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erindacruz'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? No
4.25
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: War and Sexual content
whichthreewords'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
5.0
Moderate: Abandonment, Death, Suicide attempt, and Police brutality
emjbarnes'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
Moderate: Abandonment, War, Violence, Suicide attempt, and Genocide
ireadinbed's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
It felt like reading a childhood favorite. I loved the descriptions and the characters and the meandering way the story progresses. And the ending was so wonderful.
I am certain this book will stay with me for a long time.
Graphic: Abandonment
Minor: Gun violence
asourceoffiction'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
I don't usually have the patience to love a book that moves at such a slow pace but in this instance, if anything, I wanted time to slow down so I could savour more of the Count's time. In that regard this really is a masterpiece; a comforting, companionable and beautiful read.
Amid the tumult of political upheaval in early 20th century Russia (and the history woven into the story really is fascinating), the bubble of the Metropol in which the Count is confined allows for a far different life to emerge. There is beauty, sadness, laughter and even a touch of farce at times (particularly a scene with a representative from the Vatican, a prostitute and three roaming geese).
But where this really shines is in its incredibly wrought characters. The guests and friends who pop in and out of the Count's life, and the weird and wonderful staff who remain constant through the years, are absolutely glorious and I adored them all.
There is a thread of dry, irreverent humour running throughout the book (reflective of the Count's delightful personality), which is one of my favourite styles of writing because I was so often sat reading with a stupid grin on my face. Rostov may be a pretentious polymath, but he's a wonderful one.
Moderate: Abandonment and Suicidal thoughts
tamara_joy's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Confinement
Minor: Abandonment, Death, Deportation, Grief, Medical content, War, Alcohol, Classism, and Suicidal thoughts
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: Classism, War, Abandonment, Confinement, and Suicidal thoughts
spookily'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
4.5
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Death, Suicide attempt, War, Violence, and Alcohol
Minor: Classism, Medical content, Blood, Death of parent, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, Gun violence, and Injury/Injury detail
naomi_k'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? It's complicated
5.0
Minor: Classism, Confinement, Gun violence, Death, Abandonment, Sexual content, Police brutality, and War
domreadsb00ks'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
This book spans decades. And I truly mean it; when we first meet Rostov he is a young man in the prime of his life; when the book closes he is much, much older. This timespan, with well-paced chapters each focussing on a different year, allows us to truly witness his character transformation, not only in the physical sense, but within his mind, his thoughts.
The writing is beautiful, the world imagined perfectly. Subtlety is key for Towles, and you only truly grasp what you have read at the close of the book. All the characters are real people, fleshed out and woth personalities that actually matter to the plot, as do their conversations with Rostov and eachother.
Overall, it is a slow-burner, which makes for a reflective read, exploring human nature and the beauty of chance encounters. The reader is rewarded at the end of the book though with a
Minor: Abandonment, Blood, and Suicidal thoughts