Mission London
Alek Popov author Charles Gill translator Daniella De M Gill translator
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Istros Books
Published:16th Apr '14
Should be back in stock very soon
The new Bulgarian ambassador to London is determined to satisfy the whims of his bosses at all costs. Putting himself at the mercy of a shady PR-agency, he is promised direct access to the very highest social circles. Meanwhile, on the lower levels of the embassy, things are not as they should be. With criminal gangs operating in the kitchens, police on the trail of missing ducks from Hyde Park and a sexy Princess Diana impersonator employed as the cleaner, how is an ambassador supposed to do his job?
Combining the themes of corruption, confusion and outright incompetence, Popov masterly brings together the multiple plot lines in a sumptuous carnival of frenzy and futile vanity, allowing the illusions and delusions of the post-communist society to be reflected in their glorious absurdity!
"A big European novel… his humour is the weapon of a merciless social critic, such as we have seen in the works of Jaroslav Hashec and Ilf and Petrov…" Miljenko Jergović
"This is a true European comic novel in the best tradition of P.G. Wodehouse, Roald Dahl and Tom Sharp. An excellent narrative; a great awareness for detail; a fresh sense of humour and most importantly – a sense of moderation. The situations are typically Bulgarian, yet the irony brings a taste of Englishness." 24 Hours
This book is also available as a eBook. Buy it from Amazon here.
"This is a true European comic novel in the best tradition of P.G. Wodehouse, Roald Dahl and Tom Sharp. An excellent narrative, a great awareness for detail, a fresh sense of humour and most importantly - a sense of moderation. The situations are typically Bulgarian, yet the irony brings a taste of Englishness." 24 hours "Finally a novel has appeared that, in my opinion, is the long awaited revenge for all the humiliations experienced by Bulgarian citizens in their relations with the Bulgarian authorities abroad. A grotesque and dazzling flight over habits, left to us from the recent past. I fervently recommend the book - the sardonic laugh is the only defense we have at that moment." Sega "The novel Mission London is the funniest book in contemporary Bulgarian Literature. So funny that in the end the reader feel like crying - After several books of short stories bursting with black humour, Alek Popov proved his talent as novelist." Gueorgi Tzankov "Mission London is not only a very entertaining read, it also gives insight into the sensitivities prevalent in the Balkans at the beginning of the 21st century. Alek Popov succeeds with his fulminant debut novel. With great wit he presents a grotesque story that, in its exaggeration, sharpens one's view of the essential." Neue Zuricher Zeitung "Alek Popov presents a magnificently unmasking satire of European East/West relations. With competence he toys with cliches and truths, then lets them merge into one another. A multitude of interesting characters are gathered around ambassador Dimitrov. They are all filled out very well, and they all - from the East and from the West alike - succumb to the absurdities of everyday life. Mission: London" is worth the read for many reasons. Last but not least, apart from all the comic, linguistic virtuoso descriptions like this: The vodka was ice-cold and smooth like a snowflake on Christmas day". - 3sat, Christina Merklenbach
ISBN: 9781908236180
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
280 pages