A Gentleman in Moscow: A Novel

In a time of so much anxiety, hatred and fear of "the other," this book is an oasis where this reader would gladly have stayed much longer. At its core, this wonderful story reveals how a man, stripped of family and fortune, handles changed circumstances with dignity, grace, humor and the best wit a reader can hope for. Beginning in 1922, the first few pages tell us a great deal about Count Alexander Rostov. He is before a tribunal for -- well, for not taking the revolution seriously enough. The judge is clear that death by firing squad would be his first choice but friends in high places have urged leniency. Count Rostov, therefore, is to return to his place of residence, The Hotel Metropol, under house arrest - forever. Returning to the Metropol under guard, Rostov discovers that he no longer occupies a lavish suite overlooking Theatre Square. Generations of family art and heirlooms occupy his "residence," but he is allowed to pick a few belongings only and is to occupy a storage room in the attic. Not one to bemoan his circumstances, Rostov adjusts. He reads War and Peace, Anna Karenina, and tries to read Montaigne. He dines, he orders things of necessity: fine linens, good soaps. The Metropol itself is not faring well as foreign tourists are nowhere to be found. The floral shop is shuttered. The restaurants provide respite from the attic and Rostov counts the hours until he can descend from the attic for lunch or dinner. Confined, a trip to the lobby barber is an occasion. Light is shone on the new reality when Rostov enters for his weekly trim. The barber finishes up a previous patron and with a whip of his cape announces that he is ready for "Your Excellency" and has him seated in the chair when a man waiting takes offense. "I was first," he declares. Rostovy, agrees, explaining that he has a standing appointment every week as though the logic of that should be evident. Outraged, the man grabs a scissors and snaps off half of Rostov's handlebar mustache. One of the underlying themes of this book is that is does not take long for those who rise to the top as "the common man," are quick to slip into the role previously occupied by those they have replaced. The reader is introduced to the daily goings on at the Hotel Metropol and to the lively group of waiters, cooks, maids, bartenders. Rostov is scandalized when a less than competent waiter is employed because he has friends in high places. He cannot help but overhear with unfeigned horror when the waiter chooses a terrible wine for a stew and he intervenes. Rostov thinks this waiter looks just like a bishop plucked from a chessboard, no further information needed. Just as boredom and cabin fever are bearing down, Rostov befriends a young girl who is resident in the hotel with a nanny. Nina's father is often away on business and the Nanny is less informed than her 9 year old charge. Nina and Rostov dine together, play games together and explore recesses of the hotel, entry enabled by Nina's purloined key to everything. Nina calls Rostov, "Your Countship." Even though he is technically under arrest and confined to the attic, the employees of the hotel still refer to Rostov with forbidden titles, "Your Excellency," or "My Dear Count." The hotel manager reluctantly explains to Rostov that in the People's Russia, everyone is equal and future trouble might be avoided if everyone would stop with the titles already. Everyone else feels badly, but Rostov shrugs it off. Times change. As years go by, our hero finds a girlfriend and a job as head waiter in the dining room of the hotel, a task for which he is more than suited as he knows every wine and every dish and which fork to use and on and on and be counted on to insure perfection - even for guests who would never know the difference. Friends come to visit him and disappear, only to reappear, knowing that Rostov isn't going anywhere. As the world changes and intrigue swirls, Rostov and those at the Metropol stay in place. Nina grows up, becomes a Party member and goes off to a collective full of ideals. More years pass and, in 1938, Nina returns, no longer optimistic and idealistic. Her husband has been sent to "the camps" and she entrusts Rostov with the care of her daughter, Sofia, just until she can rescue the husband. Rostov, completely overwhelmed and inexperienced, takes his responsibility seriously. If you don't fall for Sofia within the first two minutes - well, you will fall for her. Rostov does his best and his best is the best. Sofia is winsome, wonderful, articulate, talented and life is encapsulated in the snow globe of the Hotel Metropol. It is a small, vibrant and colorful world where kindness and grace overcome pettiness, jealousy, ideology and any manner of ugliness while the world outside is dim, cold and no fun at all. As Russia emerges from World War II, the cold war commences and Rostov, confined as he is, sees the colorful Russian landscape turning to black and white and gray and plots to escape. Will he make it? Will Sofia? Please settle in, let the sniping and the anger and the recriminations fade away, and find yourself swept up in Rostov's world. He will whisk you away from the daily onslaught of insults, blame, and anger. Read it. It's great. A Classic.

A Gentleman in Moscow was a wonderful reading experience and one I found myself appreciating even more in the weeks after I finished it. Chosen by my book club, it sparked thoughtful discussion, but what surprised me most was how deeply it stayed with me over time. Amor Towles’s writing is elegant, warm, and quietly humorous, and the Count is a character who feels genuinely alive. The setting of the Metropol Hotel is richly detailed and becomes a world of its own, proving that a life doesn’t need physical freedom to be full of meaning, purpose, and connection. This is not a fast-paced plot-driven novel, but rather a beautifully crafted reflection on time, resilience, friendship, and finding joy in unexpected places. The themes unfold gently, and their impact grows with reflection. If you enjoy character-driven stories with depth, charm, and lasting emotional resonance, this book is absolutely worth your time.

“A Gentleman in Moscow” by American author Amor Towles is probably the best novel you will ever read about Soviet Union Russia. The #1 star is Count Alexander Rostov, a “Former Person” of the Tsarist Aristocracy, who, in 1922 rather than being shot, is sentenced to live out his entire life within the 4 walls of the Metropol Hotel in central Moscow. His mantra is “If you do not master circumstances, circumstances will master you.” He is right, and he does exactly that. So, for 32 years we live with him at the Metropol. There are 2 other stars. Star #2 is Nina, a 9 year old girl whom the Count befriends early in his stay at the hotel. They become best buddies and explore (under the direction of very bright and headstrong Nina) the nooks and crannies of the hotel, from hidden rooms in the basement to roof-top, and into various guest rooms, aided by a master key she has liberated from…….somewhere. And years later, Star #3 is another girl, Sofia, the 5 year-old daughter of the then-grown-up Nina, who is left for a “few weeks” in Alexander’s care. She stays permanently, Nina never returns, and thus a major portion of the book is devoted to Sofia’s rearing by the bachelor Alexander within the limitations of an elegant hotel out of which he cannot venture. Much later, as a young adult, Sofia has become a talented and successful classical pianist. The entire story is charming, deeply emotional, and full of humor and insight into the state of personal and international affairs. Alexander learns how to be a parent and masters his circumstances with aplomb. The book abounds with episodes involving the new Communist ruling elite, how the political situation is reflected in changes in the hotel’s staff, and who comes and goes through its doors. The Count lives half his life in this hotel. His expenses are covered by a secret cache of gold he has horded away, a remainder of his aristocratic past. He lives like a monk in an attic room and eventually serves as the Maitre D’ of the hotel’s elegant main restaurant, which seems to have suffered very little under Communism. In this position, he is able to observe closely and gently the intimate history of the first 30-odd years of Soviet Russia. The well-set up denouement is a masterpiece. I neither understood nor liked the final dozen or so pages of the book. What was that all about? I found those final pages puzzling and strange. The writing for the most part (except the final few pages) was sublime and filled with pithy insights and clever phrasing, such as, when Nina left for the hinterlands, “in the general direction of historical necessity” (at about 40%). Or, in referring to the count’s situation as a membership in the “Confederacy of the Humbled” (at about 42%). The only bone I have to pick with the writing is that too much of the dialogue is 21st Century American English, with a fair sprinkling of American slang. I don’t know why that bothered me, since the author is American, but it did. All-in-all, “A Gentleman in Moscow” is a scintillating read, and I rate it at 4.49, rounded down to a 4. Highly recommended. It may be one of the best historical novels you will have the pleasure of reading.

I thoroughly enjoyed this. Fabulous prose, great character development and atmosphere. I looked up the Metropol hotel and it still stands- maybe some day I will get there.

Een prachtig verhaal; de Russische geschiedenis verteld aan de hand van de dagelijkse gebeurtenissen in hotel metropol in Moskou. Graaf Rostov ondervindt de veranderingen in het tijdperk 1912-1954

Elegance, Insight, and Imagination A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles is a beautifully written novel that was recommended by my friends and members of The Tough Guy Book Club. The story follows Count Alexander Rostov, sentenced to lifelong house arrest in Moscow’s Metropol Hotel, as he builds new relationships and finds meaning amid change. • Elegant Prose: Towles’ lyrical style and wise reflections on life make every page a pleasure. • Vivid Imagery: The Metropol Hotel’s world is richly drawn, full of history and character. • Thoughtful Ending: The conclusion is open and hopeful, inviting readers to imagine. This is a thoughtful, uplifting novel—perfect for those who appreciate beautiful language and deep insights into the human experience.

I highly recommend this book to those who love excellent writing, interesting plots and intrigue. I'm 60% through this novel and have enjoyed every chapter so far. I have been highlighting all the phrases that are brilliant, Oscar Wilde-like reflections and tropes that are worth re-reading.

Every now and again along comes an outstanding novel that hits every aspect of what a great book should be. A Gentleman in Moscow is epic in its ambition, enthralling in its storytelling, entertaining in its humour and eloquent in its prose. The story is set amongst the chaotic birth of communist Russia, yet celebrates the dominion of the individual. Amor Towles opens the novel on 21 June 1922, with the Count being tried in front of the Emergency Committee of the People’s Commissariat for Internal Affairs for being part of the leisure class, corrupt and a threat to the new communist ideology. “Prosecutor Vyshinsky: State your name. Rostov: Count Alexander Ilyich Rostov, recipient of the Order of Saint Andrew, member of the Jockey Club, Master of the Hunt. Vyshinsky: You may have your titles; they are of no use to anyone else. But for the record, are you not Alexander Rostov, born in St. Petersberg, 24 October 1889? Rostov: I am he. Vyshinsky: Before we begin, I must say, I do not think that I have ever seen a jacket festooned with so many buttons. Rostov: Thank you. Vyshinsky: It was not meant as a compliment. Rostov: In that case, I demand satisfaction on the field of honour. [Laughter] Secretary Ignatov: Silence in the gallery.” The Count is found guilty but is saved from execution because he wrote a poem supporting the pre-revolutionary movement. Sentenced to indefinite house arrest at the Metropol Hotel in Moscow, he will stay there until 1954. This opening scene illustrates many of the treats awaiting us in the novel – the Count at odds with the ruling party, his adherence to a gentleman’s behaviour, his courage, and the humour with which he dispatches commentary. Immediately on his house arrest, Rostov is moved from his luxurious suite in the Metropol to the attic, and a small room that requires him to make sacrifices of his belongings. Sacrifices in terms of possessions, liberty, social standing and relationships. The character of the Count is adored as he accepts all these challenges with resolve, integrity, humour and the dignity becoming of a gentleman. The talented Amor Towles weaved many aspects into the novel to add incredible depth, with references to Greek and Roman legends including Helen of Troy, and more modern associations with ‘The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe’ and ‘Winnie the Pooh’. The revolving front door of the hotel is an interface between the tumultuous changes and harsh living conditions occurring in Russia under the Stalin era, and the opulence of the hotel, as it resolutely maintains its luxury status. Rostov makes very close friends with some colleagues but notably Nina, who as a nine-year-old girl shows the Count how to reverse the closing walls of the hotel and see numerous adventures in hidden corridors and rooms. Another little girl, Sofia, is introduced into the story who steals the Count’s heart and the connection they have is special beyond description. There are also threats and spies, only too willing to denounce other colleagues, so care is paramount. The character developed for Count Alexander Rostov is surely one never to be forgotten and his adventures, over thirty-two years within the Metropol Hotel, flowed with a constant fascination that remained enthralling from beginning to end – and what an end. I was delighted to read this amazing work from Amor Towles, delighted to discover my great friend Ceecee hadn’t read it either and ecstatic that she wanted to read this with me. For a book that I have rounded down to 5-stars I can only say, it is highly recommended!!