The Gardener from Ochakov by Andrey Kurkov

The Gardener from Ochakov is the latest offering from Ukrainian author Andrey Kurkov. The darkly comic novel centres on the misadventures of Igor Andreevna who stumbles upon an old Soviet Police uniform which gives the wearer the ability to time travel. Igor then finds himself living a double life, shuttling between his depressing modern existence, in which he lives in the suburbs of Kiev with his mother, and the exciting world of Ochakov in 1957, full of gangsters, thieves and illicit relationships.

Igor becomes involved in situations which are increasingly absurd and often farcical, yet Kurkov’s spare prose and simple style ensure that the plot remains oddly believable. The book is alive with engaging characters, not least the peculiar gardener Stepan, who lives in Igor’s shed and has mysterious codes tattooed on his arm, or the seductive Red Vayla, the fisherman’s wife with whom Igor embarks on an affair.

Kurkov’s first novel, Death and the Penguin, gained a cult following, and fans of his black humour and satirical style will not be disappointed with this highly readable latest offering. [Rosie Hopegood]