"The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and ability to affect those around him positively." —Bob Marley"The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and ability to affect those around him positively." —Bob Marley
This breathtaking journey begins with the trial of Count Alexander Ilyich Rostov in June 1922, a time in Russian history after the revolution and the fall of the Tsars, and with a new regime on the rise. Condemned by the Bolsheviks for writing a poem, he is put on trial and it is this piece of writing that staves off his execution. Instead, his Excellency is put under house arrest, sequestered to the Hotel Metropol for life. He knows that a bullet will find him should he ever step foot outside the hotel’s spinning entrance door. The timeless elegance of the Metropol has become his enforced residence, but having previously been ensconced in sumptuous suite 317 of said establishment for four years, the petty trial judges decide to deal him a cruel hand and move him into a poky room less befitting a man of his bearing (a servant’s quarters on the top floor). Yet they have no idea with whom they are dealing because our irresistible champion can find happiness in the unlikeliest of places.
The Count has a boyish charm that would draw anyone closer, keen to learn more. I fancied him by page two and by page five it was full on love!
What Towles creates inside the opulent confines of the Metropol is pure genius! A story so rich with people and adventure I forgot it was all taking place in one building. Because the characters are exquisitely fleshed out, it’s difficult to think of them as fictional, from the curious little girl dressed in yellow to the chef and head waiter of the Boyarsky, the hotel’s fine dining restaurant. As the story progresses, it becomes clear they are all, in one way or another, trapped by the Metropol as well as saved by it. However, I dare say that most people, with the entire world at their disposal, couldn’t fashion a more fulfilling life than our cultured Count does in his exclusive confinement.
Inevitably, reading slows to a crawl when such a remarkable book nears its end, as I wanted to linger in its glow. I truly didn’t want to check out of the Hotel Metropol, leaving Count Alexander Ilyich Rostov and his friends behind, but as I’ve learned from our hero to look upon life with a bright eye as something better might just be around the corner.
If you haven’t read this engaging tale, I strongly urge you to sprint to your computer and buy it now! The writing is delicious, sliding through my mind like warm honey, leaving me coated in sweet sunshine. A Gentleman in Moscow is an epic must-read!...more
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