A Gentleman in Moscow

By Amor Towles
Lexile = ?

Another winner by Amor Towles, the author of Rules of Civility that I just reviewed HERE. Like Rules, A Gentleman in Moscow is a historical time capsule. Covering the years of 1922 - 1954, it tells of the exile of Count Rostov, who was "imprisoned" in the Metropol Hotel for writing a poem that is seen as critical of the Russian Revolutionaries. (Note t self: don't skip that map, poem, and transcript of the court appearance that appears in the first few pages of the book!)

The Metropol is a real place... and its opulence survived the revolution! Here is a vintage postcard.

Anyway, the Count is under house arrest and can't leave the hotel, but this is BIG hotel. He never leaves, but is able to create a life even with his newly restricted status. What follows is a slow character development... and watch out for all the people who flit in and out of his life..... they are important to the plot!

I didn't LOVE this book.... until the end... when it all came together and I had several "Ah ha!" moments as I realized why each part of the book propelled the reader toward the end. And now I want to stay at the Metropol:

This actual restaurant (check out the ceiling!) is a major part of the book! Enjoy!