The Gardener from Ochakov

“Kurkov is a master story teller, using a simple lean style for a narrative that reads like a fable or myth, rich in invention, brought to life by the deadpan depiction of local people and local events.”

— The Bay, Swansea

“Kurkov masters the details superbly, writes with constant consummate wit and soufflé lightness.”

— Tom Adair, Scotsman

“Some see him as a latter day Bulgakov; to others he’s a Urkanian Murakami… With a characteristic mix of realism and fantasy it [The Gardener from Ochakov] will delight fans… Kurkov combines the mundane details of life in modern Ukraine (minibus taxis, tins of sprats and bottles of moonshine) with surreal elements from thrillers and sci-fi: knife wielding gangsters, or quantum leaps in the midnight suburbs. The plot rattles along like a Kiev commuter train, regularly stopping for vodka, salami and salted cucumbers…”

— Phoebe Taplin, Guardian

“Quickly becomes an absorbing rollercoaster, an understated fantasy with an unlikely but likeable hero.”

— Matthew Dennison, The Times

“More than a clash of ages… It’s also a tale about fathers and sons and what they need from each other.”

— Lesley McDowell, Glasgow Sunday Herald