A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles, author of the magnificent Rules of Civility, is a true masterpiece. When I started on the book it was a daunting one. At almost five-hundred pages, you can be excused if you missed it in your search for a quick read. But if you decided to read I’m sure your heart will almost skip a beat after you turned the last page and realize you had almost decided to give up on one of the finest books to hit the shelves this year. By any yardstick, A Gentleman in Moscow is a fine book, and in it you’ll find one of the most memorable characters you’ll ever meet.

In A Gentleman in Moscow, New York Times bestselling author Amor Towles returns with a tome of a book which has something for all classes of readers. If you love history, humor, culture, literature, fun, friendship, and much more, this book has it all. This incredible story of Count Alexander Rostov is overwhelmingly emotional and a real treat for readers. The Count has been house arrested in the Hotel Metropol in Moscow, which is not far from Kremlin. He has been given orders to move from his suite to the attic of the hotel. It is a place where no one has set foot in many years, and a place which will eat up more than three decades of his life. He was sentenced for penning a seditious poem, “Where Is It Now?”

Count Alexander Rostov as an embodiment of humility and a perfect gentleman. Born into aristocracy, the Count was used to a life of luxury and lived in Suite 317 for just under four years when he was moved to a small room in the attic with the order to be shot if he step outside the hotel. But his circumstance didn’t change his attitude. He does not spend his days sulking or blaming someone or something for his predicament. Instead, he tries to make the best use of his confinement. His friend friendship with several character like his best friend Mishka or his unlikely association with a Red Army colonel and official of the party, Osip Glebnikov, allowed the reader to see Russia through Rostov’s eyes. One important chapter in the life of Rostov is his friendship with an eight-year-old girl named Sofia which filled the story with so much heart. Elegantly written with characters that will not easily fade from memory, A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles is one of the finest books that I have read in a long, long time.

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