Homo Zapiens

Rating:
Summary: Attention Palahniuk fans!
Review: Comparing modern-day-Bulgakov Victor Pelevin to Fight Club author Chuck Palahniuk might seem misguided, but it gets to the core of what's so great about Pelevin's writing -- a certain, unique kind of fearless gonzo energy coupled with an insightful, equally unique intelligence, an uproarious sense of humor, and a distinct concern for the way we live now. But it's that fearlessness that makes Pelevin attractive in the way Palahniuk is attractive -- and necessary. Some reviewers call it being undisciplined, but it's really just the guts to try to make a reader think about the world in a different way, and there are very few literary writers with that kind of ambition, and the talent to match. He's not going to waste your time with family drama or suburban angst; Pelevin might start you off gently in a world you think you recognize and understand -- in the case of Homo Zapiens, the Russian chapter of the contemporary, marketing-driven Global Village -- immediately begins to twist it until you think it's as weird as it can get, but you've really only just begun -- like Palhaniuk, he takes you completely off the deep end into a world, the world, our world, as you've never thought to imagine it. Maybe it's not for everyone, but if you're willing to go with him, it's well worth the trip -- as with only the best literature, it's permanently enriching and wildly entertaining.

Rating:
Summary: Watch your wow-impulse.
Review: I am writing this mainly in defence of the translator. I totally disagree with a previous review that blamed Andrew Bromfield for spoiling the book with his "dull, dispassionate British English". Being a native Russian speaker, I have read this novel both in Russian and now in English. I attest that Bromfield does a fabulous job of conveying the message in a crisp and lucid way. The translation is not perfect in that it does not render all subtle allusions, of which are many, equally well, but let's be fair and don't ask for the impossible. As for the qualities of the novel itself, it's not as balanced as Buddha's Little Finger (aka Clay Machine-Gun) but it has quite a few masterfully done images of the post-Soviet reality. And the wow-impulse idea is just brilliant. My advice to a Western reader: do not be tricked by the capricious plot and weird characters; yet do not look for a deeper meaning and hidden references in every sentence. The bitter absurdity of today's Russia is a stage from which Pelevin makes some major statements, which are put forth forcefully and bluntly.

PS: this book is sometimes sold as Babylon.

Rating:
Summary: Watch your wow-impulse.
Review: I am writing this mainly in defence of the translator. I totally disagree with a previous review that blamed Andrew Bromfield for spoiling the book with his "dull, dispassionate British English". Being a native Russian speaker, I have read this novel both in Russian and now in English. I attest that Bromfield does a fabulous job of conveying the message in a crisp and lucid way. The translation is not perfect in that it does not render all subtle allusions, of which are many, equally well, but let's be fair and don't ask for the impossible. As for the qualities of the novel itself, it's not as balanced as Buddha's Little Finger (aka Clay Machine-Gun) but it has quite a few masterfully done images of the post-Soviet reality. And the wow-impulse idea is just brilliant. My advice to a Western reader: do not be tricked by the capricious plot and weird characters; yet do not look for a deeper meaning and hidden references in every sentence. The bitter absurdity of today's Russia is a stage from which Pelevin makes some major statements, which are put forth forcefully and bluntly.

PS: this book is sometimes sold as Babylon.

Rating:
Summary: Amazing book. Horrible translation.
Review: This is an excellent book, and the other reviewers have done it justice. Unfortunately, I must give it 4 stars, because a work of genius in this case has been marred by Andrew Bromfield's travesty of a translation. Bromfield's command of the English language is sorely lacking compared to Pelevin's command of Russian. Pelevin does a spectacular job of combining Russian colloquialisms, intelligent discourse and hilarious verse. Bromfield crumples all of the above into an unattractive monolith of dull, dispassionate British English. It seems like he invested the least time possible into this work, because sections that might have been difficult to translate, are rewritten completely, capturing none of the intricacies of the originals. The result, to use a metaphor, is something that you would get if you xerox a work of Salvador Dali, cut it into pieces, and then tape it back together. It is really a shame that the task of translating the works of one of the greatest modern Russian writers has been entrusted to a hack. At this time, however, there's no other translations available, so I must recommend that you buy this book, even if to just get a glimpse of Pelevin's original work, and acquaint yourself with his ideas. I sincerely hope, that a writer of much higher caliber than Bromfield would take on the task of writing a translation that would do this book justice.

Rating:
Summary: Zen way of Pepsi Generation
Review: This novel (it's Russian title is "Generation "P" where "P" stays for Pepsi) became a cult book in Russia not only among intellectuals. It excellently depicts the general atmosphere of confusion, unreality and at the same time ironic sarcasm that was so typical for Russians in the middle of 90's. The transformation of Russia from despotic `socialism' to anarchic `capitalism' can be compared to culture shock known to anyone who lived in a foreign country long enough. First, you are euphoric about that new country, its people and customs, then a month later you start to hate it, then comes the time of confusion and after a year or so you learn how to live with it.

The protagonist of the novel Tatarsky acts a typical young Moscovite using every opportunity to find some firm ground in the confusing world of free economy. He becomes a successful copywriter who compensates his total lack of knowledge in advertising by artful citations from Trout's book "Positioning: a battle for your mind" and inventive `localization' of American commercials. Some time later he moves into the sphere of high politics only to discover that all Russian politicians are nothing but virtual digital images run on TV by his own scripts under strict supervision by American government. Who's behind this conspiracy? Who runs the show? Why people believe it all? No spoilers here but the final answer is both unexpected and "Buddhistic" as all of Pelevin's novels and stories.

It would be a mistake to think that this novel is about confusion in post-perestroka Russia. Pelevin satire aims mostly at American values and way of life and mind manipulation brought by mass media, advertising and globalization. This novel is about transition between a real and tangible world to the virtual reality of brands, politics and Hollywood standards. When you're suddenly trapped in this transition you can either accept it or find solution in zen philosophy. My favorite one is a zen way of watching TV - first you watch it with picture off but sound on, then with picture on but sound off, and only real zen masters watch TV with both picture and sound off.

A note for those who read other Pelevin's book - this is probably his first `real' novel. Pelevin is a master of short stories and his previous novels were usually a collection of stories sewn by a loose plot. "Homo Zapiens" is different.

Rating:
Summary: Generation "P"
Review: this was the original title, i have no idea why they changed it.

this book is a side-splitting, hair-raising, bone-chilling, toe-curling adventure. you don't have to know Soviet/post-Soviet history, but it helps.

Pelevin is one of the most gifted young Russian authors out there. he usually gets compared to Phillip K. Dick and Gogol, but i'd rather compare him to Tom Stoppard. the reason being that Pelevin has an incredible ear for what's funny, thought-provoking, and chilling at the same time. his erudition works in his favor: the book is full of word-play and contains layers upon layers of meaning, but never sounds overly cryptic or academic...

Rating:
Summary: Bizarre and at times unintelligible
Review: To call this book bizarre would be a phenomenal understatement. Quirky, surreal, and at times so unintelligible that you wonder whether something got lost in the translation, this is not a book that I would recommend highly unless you know Pelevin's work and have enjoyed his particular brand of humor in the past. He certainly possesses a very unique outlook on Russian modern-day culture, and he is unapologetic in his ruthless assault on mass media, political institutions, and other elements of society. But his humor and his cultural reference points are perhaps too esoteric for the average American reader.

In Homo Zapiens, the main character, Tatarsky, stumbles into a career writing ad campaigns for various consumer products, ranging from Sprite to Parliament cigarettes. His new job brings him in contact with a range of zany characters, and ultimately leads him to some disturbing discoveries - such as the revelation that political leaders do not actually exist, but rather are simply digital images created by media companies for public consumption through the air waves. Homo Zapiens is filled with similar social commentaries that add definition to Pelevin's slightly disturbing world view. It is a refreshing, and at times humorous, insight into the Russian mentality, but ultimately not a particularly enjoyable or important piece of writing.

Rating:
Summary: Bizarre and at times unintelligible
Review: To call this book bizarre would be a phenomenal understatement. Quirky, surreal, and at times so unintelligible that you wonder whether something got lost in the translation, this is not a book that I would recommend highly unless you know Pelevin's work and have enjoyed his particular brand of humor in the past. He certainly possesses a very unique outlook on Russian modern-day culture, and he is unapologetic in his ruthless assault on mass media, political institutions, and other elements of society. But his humor and his cultural reference points are perhaps too esoteric for the average American reader.

In Homo Zapiens, the main character, Tatarsky, stumbles into a career writing ad campaigns for various consumer products, ranging from Sprite to Parliament cigarettes. His new job brings him in contact with a range of zany characters, and ultimately leads him to some disturbing discoveries - such as the revelation that political leaders do not actually exist, but rather are simply digital images created by media companies for public consumption through the air waves. Homo Zapiens is filled with similar social commentaries that add definition to Pelevin's slightly disturbing world view. It is a refreshing, and at times humorous, insight into the Russian mentality, but ultimately not a particularly enjoyable or important piece of writing.

Rating:
Summary: An abstract style
Review: Victor exposes the disorder of his beloved country Russia with biting wit and black humor. In his latest dystopian novel, "Homo Zapiens," Pelevin focuses on the world of Russian advertising, often with hilarious results.

Babylen Tatarsky, a sales assistant at a Moscow newsstand, stumbles onto a job as a copywriter in Yeltsin's Russia, where the shady, wealthy clients often get shot by the mafia before they can pay him for his work. The challenge of his new job is tailoring Western ads for a Russian market unaccustomed to the values they represent. The slogans crafted by Tatarsky ("DIAMONDS ARE NOT FOREVER! THE BROTHERS DEBIRSIAN FUNERAL PARLOUR" ).
Looking for meaning in a country with a drunken president, daily assassinations of prominent social figures, a bloody conflict in Chechnya and a tightly controlled media oligarchy isn't easy, so Tatarsky turns to unconventional sources. In his search for guidance, he uses an Ouija board to channel the ghosts of Che Guevara and Dostoevski. Tatarsky comes to view reality as an illusion -- one as insubstantial as a television transmission.

Homo Zapiens is probably great fun for Russian readers, who know their realities and can appreciate the author's distortions. For American readers, though, the novel may seem a collection of stereotypes culled from American movies about contemporary Russia. On the whole the writing style is at times difficult to follow.