Rating: 2 stars
Headline: As a memoir, “Couch” has an interesting premise but suffers from its poor execution
Review:
Couch follows the adventures of Misha Chinkov, a Russian national who between 2014 and 2022 took to couch-surfing during his national and international travels through Russia, the Baltics, India and the USA. In this book, couch-surfing refers to homeowners offering spare rooms, sofas, beds etc. for what is usually a heavily discounted price compared to a hotel room. It is particularly popular with young people and travellers.
What drew me to this book was its premise. The cover imagery of a neglected sofa and common interpretation of couch (or, in the UK, sofa) surfing is that it is more something brought about by hardship. It is not clear in this book what Chinkov’s motives are for couch-surfing, is it due to a lack of money or a desire to avoid hotels? The writing focus tends to be placed on the increasingly disturbing hosts, including an American called Richard who hosts exclusively foreign travellers and insists on making lodgers sleep naked, “as clothes damage the air mattress”. During scenes like these I find it hard to comprehend why our narrator is continuing to couch-surf.
Most of this book’s issues can be traced back to author voice. From the frequent spelling mistakes and poor grammar it is apparent that English is not Chinkov’s first language. Writing in another language is admirable but not forgivable. The F bomb is dropped excessively and Chinkov’s tone of voice is insensitive and bitter. Following a scene where, after been driven for an hour to Suzdal by his hosts, “I give the guys a hundred [rubbles], which can afford you nothing but a cup of tasteless coffee,” it is hard to feel sympathy toward Chinkov when he later struggles to find accommodation.
In one short book Chinkov crams in every couch-surfing experience, resulting in lots of fragmented sections that focus on brief interactions and leave readers starved of detail. What did the houses look and smell like? If India truly is “the land of dances and spice” then show us through words!
The premise could have potential if it were to be given a major overhaul and rewritten. Until then, Couch remains a questionable read, in more ways than one.
AEB Reviews
Links:
Reedsy Discovery Review: AEB Reviews – “Couch” by Misha Chinkov
Purchase Link: “Couch” by Misha Chinkov (Amazon)
Author Website: https://www.mishachinkov.com/
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