A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

 

What's inside my Bag, nowadays

***

In 1922, Count Alexander Rostov is deemed an unrepentant aristocrat by a Bolshevik tribunal, and is sentenced to house arrest in the Metropol, a grand hotel across the street from the Kremlin. Rostov, an indomitable man of erudition and wit, has never worked a day in his life, and must now live in an attic room while some of the most tumultuous decades in Russian history are unfolding outside the hotel’s doors. Unexpectedly, his reduced circumstances provide him entry into a much larger world of emotional discovery.

Brimming with humor, a glittering cast of characters, and one beautifully rendered scene after another, this singular novel casts a spell as it relates the count’s endeavor to gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be a man of purpose.

 ***

Book ID:

Title : A Gentleman in Moscow

Author : Amor Towles

Published : 2016

Publisher : Penguin Books

Genre : Historical Fiction, Humoria 

I forgot actually why I picked this book in the bookstore several months ago. Maybe it was because I saw it on the internet and recommended for quarantine life. But to be honest, this was my first Russian-related read.

 

I know there are a lot of great books written by Russian authors or set in Russia, but somehow usually Russian books mean heavy and thick read, I assume it will take a long time for me to finish it. Alas, It took one week for me to finish 462 pages because I keep distracted with my phone :(

Anyway, Should I say that reading this book feels like as same as the classics book? Yes, the pace is slow, the description is super detail but what marveled me the most is the what's in the protagonist's mind that described just right.

 

Before I throw my mind so far, let's back to the plot of this book.

 

The book is opened by the script of a conversation between our lead, Count Alexander Rostov, and the Bolshevik Tribunal in 1922. During that period, Russia underwent revolutions called Bolshevik circa 1917, The violent revolution marked the end of the Romanov dynasty and centuries of Russian Imperial rule. During the Russian Revolution, the Bolsheviks, led by leftist revolutionary Vladimir Lenin, seized power and destroyed the tradition of the Czarist rule. The Bolsheviks would later become the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. Simply put, the political party overthrew the kingdom dynasty. Why it is important for me to mention because the author assumes the reader has a vast knowledge of the revolution or the author encourages the reader to search the history itself. Since I am not familiar with the history (except for gossip about Romanov Sisters), I need to read it from the internet.

 

Count Rostov has left the country during the revolution and write political poems that irk the ruling government. He sentenced house arrest for his lifetime. Since he stayed at Metropol hotel, a fine hotel in Moscow, His house arrest is in the Metropol. My My, the premise is getting exciting!

 

Count Rostov has a close relation to the Tsar itself, has been blessed by abundance wealthiness in his life. He lived in a suite, but because of his house arrest, he moved to the attic whereas his belonging much bigger than his room.

 

But Count Rostov is a fine man. Like a gentleman, he never complains. He spent his time exploring Metropol and knowing each staff working there. 

 

One day a little girl, Nina visit his desk when he was having lunch. Boldly, Nina starts an interesting conversation with the Count. Turns out, Nina herself live in Metropol for quite a several months. 

 

Since Count was intrigued by the young Nina, they start to be an acquaintance. Nina with her child mind exploring Metropol thru a hidden room, a secret tunnel, locked doors thru her secret key.

Along the timeline, the Count encountered the famous artist that he shared his bed with for several years later.

 

There are so many encounters, an old friend came and go, new friends that bonded over a drink, the new person that came into his life and made it the most important person in the Count's life, the seamstress Marina, the maitre d' and chef. 

 

Even his everyday revolving the same, meeting almost the same person, Count never shed a sadness or bitterness. He tried his best to be always positive (not annoying positive for sure).

 

Confined in the same place every day, the Count almost has no recollection of the world outside his border. Yes, he read the news or magazine every morning in the lobby, but what slightly change day after day out there is a question mark. During the bloody revolutions, world war II and any important event in the world, he is inside the hotel. His friend called him, the luckiest man alive. 

 

The main power of this book is The Count character. He is such a gentleman! an Aristocrat with a brilliant mind that never underestimates anyone. His wisdom is beyond his age, even in the early years he confined. He is witty, a man of knowledge, polite, a great host, and knows well about food. He is perfect!

 

The book itself has several timelines that are marked by the important event or encounter of important characters during the Count's life. Sometimes it tells annually, but sometimes it jumps several years at once. That's what I feel lacks itself from the book. I am ecstatic when the 1930s coming up, I thought that there will be events related to world war II since Germany was an inch away from Moscow. But unfortunately no. The author only told it in one simple paragraph. Okay, maybe that's not the Author's focus.

 

The detailed description of food or the architecture of Metropol hotel is fine by me at first. But It becomes tiring for me to read it every chapter. As I said, I am not built as a slow reader.

 

Nevertheless, the strong point of the book is the flow of the Count's conversation with his acquaintance. Maybe it is because Rostov is a smart person, so whenever he discussed something with someone, it is always interesting.

 

Ah one more thing, It is difficult for me to track the character name that suddenly changes to the Russian call name. For example Alexander to Sasha, I need to reread it to understand who the hell Sasha, Mishka, etc.

 

Well, yes it is quite not an easy read for me. The vocabulary is quite advance, like kopek. I need to look up my dictionary to check what is that. However, it is worth read once in a while. Historical fiction always gives us a huge amount of new knowledge and a new perspective on life. After reading the book, I cannot help to smile ear to ear and maybe need several days for me to get over Count Rostov's character.

 

Just like this excerpt, this is the reason why I like this book:

"I guess the point I'm trying to make is that as a species we're just not good writing obituaries. We don't know how a man or his achievement will be perceived three generations from now, any more than we know what his great-great-grandchildren will be having for a breakfast on a Tuesday in March. Because when Fate hands something down to posterity, it does so behind its back."

 

Well yes, this book is recommended for your quarantine days!And initially, I thought the Author is a Russion considering his vast knowledge of Russian history.