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A review by jbxdavis
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
5.0
Upon finishing it, I remarked to my SO that "A Gentleman in Moscow" was a perfect book. A few days later, and I'm sure I will stand by that opinion for the foreseeable future.
Count Rostov is an incredibly endearing protagonist , which is an essential requirement in a book for which the initial premise is "guy under house arrest in a nice hotel". From our first encounter with him he is witty, polymathic, and possessed of a certain moreal conviction. Each of these traits is fleshed out further over the course of the story, and put in proper context as we learn of the Count's past.
But while the Count is entertaining on his own, this is a found family story and it's ultimately the relationships between characters that make it unmissable. Towles takes a thirty-off year survey of one man's life and fills it with interactions that are simultaneously quaint and all-important. Some moments I would have expected to have multi-chapter build-ups (for example, the first time a pair of lovers admit their love) are instead assumed to have happened between time jumps, and I still felt them completely earned.
Towles's writing style is perfectly matched to the story. A man confined to a single structure for would naturally take the time to appreciate the most minute of details, and Towles uses these descriptions to paint a more vivid picture of the Count. The protagonist waxes philosophical, relates simple happenings to events of his past, and personifies everyday objects in ways that make the reader feel like an old friend of his. The narrative is well-structured, interspersing details with long-term payoffs with delightful vignettes that do not directly serve any higher purpose. The pacing is excellent -- I generally keep reading sessions to under an hour but I read "A Gentleman in Moscow" for three hours straight on multiple occasions.
This is a book that I never would have picked up if it weren't for the legions of people recommending it, and I am not only joining the ranks but am ready and willing to carry the banner.
Count Rostov is an incredibly endearing protagonist , which is an essential requirement in a book for which the initial premise is "guy under house arrest in a nice hotel". From our first encounter with him he is witty, polymathic, and possessed of a certain moreal conviction. Each of these traits is fleshed out further over the course of the story, and put in proper context as we learn of the Count's past.
But while the Count is entertaining on his own, this is a found family story and it's ultimately the relationships between characters that make it unmissable. Towles takes a thirty-off year survey of one man's life and fills it with interactions that are simultaneously quaint and all-important. Some moments I would have expected to have multi-chapter build-ups (for example, the first time a pair of lovers admit their love) are instead assumed to have happened between time jumps, and I still felt them completely earned.
Towles's writing style is perfectly matched to the story. A man confined to a single structure for would naturally take the time to appreciate the most minute of details, and Towles uses these descriptions to paint a more vivid picture of the Count. The protagonist waxes philosophical, relates simple happenings to events of his past, and personifies everyday objects in ways that make the reader feel like an old friend of his. The narrative is well-structured, interspersing details with long-term payoffs with delightful vignettes that do not directly serve any higher purpose. The pacing is excellent -- I generally keep reading sessions to under an hour but I read "A Gentleman in Moscow" for three hours straight on multiple occasions.
This is a book that I never would have picked up if it weren't for the legions of people recommending it, and I am not only joining the ranks but am ready and willing to carry the banner.