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julialk's review against another edition
2.0
Dear god. I got to page 277 and could bear it no longer. I have read plenty of books and this is the first time in my life I could not finish one whole. I’ve finished books that I hated just because I despise to leave anything unfinished and there’s always a little uncertainty. Maybe one day I’ll revisit this book but if I wanted to read over 400 pages of an insufferable man undergoing no character development the span of his and being unnecessarily dramatic in thought and speech... well I’d go turn on the news or speak to my father. In trying to make the Count a complex character Towles got confused with tedious (in every horrible way).
I will admit I enjoyed the Counts relationship with Nina and I think something really beautiful could have come out of that in a different timeline (don’t mistake it for romantic please that’s not what I mean). Simply put, this book needed at least one other interesting, consistent character to run along side the Count to be a success. All the time spent working on Nina was over and done with when Towles made her met her fate in Russian communism. If I had a Nina returns/redemption arc to look forward I think I might have had the strength to carry on. But alas, this is the Counts story so we are stuck with for the long haul and when you have serious issues with a books sole protagonist it’s always best to get out of there ASAP.
To perfectly sum up this book, it reads as if the author got paid per word.
I will admit I enjoyed the Counts relationship with Nina and I think something really beautiful could have come out of that in a different timeline (don’t mistake it for romantic please that’s not what I mean). Simply put, this book needed at least one other interesting, consistent character to run along side the Count to be a success. All the time spent working on Nina was over and done with when Towles made her met her fate in Russian communism. If I had a Nina returns/redemption arc to look forward I think I might have had the strength to carry on. But alas, this is the Counts story so we are stuck with for the long haul and when you have serious issues with a books sole protagonist it’s always best to get out of there ASAP.
To perfectly sum up this book, it reads as if the author got paid per word.
mullinscl9657's review
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
A Gentleman in Moscow was a great literary historical fiction. It did a great job of putting you in the time and place of the character. As in most historical fiction books I learned a lot about Russia from the early 1900 - 1960’s and how the country developed. The main character was fun loving and entertaining. This made it possible for the scene to be in one hotel (only a few rooms) for the entire book without becoming boring.
azureyoshi's review against another edition
2.0
Another book club book. This one had strong prose, but overall this book's continued use of one-off encounters really make everything that happens feel pointless. I wish it all tied together into a tighter plot and some meaningful character development for the Count.
Interesting concept for a book, though.
Interesting concept for a book, though.
nbonde's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
catajohn's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
What a book! The plot and the characters are amazing but the writing! The writing is gorgeous. I dont think I have ever highlighted so many texts in a book before.
For me this was a very inspiring book as the main character teaches us a lot about living trough hard times with cheerfulnes and how we should master our circumstances instead of being mastered by them.
For me this was a very inspiring book as the main character teaches us a lot about living trough hard times with cheerfulnes and how we should master our circumstances instead of being mastered by them.
jjpelky's review
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
erinco's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
truthmonkey's review
5.0
May book for Book Voyage Challenge (Eastern Europe)
I need more than 5 stars. When I started these book challenges I was hoping to find good books I might not otherwise have picked up. This is a jackpot. It might be my new favorite book. Towles is an incredible writer. It’s not too much of a spoiler to say the plot is not what drives this book, but the character sketches and the emotional insights and the setting that allows all this to unfold in such a luxurious way are more than enough. This character is sublime. I know I will reread this more than once.
I need more than 5 stars. When I started these book challenges I was hoping to find good books I might not otherwise have picked up. This is a jackpot. It might be my new favorite book. Towles is an incredible writer. It’s not too much of a spoiler to say the plot is not what drives this book, but the character sketches and the emotional insights and the setting that allows all this to unfold in such a luxurious way are more than enough. This character is sublime. I know I will reread this more than once.
faithemt's review against another edition
5.0
most excellent.
LOVED this novel.
full review is here:
https://goldintheclouds-faith.blogspot.com/2023/02/2023-book-review-7a-gentleman-in-moscow.html
LOVED this novel.
full review is here:
https://goldintheclouds-faith.blogspot.com/2023/02/2023-book-review-7a-gentleman-in-moscow.html