1st 25-30% was great. But became slow afterwards. Ending was also not good. Had some humor  in places. Too much unnecessary alcohol consumption in the whole book by every character.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism and Alcohol

kleonard's review

4.0

Reading this novel is like being on a mad teacups kind of ride, spinning across a city figuring out its place and future and grappling with a tumultuous past, spinning through the lives and minds and habits and desires of characters who are all stuck to ride themselves, spinning through ideas and half-formed plots and the fabulousness of the Eastern European grotesque and absurdist traditions of the region's literature. If you ever read Andrea Lee's Russian Journal or The Good Soldier Svejk by Jaroslav Hasek or Bulgakov or Kundera or the more recent Voices of Freedom: Contemporary Writing From Ukraine, edted by Kateryna Kazimirova & Daryna Anastasieva, I think you'll enjoy Jimi Hendrix Live in Lviv.

humito's review against another edition

adventurous informative reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

andrewbentley's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

This remarkable novel mixes magical realism, love letters to Ukraine, and lots of vodka in an era right before the current war and occupation. A must-read for those committed to understanding Ukrainian resilience. 

annrhub's review against another edition

mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

anika_tpwk's review against another edition

3.0

I randomly picked this up at a bookstore once, not knowing what it was about. And it has been weirdly comforting to me. What I liked was the atmosphere that was created, I could really see myself in this story. For me it was just a quiet and calming read that I definitely don’t regret.

patti_pinguin's review against another edition

medium-paced

4.0

andyb96's review against another edition

mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0