A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles is, as I may have already mentioned, a book I resisted reading because I tend to dislike a Russian setting. I don't know why that is and I do, at times, manage to overcome my resistance but it's a strong one. A selection for discussion in my F2F group, the book was only available in hardback (another thing I try to avoid) so I just decided not to buy it. And, then I missed the meeting. When I was told that the book is "delightful" I was kind of surprised. That was not a word I expected. What did I expect? Oh, probably a lot of dark, dreary scenes with grumpy people stabbing each other in the back . . . in the rain.
The reality of A Gentleman in Moscow could not possibly have been more of a contrast to my expectations. After the Russian Revolution, Count Alexander Rostov is lucky not to have already been killed or put in prison, but being a part of the aristocracy is still a problem. Put under house arrest in 1922 and told he'll be shot if he sets foot outside the Metropol Hotel in Moscow, A Gentleman in Moscow tells the story of the count's decades-long imprisonment, how he survives the passage of time, changes to the hotel and to Russia, and the many friendships he makes over the years.
I adored Count Alexander: his wit, charm, and sense of humor, his relationships, his young friend Nina's boldness and curiosity, the transformation of the Count's life over the decades, the characters in the hotel, and even the way he managed to transform his tiny living quarters. I also loved the fact that there was a character to have fun hating (including a surprising twist in which he gets what's coming to him). A few of my favorite scenes will probably stay with me forever. A couple of them brought tears to my eyes.
Highly, highly recommended to anyone and everyone - Absolutely the most charming, engaging, delightful, smart, funny, magical book I read in 2017.
Definitely should have bought a copy (I'll certainly want to reread it, someday) and I'm very grateful that my friend Linda said, "You really need to read this."
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That sounds like a great book! Thanks for the recommendation!
ReplyDeleteYou're very welcome! I hope you fall as madly in love with the count as I did. :)
DeleteOoo! I love when a book takes you by surprise as this one seemed to do with you. I’ll add it to my list and maybe I can convince my book club to read it.
ReplyDeleteIt absolutely did take me by surprise and that was a good thing in every possible way. It's such a special book. I'm sad that I missed the discussion, now. Hope you're able to talk your book group into reading it!
DeleteThis is one I want to check out. I read his other book and enjoyed it!
ReplyDeleteThe few people who've told me they read Rules of Civility and A Gentleman in Moscow have all said Gentleman is even better. Whether you agree or not, you've got a treat in store for you. It is a wonderful book.
DeleteI was worried about the same things when I got my copy from Bellezza. I envisioned a lot of dark, dreary scenes with people stabbing each other, too. What a pleasant surprise to read such a lovely story, which was filled with such memorable characters. I loved the Count's dry wit! My book club has chosen it for one of this year's selections, so I get to read it again!! Maybe this time I'll listen to it on audio. What a gem!
ReplyDeleteThe Count was a lovely character - witty, erudite, amiable. I loved him. So funny how we both thought yuck to the setting and ended up loving it. Wish I'd been present for my group's discussion of the book.
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