A Gentleman in Moscow Book Review

A Gentleman in Moscow Book Review
By Alexis Mercer

Being that you’re reading a book review, I’m going to make the assumption that you’re an avid reader. Someone who is looking for the next good title to add to your list, perhaps. Or maybe an occasional reader who enjoys knowing what is out there. Either way, I am also going to assume that you know what it’s like when you find a book you love.

You can’t stop reading. You want to continue even if it is late in the night when you should be sleeping. Or it’s early in the morning and you have a list of things to do a mile long, but instead you want to read.

I have experienced this with a great book many times. Hours of lost sleep; all worth it to get to the satisfyingly perfect ending of a great book.

And then there is A Gentleman in Moscow.

I stopped reading so I wouldn’t finish it. Multiple times. I actually forced myself to place the bookmark between the magnificent pages and close the book so that I wouldn’t finish too quickly and lose the magic.

Never have I ever even considered stopping myself to be able to enjoy a story for longer.

Amor Towles wrote a true masterpiece. His words flowed with such ease through my mind. The story was entertaining and intriguing. The characters developed with such skill I am convinced they were real.

The tale begins in 1922 in Russia. The main character, 30 year-old Alexander Ilyich Rostov was sentenced to banishment inside the Metropol, the hotel where he had been residing, for his aristocratic status that aligned with the newly forbidden political views of a recently revolutionized Russia.

Rostov’s new living quarters consists of a room in the attic, though he is allowed to roam and live as he wishes within the confines of the hotel walls. Set foot outside the doors and he will be shot dead by the Kremlin.

It is within this confining of his circumstances that his life changes in an instant. But not in a single way that anyone, including Rostov himself, could have anticipated. He befriends workers and guests of the hotel and also becomes a part of the staff.

Russia outside the hotel undergoes massive political changes while Rostov undergoes massive self-discovery and growth. Rostov’s charming personality, thoughtful disposition and willingness to make the most of his unusual circumstances all come together to create a tale that is spell-bounding.

If you read one book in 2018, choose this one.

But save it for a time when you can savor each and every word of brilliant storytelling Towles has to offer. You won’t be sorry.

**If you're anywhere near Newaygo, stop in to Flying Bear Books to pick up your copy today!**

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