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(as of Jul 27, 2024 11:18:02 UTC – Details)
By: Amor Towles (Author)
A Gentleman in Moscow: A Novel
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Price: $0.00
(as of Jul 27, 2024 11:18:02 UTC – Details)
By: Amor Towles (Author)
Booksalottle –
A Modern Masterpiece! My BEST and FAVORITE Book Read in 2018!
‘A Gentleman In Moscow’ is by far the BEST book I’ve read all year. Without question!I read this delightful novel during the hellish, three-digits heatwave in southern California in July of 2018. If you know anything about southern California heat, it is anything but fun or smile-inducing. Yet, despite the Dante’s inferno hellscape that I was physically in while reading this delicious literary treat, this extraordinary book had me smiling and magically whisked away to a non-colluding Russia of the 1920s that would enchant even the most crotchety. Batting my eyes, sighing, lightly tapping my chest, and saying the words “be still my heart” is the feeling this exceptional piece of literature invokes in me every time I think about it. Long after turning the last page, ‘A Gentleman In Moscow’ is still with me, beating my heart to a pleasant mush.The novel tells the fantastical tale and chronicles the life of a Russian Count, Alexander Ilyich Rostov, who was once part of the Russian aristocracy with close ties to the Tsar and Tsarina prior to the revolution. Due to his familial and political ties pre-revolution, plus his life of opulence that is now deemed symbolic of the old Russia, he is exiled. The full extent of the Count’s punishment however is that he is placed under house arrest in the attic of the world renowned Metropol Hotel in Moscow “for the rest of his days,” in lieu of being shot. While at the Metropol, he “masters his circumstances before his circumstances get the better of him.” He befriends and interacts with a kaleidoscope of hotel associates and hotel guests, each of who are just as unique, lovable, quirky, funny, eccentric, curious, and extraordinary as the Count himself.As my review’s title indicates, ‘A Gentleman In Moscow’ is the BEST book I’ve read in 2018 and despite five months remaining in the year, I doubt that any book will topple its distinction in my mind. This is the first book by author Amor Towles that I’m reading and he is now firmly planted as one of my favorite authors. According to his bio, Towles graduated from Yale University and received an MA in English from Stanford University and boy does this academic prowess show in his writing. Towles’ choice of story structure, his intelligent diction and syntax, his masterful crafting of the brilliant plot, and the poetic, sometimes dreamlike storytelling is unlike anything else I’ve read in a long while. All of the characters introduced are broad and serve an intrinsic purpose.The Count, the titular gentleman in Moscow, is an in-depth character study of a man in exile who does not let the fancy hotel prison get the better of his wits as life goes on around him.The entire time while reading, there was hardly a moment that I was not smiling at the words in front of me. Cerebral, charming, delightful, and so wonderfully jovial, with moments of sadness and deep contemplation, ‘A Gentleman In Moscow’ is in my opinion a literary masterpiece. The first 167 pages have a slightly caliginous, obscure tone. In the vein of magical realism, the reader will be delighted but might find themselves unsure of the state of the main and supporting characters during this section. By this I mean that I on several occasions between pages 1-167, thought the characters were all dead and were simply ghosts revisiting their previous social lives. To be clear, they are not ghosts and are in fact more alive than you and I. Right on page 171, like a blooming flower in Spring, the book opens up with a beautiful and bright flourish that tickles the senses thereafter. As the plot moved along in perfect pitch and pace, my heart would swell and my smile widen ear to ear each time Count Rostov interacted with the characters Sofia, Anna, Nina, and the two additional members of the Triumvirate. Even the Bishop, an irascible and frustrating character provides moments of levity.The setting of the novel is a world famous opulent hotel that sees all manner of events taking place with scrumptious, delicious food being served with all the pomp and circumstance of proper fine dining. In that regard, Towles gave the Count the heart and mind of a seasoned, well traveled bon vivant who knows high-end cuisine with an exceptionally refined taste. I am a classically trained chef and I’ve worked in many high-end hotels and high-end kitchens and I must say, I was thoroughly impressed with the snappy and clever level to which the author imparted food and wine into the count’s tale. From the preparation and serving of authentic dishes, to the wine varietals, to the top-notch appellations and vintages, to the detailed pairings, I was wide-eyed and dazzled because it was all on point. Without pretension, the descriptions were a truthful account of the etiquette of respectable cuisine. Because of my own culinary acumen and epicurean sensibilities, I am always looking for the use of food and wine symbolism in books I read and in movies/TV shows I watch. ‘A Gentleman In Moscow’ is perhaps one of the best iterations I’ve encountered in a long time. This book will be pure delight for the lover of fancy food and for the gastronomes and epicures like me who are in the know.Along with the exceptionally intriguing plot, lovable characters, and artful display of food & wine, another masterful and much appreciated talent the author exhibited in the book was his writing of women. Towles treats each of his female characters with care, respect, and reverence. So much so that the precociousness of Nina and Sofia is never tiresome or irksome, but instead, the young ladies are witty, smart, and can hold their own against any adult in the book. Sofia will achingly break your heart with pride and adoration of her, while Nina will have you in stitches due to her droll wit. Equally as commendable is the respect and dignity Towles gives the Anna and Marina characters, without ridicule or making them into caricatures or bores. Anna ages and matures with grace and an air of regality, while still retaining her sexiness and zest for life.At the exception of Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo & Juliet,’ when it comes to critically acclaimed works of literature, I don’t usually like love stories that consume a book’s entire plot. However, the love affair between Count Rostov and Anna Urbanova was beautifully done. Delicate and sweet without over-saturation and without being all consuming, their love was just the right amount of sentimentalism that was needed for it to be believable to the book’s plot. This is important, especially taking into consideration that the Count is in fact in prison. The Count and Anna are two adults who banter and playfully laugh at the others’ weaknesses, all while displaying affection and deep admiration for the other. I smile right now just thinking about their coy, yet amazingly sexy rendezvous throughout the book. Trust me, it’s good and will make you giggle and smile with bashful contentment. Their lovemaking is tender and packs a smashing punch. Good stuff!In the middle, in between, and around all this magic and wonderment in Moscow, is Count Rostov. A fictional man who my schoolgirl heart thinks is darn near perfect. The Count is intelligent, witty, traveled, assertive, and generous, with a sly but kind sense of humor. He is nostalgic but sensible, without harboring ill will or bitterness around his circumstances. He is also very funny. Above all, the Count is a man who knows and tests his own limits, with his head held up high in honesty and appreciation of those around him. Simply put, Count Alexander Rostov is my kind of guy and my kind of character. He can lyrically make love to a woman in a manner that would make Casanova smile and concurrently make Cupid blush, while two hours later, he can recite the best vintages of Chateau d’Yquem and Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Come now, what’s not to love? The Count may not be real, but if he were, best believe I’d be fighting Anna Urbanova for his affections.By now, I’m sure you can deduce that I LOVED this book and everything about it. I adored it cover to cover, page in page out and I had a lovely time reading it. Through brilliant prose that has captured and enchanted my soul, Amor Towles has achieved something special, something masterful. Something extraordinary. From my perspective, writing like Towles’ is exceptional and rare. It is intelligent without being pretentious, it is vivid without being suffocatingly overwrought, and it is relatable without being cloyingly sweet or cliched. Everything about ‘A Gentleman In Moscow’ is what I look for in good reads and this book was a winner in all sense of the word. Mr. Towles in my opinion is a magnificent author and I could not recommend this novel enough as an entry into his talent as a writer and masterful storyteller. I have zero negatives to say about the book and I plan on reading it repeatedly for years to come.For serious readers of literary fiction, readers who have an appreciation for historical fiction, lovers of books that have solid character portrayals, serious readers who love an ensemble mix of characters that are each wonderful in their own way – ‘A Gentleman in Moscow’ is for each and every one of you. I highly, highly, highly recommend it and would give it 10-Stars if permitted. It thoroughly deserves the full 5-Stars. Get to reading and if you are over 21, sip an aromatic brandy or savor a robust, well rounded glass of French red wine while doing so. Cheers!
NB –
Overall very well written but occasionally flat or contrived
This story is very well written and witty. The characters are fleshed out and mostly realistic. And a lot of concepts like house arrest, might be relatable to people nowadays, post covid19 quarantine. The discussion of modernization vs preservation was especially insightful. The book is very slice of life/philosophical, which I love, but might be boring for people who don’t like that kind of writing.The problems with it were between certain areas of the book (especially between 50-75%). For instance, there is a new character introduced after the book’s midpoint and the characterization of the Count’s relationship with that person is shallow, with only a handful of 2D memories over a 20 year period. Which would be fine if that person was just a friend but unfortunately they are not.The other issue is that it’s a bit too neat for my taste. Things work out for the Count too easily. The amount of plot armor he has is kind of ridiculous.And the last issue is that for a book set in Russia, you could tell it was written by an American or Westerner. It’s not exactly historically accurate, but I don’t think it intends to be so that’s fine. But all the pro American bias in it kind of made me roll my eyes. It might has well been titled an American Gentleman in Moscow.
Roy knive –
The writing and storyline are wonderfully woven around historical events of the time. Highly entertaining view into a tumultuous period of Russian history from an unusual angle.
Jimena –
Una clase de elegancia y modales. Una lección del lenguaje inglés y una novela interesantÃsima. Léelo con un kindle o un diccionario a la mano para sacarle más jugo.
Harshita –
“A Gentleman in Moscow” by Amor Towles is a beautifully crafted novel that follows Count Alexander Rostov, who is sentenced to house arrest in the Metropol Hotel in 1922 Moscow.Despite his confinement, Rostov leads a rich and meaningful life within the hotel’s walls, forming deep connections and finding purpose. Towles’ prose is elegant, and his characters are vividly drawn, making this a captivating story of resilience, adaptation, and the enduring human spirit. This book is a delightful blend of historical fiction and personal reflection, offering a poignant look at a life lived fully, even in confinement.
JC –
Das Buch ist amüsant und voller Humor.