Book Review: A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

Gosh I was excited to read this book. I scoured my local used bookstore for weeks after it came out until finally they were having a sale and this was the only copy! 

Some background: Count Alexander Rostov is sentenced to house arrest for an undisclosed 'crime' against the new Party (we find out what it actually is much later in the book), although the place he is to stay is the Metropol Hotel, one of Russia's finest from the prior era. He is moved from his large luxurious suite to a 6th floor closet sized room and a fraction of his possessions. The book follows his life and what he makes of it within the hotel walls, those he meets and becomes inseparable from, and how he watches Russia changing before his eyes right outside his window.

For some reason, it took me a long time to get through. Now usually when that happens, it's because I'm just not that into it from the beginning and I have to push myself to finish it. No, this was more along the lines of 'I already know it's amazing from the first few pages, and the reviews are stellar' but it was just so dense, although any book relaying mounds of Russian history should be dense. 

From the first pages, Towles' vernacular flows so well. You get a sense of what the main character is like right away, as if you may have known him for years as your grandfather, your own father, etc. He's the perfect juxtaposition of clever and elegant, and similarly reminds me of "A Man Called Ove" by Frederick Bachman. The feel of the book is homey and perfect for reading over the holidays.

I'm particularly impressed with how much time passes throughout the book, starting in the late 1910's and ending within the 50's. While very important to the storyline, it's so inconspicuous that you wouldn't notice until reading some of the chapter titles. Following Alexander's timeline rekindles the Russian history I loved to learn about in school. If you are a fan of Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky, you will love this novel. 

I should mention that this was on Bill Gates' most recent summer reading list and it made me want to read it even more, I've always gotten such great recommendations from that seasonal list!