Grey Bees by Andrey Kurkov

Grey Bees by Andrey Kurkov, translated from Russian – which satisfies one of the blocks on our summer bingo card – is a fictionalized account of one man’s struggle to live in the “grey zone” which existed then between Russian forces on the east and Ukrainian forces to the west. Caught in the middle of these two warring factions, Sergey and his six hives of bees attempt to survive. He is alone in Little Starhorodivka, save for one other man, his frenemy, Pashka. All of the other villagers have been killed or have fled the destruction. As Kurkov’s tale unfolds, his readers are treated to the unveiling of Sergey’s personality, foibles, and struggles through his masterful prose. Sergey’s devotion to his bees is evident in his desire to take them away from the bombardment of the grey zone as he ventures to Crimea to visit a fellow beekeeper, Akhtem, a Muslim Tatar living near the Black Sea, whom he met years earlier at a bee convention. How precious is a jar of honey during these years of struggle. Not only do readers learn of the Ukrainian struggles as a country trying to maintain its autonomy, but we come face-to-face with the Ukrainian spirit and fortitude despite horrendous obstacles. Along the way we are introduced to Petro and Galya whose friendship with Sergey bring us closer to understanding the complex working of our protagonist’s inner struggles.

Grey Bees was written prior to the recent Russian invasion, so most likely Sergey and Pashka are no more, as would also be the fate of their beloved village. This novel should be required reading for all as we contemplate the plight of the Ukraine and how to better understand the Soviet incursion and Putin’s atrocities visited upon the innocent.

Check out Grey Bees by Andrey Kurkov from the Library (https://catalog.lclibs.org/polaris/search/title.aspx…).