Andrey Kurkov’s The Silver Bone

Samson Kolechko is an engineer by training, but in the chaos that is Kyiv, Ukraine, in the spring of 1919, he finds himself a police investigator. Only weeks after losing his ear and his father to a rogue Cossack’s saber, Samson also contends with the uncertainty of everyday life in a world where the government changes every few weeks, depending on which army is in control of the city, and power and supply shortages, forced requisitions, and sudden violence are the only constants. Still, in the middle of all that, he finds himself immersed in an unusual case involving a silver bone.

Thanks so much to Julie for adding this book to the collection after I requested it! I saw some enthusiastic reviews for it earlier this year, and the background on the book is a story unto itself. It was translated into English as the Russian invasion of Ukraine unfolded a couple of years ago, but despite the current unrest, the next book is slated to be released in English in 2025 and the author is currently working on the third one.

The Silver Bone is a highly atmospheric mystery that does an excellent job of bringing 1919 Kyiv to life. In fact, it’s one of the most realistic fictional depictions that I’ve ever read of the early Soviet Union. Not too surprisingly, Kurkov based it on old Soviet police files he had access to, and the crimes contained within focus heavily on what you’d expect from a city teetering constantly on the edge of revolt and military invasion.

The book may sound dark and disturbing–and in some ways it is–but it also has a wonderful sense of humor. Kurkov has a keen sense of the absurd, reminiscent of Mikhail Bulgakov’s surrealistic work, and he mines a lot of humor out of the mundane domesticity of Samson’s life as he tries to navigate an ever-changing social and political landscape. The book is also full of intriguing supporting characters, from the more ardently revolutionary statistician Nadezhda that captivates him to his helpful but gossipy neighbor to the motley assortment of coworkers he has at the police station.

The book does have a sardonic magical realism to it (again highly reminiscent of Bulgakov), which may not be to everyone’s taste. Specifically, Samson’s severed ear takes on a life of its own, and it has its own starring role in the investigation. I personally found that pretty funny, but if that plot point weirds you out, this book may not be for you.

In any event, if you like atmospheric, detailed historical mysteries, especially ones with settings not often seen in the genre and an offbeat sensibility, I highly recommend this book. My only regret is that I have to wait until next year for the next installment of Samson’s adventures.

Have you read this book? What’s your favorite historical mystery series? What are you reading this summer? Tell us in the comments! As always, please follow this link to our online library catalog for more information on any of our items or to place them on hold.