A Gentleman in Moscow

This book invaded my reading list. A rarity like a leap day birth date.I got to know about “A Gentleman in Moscow” when it found mentioned by a couple of global public figures on the Internet. Throughput of me knowing about a book from a public figure and then reading it is low. Why? Because I am a discerning reader.If or when, I am engaged in a conversation longer than five minutes, I am certain a book or a quote will pop up from my memory bank. Since I talk about books, I have often benefitted from book recommendations of the highest quality. Laws of attraction do work. If a book keeps coming up as a recommendation (this one did from my reading friends), it attracts itself to my reading list. I was OK with “A Gentleman in Moscow” invading my 2024 reading list. Invasion was coopted from within.Someone who showboats his reading (self-styled intellectual, among other things) could be annoying. But what if that person is endearing too? Unlikely combination. It is the skill of the author Amor Towles who managed to bring to life a character like that in the form of Count Rostov.Within few minutes of picking up this book, I was flying through the pages. A Gentleman in Moscow i.e., Count Rostov is a flat-out, pedal-to-the-medal showboater but he is charming, and a wisecrack. The story is set inside the Hotel Metropol in Moscow, Russia. The characters surrounding Count Rostov are interesting as well and that makes this book a joy to read. The way Chef Emile Zhukovsky flows into the story brings to life a setting in any commercial kitchen that is running on mission mode. Amor Towles has put down words and sentences admirably in this book that every other page brought out a delicacy. I devoured it. The underlying theme in the book is about mastering circumstances. Life happens and “mastering circumstances” at all times can be challenging, striving to master the circumstances can fill one’s life with meaning and purpose. It could be a life of struggle, but it will be a life well lived.A line on page 165 finds the Count standing on the roof. He says, “Good-bye, my country,” tears welled up in me instantly, I felt the same love for my motherland. It is the author’s writing skill which makes the reader shoulder the character’s anguish.This is the one book that is in the rarest of rare category that any reader will enjoy. This book is a universal gift.Buy it. Read it. Gift it.I hope to visit Hotel Metropol in Moscow someday. Till then, I will keep visiting it through these pages etched in my memory.

I'd been circling this book for a long time, worried that I wouldn't enjoy the slower pace, so I waited until I was ready.Count Alexander is sentenced to house arrest in June 1922. He's a resident of the Metropol Hotel. The plot revolves around his life being confined to this location. If he leaves the hotel, he'll be killed on the spot. Slowly, he gets to know people and becomes acquainted with them, as well as with his new way of life. Knowing what history has in store for humanity, specifically the Russian nobility, it doesn't appear to be a bad life.But it's not a complete life, being cut off from everything one grew up with. There is no noblesse, elegance, civility, or art in any form. Not one of his best-selling books was within reach. It's a story about hidden cruelty and not being respected in all aspects of life. The arrival of a young girl and her nanny marks the beginning of the nobleman's acceptance and love of his new life, as well as the beginning of a new storyline.I honestly expected A GENTLEMAN IN MOSCOW to be a bit dull and uninteresting. I'm glad I gave it a chance. I found the Count to be amusing, sarcastic, protective, smart, and a gentleman.There's no denying that the writing was beautiful from the start, but the first 100 pages were a struggle. The story had meandered for the sake of meandering, so the introduction of Nina was a turning point for me, where it felt like a proper story had finally begun.But, as the cliché goes, this book is a journey, not a destination, and the more I read it, the more I liked it.The pace was a little slower than I'm used to, and yes, the Count's way of speaking felt a little pompous at first; but somewhere along the way, I got caught up in the story and began looking forward to my time with this book.I also liked the snippets of Russian history that he sprinkled throughout his story.In short, A GENTLEMAN IN MOSCOW may require some patience, but it will reward you with a memorable reading experience.