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4.27 AVERAGE
4.27 AVERAGE
Such a gentle, lulling, comforting read of a book. Funny and true and well-written with a hilarious bit with a goose and, of course, one lone Texan for flavoring.
Not my typical genre of book, but my coworker recommended it to me. The characters were very sweet, with a dash of Russian history tied in. It was cute to read about their community they have built in this hotel... but could have been wrapped up in about half the length of the book.
So clever, beautifully written, loved every character.
I went into this novel not expecting to like it as much as I did but it truly was a joy. Emotional and quirky, heavy in all the right ways and places but overall not too overwhelming of a novel. That's confusing, the story is set in a heavy world where many things can be hard but the novel manages to be light even within all of that. The narration often goes off on tangents but always relevant and it never feels too wordy or unnecessary as that style often can. The characters are enjoyable and the relationships built between all of them were interesting to see through the years. Obviously all praise for this novel is well deserved and I'm glad I gave it a chance.
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-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
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Love, love, love. I want to start it all over again right now.
So charming! I loved the ending - it felt like a mystery novel where all is revealed in the last chapter. I was glad that I had recently read Anna Karenina - not because having done so was critical to understanding the plot of Gentleman, but because it made the experience a little richer - I had an idea of what life was like in Russia before the revolution. I loved how Towles was able to make something as simple as planning a special meal among friends so thrilling and suspenseful. He really has a talent for making the Count's everyday experiences in the limited venue of his hotel rich and exciting.
Four and a half stars. I can't identify precisely what was missing, but I think it had to do with the distance necessarily created by his gentlemanliness. He would consider it rude to speak only about himself, so we get to know him primarily through his actions, and not as much through his thoughts or past history.
Four and a half stars. I can't identify precisely what was missing, but I think it had to do with the distance necessarily created by his gentlemanliness. He would consider it rude to speak only about himself, so we get to know him primarily through his actions, and not as much through his thoughts or past history.
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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
It’s not a book that moves quickly, but it’s beautifully written - funny and warm and complex. It’s the perfect book if you enjoy people-watching.