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A review by aayjaysbookshelf
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
I had heard great things about this book so I picked it up with a lot of expectations. Truth be told, I struggled to pick up pace at the beginning and the plot felt a bit too dense for me to follow, until SparkNotes came to the rescue and the novel reached the point where Nina comes in and after that it was a good read for me.
A Gentleman in Moscow is a hitorical fiction novel; a story of a Russian aristocrat, Count Alexander Rostov, who is detained for life in a hotel in Moscow after the Bolsheviks revolution in early 1900s. As such, the whole novel is based in a single place mostly (Hotel Metropol), with accounts of other places through memories and recollections. An insight into Soviet Russia, and exploration of Russian culture, it follows the life of Count and those around him in the hotel, with the Russian history in the background running side by side. There are a ton of literary references in the novel, Russian specially, which might be hard to understand if you don't have prior idea about them; but if you do, it would be an absolute delight to read. Themes of individualism vs communism are well explored in the novel, and what makes it stunning is the exploration of these concepts through a heartwarming story and not academically only. I specially liked how all the characters were given their due arc, place and closure in this novel, regardless of them being the main character or the supporting one. The writing is lovely, though the plot moves at too slow a pace, oftentimes feeling like the story isn't moving at all - which might be intentional by the writer, as a nod to the Count's detainment and his staying in one place for most of his life. It made me laugh at quite a few places, and shed a tear at some, and reaffirmed the point about human connections being amongst the most treasured assets for one. Delightful dialogues, philosophical annotations, heartfelt conversations and wise words are sprinkled throughout the story, making it a lovely read if you're in for a slow one. This was my first interaction with Russian literature and it makes me want to read more of the Russian classics. A classic written in a contemporary way is how I'd define A Gentleman in Moscow. A book to be re-read years later. ❤️
A Gentleman in Moscow is a hitorical fiction novel; a story of a Russian aristocrat, Count Alexander Rostov, who is detained for life in a hotel in Moscow after the Bolsheviks revolution in early 1900s. As such, the whole novel is based in a single place mostly (Hotel Metropol), with accounts of other places through memories and recollections. An insight into Soviet Russia, and exploration of Russian culture, it follows the life of Count and those around him in the hotel, with the Russian history in the background running side by side. There are a ton of literary references in the novel, Russian specially, which might be hard to understand if you don't have prior idea about them; but if you do, it would be an absolute delight to read. Themes of individualism vs communism are well explored in the novel, and what makes it stunning is the exploration of these concepts through a heartwarming story and not academically only. I specially liked how all the characters were given their due arc, place and closure in this novel, regardless of them being the main character or the supporting one. The writing is lovely, though the plot moves at too slow a pace, oftentimes feeling like the story isn't moving at all - which might be intentional by the writer, as a nod to the Count's detainment and his staying in one place for most of his life. It made me laugh at quite a few places, and shed a tear at some, and reaffirmed the point about human connections being amongst the most treasured assets for one. Delightful dialogues, philosophical annotations, heartfelt conversations and wise words are sprinkled throughout the story, making it a lovely read if you're in for a slow one. This was my first interaction with Russian literature and it makes me want to read more of the Russian classics. A classic written in a contemporary way is how I'd define A Gentleman in Moscow. A book to be re-read years later. ❤️