Jimi Hendrix live in Lviv A novel

Aging, vodka-quaffing hippies bounce through the streets of Ukraine's cultural capital, surrounded by absurdities and unrepentant in their irreverence. In Lychakiv Cemetery, the convoluted necropolis at the heart of Lviv, two Jimi Hendrix fans cross paths, paying their respects to the great guitarist's amputated hand, said to reside within. It's awkward. One is a former KGB man, the other a bohemian he interrogated back in the Soviet years. An entrepreneurial taxi driver speeds down cobblestone streets, jostling his clients' kidneys free of stones. He dreams of a date with the enigmatic Darka, who works at the bureau-de-change but can't abide the smell of money. Strange maritime elements--hostile seagulls, briny odors, a displaced starfish--suggest Lviv isn't as landlocked as everyone thinks. Maybe it's up to the hippies to save the day? Following the February 2022 Russian invasion, Kurkov (The Silver Bone, 2024) has been reporting on the war. This novel, originally published in 2012, then longlisted for the International Booker Prize in 2023, rather ruthlessly satirizes a milder if still politically complicated moment in Ukrainian history.

NBCC/Barrios Prize winner Kurkov (Grey Bees) blends magical realism and absurd comedy for a charming portrait of 2011 Lviv, Ukraine. Among the endearing characters are Taras, a cab driver who specializes in helping people find relief from their kidney stones by offering bumpy rides; his kindly friend Oksana, who works at a homeless shelter; and Alik, a frequent visitor to the shelter who's not actually homeless. Alik, an aging hippie, meets ex-KGB captain Ryabtsev, a self-described "secret hippy sympathizer," who apologizes to Alik for spying on him and the city's other longhairs back in the '60s. Both remain big fans of the late Jimi Hendrix, and in one hilarious scene, they argue over who was responsible for obtaining one of Hendrix's hands after his death in 1970 and burying it in Lviv. Later, Ryabtsev recounts how the city was built on an ancient seabed and claims the sea is making its return, as evidenced by the recent appearance of flocks of seagulls and salty breezes, prompting Alik to band with Ryabtsev to save Lviv. Entertaining hijinks ensue, and their mission culminates in a satisfying denouement. Kurkov's fans will soak this up. (Aug.)