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Reviews tagging 'Confinement'
Un Caballero En Moscú / A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
28 reviews
flashandoutbreak's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Graphic: Confinement, Blood, and Suicide attempt
chalkletters's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Despite being set in a single building, A Gentleman in Moscow doesn’t feel claustrophobic at all. It’s not that Alexander is untroubled by his limited freedom and reduced circumstances, because his actions make it clear that he is deeply affected by them. It’s more that Amor Towles’ prose maintains enough of distance from Alexander’s emotions to give the whole novel a very dreamlike feel. The plot, such as it is in the early sections, is centred around exploring and making the most of the environment and characters as they’re presented.
Both the novel and Alexander feel a little purposeless until Sofia makes her entrance, which is thematically appropriate. In some ways its a shame that Alexander’s purpose should be parenthood, which is hardly a surprising or unusual answer to the question of what a character should do to find meaning. It might have been more interesting to explore the question of what a character trapped in a hotel could do to create a life of purpose without the convenient adoption of a child.
Amor Towles’ characters are engaging and memorable, even if they mostly don’t feel as though they’re particularly connected to their social and political environment. With a few exceptions, most of the guests and employees feel as though they could’ve been met in a luxury international hotel in any country, rather than being specifically Russian. While the Russian revolution is the inciting incident, politics is otherwise very much kept in the background.
Most of A Gentleman in Moscow was gently enjoyable, but the ending did provide a few moments of exciting action. Watching Alexander’s plan come together was a very satisfying way to round off what had otherwise been a fairly sedate pleasure.
Moderate: Confinement and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Death, Blood, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
tamara_joy's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Confinement
Minor: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Grief, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, Classism, and Deportation
saara_ilona_muu's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, War, and Classism
el90's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
5.0
Graphic: Confinement and Suicide attempt
Minor: War
nadia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.25
The characters, the setting, the emotion, the sprinkles of humour, the history, the life lessons, and more!
A beautiful book!
(Warning: The book features spoilers for Anna Karenina, The Brothers Karamazov, and the film Casablanca. You'll get even more out of the book if you're familiar with the latter!)
Graphic: Confinement
Moderate: Gun violence
fluffernutterfriday's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
bootsmom3's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Grief, and Alcohol
Moderate: Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
Minor: Sexual content
lipstickitotheman's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
His relationship with his daughter truly made me cry. I cried over how much they love each other. I cried when his
Moderate: Confinement, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
pershie13's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Confinement, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, and Alcohol
Minor: Gun violence, Blood, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail