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katiez624 's review for:
A Gentleman in Moscow
by Amor Towles
This book is one that is impossible to miss if you are a part of the book world. It is widely known and lauded, but the premise did not grab me. A Russian man trapped in a hotel? How interesting could it be? But after hearing the extraordinary and emotional review from Meredith Monday Schwartz on the Currently Reading podcast, I quickly added the book to my list of books to read soon.
The Count is a man who had the good fortune to be born into a wealthy and highly regarded family. With the Bolsheviks now in power, the Count is sentenced to spending the rest of his life at the Metropol hotel due to a problematic poem he authored and his family's opulence and status. The count is stripped of the luxuries he is accustomed to and must live a much simpler life. However, he faces his sentence with good humor and a renewed sense of adventure. The various characters he meets are endlessly compelling, with fascinating backstories to share, and the conversations the Count engages in are thought-provoking, astute, and often unexpected. At first glance, the people he encounters are seemingly random and could come across as disjointed. But as the story unfolds, each individual's particular purpose and role is deftly revealed.
At its core, this book is about finding the simple pleasures in life; spending time with interesting people, enjoying good food and drink, and finding contentment, even in undesirable circumstances. The tone of this book is contemplative and meandering, and the story is very self-aware. Every chapter, sentence, and word is carefully crafted and wielded in a strategic manner to further the plot. The book is infused with Russian history, of which I had very little prior knowledge. I loved accompanying the Count through the decades, as he embraces life at the Metropol hotel and finds himself in a number of unusual circumstances. The story is full of heart and memorable characters, and it is truly a one-of-a-kind reading experience.
Amor Towles has the uncanny ability to write sweeping, impactful stories under the guise of an unassuming premise. But his talent cannot be overlooked, and his seemingly modest books always garner the recognition and accolades they deserve.
The Count is a man who had the good fortune to be born into a wealthy and highly regarded family. With the Bolsheviks now in power, the Count is sentenced to spending the rest of his life at the Metropol hotel due to a problematic poem he authored and his family's opulence and status. The count is stripped of the luxuries he is accustomed to and must live a much simpler life. However, he faces his sentence with good humor and a renewed sense of adventure. The various characters he meets are endlessly compelling, with fascinating backstories to share, and the conversations the Count engages in are thought-provoking, astute, and often unexpected. At first glance, the people he encounters are seemingly random and could come across as disjointed. But as the story unfolds, each individual's particular purpose and role is deftly revealed.
At its core, this book is about finding the simple pleasures in life; spending time with interesting people, enjoying good food and drink, and finding contentment, even in undesirable circumstances. The tone of this book is contemplative and meandering, and the story is very self-aware. Every chapter, sentence, and word is carefully crafted and wielded in a strategic manner to further the plot. The book is infused with Russian history, of which I had very little prior knowledge. I loved accompanying the Count through the decades, as he embraces life at the Metropol hotel and finds himself in a number of unusual circumstances. The story is full of heart and memorable characters, and it is truly a one-of-a-kind reading experience.
Amor Towles has the uncanny ability to write sweeping, impactful stories under the guise of an unassuming premise. But his talent cannot be overlooked, and his seemingly modest books always garner the recognition and accolades they deserve.