A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
features a wonderfully unique premise: in 1922, during the tumultuous times
surrounding the creation of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR),
Count Alexander Rostov is sentenced to house arrest in his current residence,
the grand Metropol Hotel, for the rest of his life. (“…make no mistake: should you ever set foot
outside of the Metropol again, you will be shot.”)
The aristocratic and erudite Count Rostov, who is
only 32 at the time he is sentenced, is considered to be a “Former Person” by
the authorities, the term used for those who lost their status after the
October Revolution in 1917. Despite his
confinement, Count Rostov enjoys a social life with a number of memorable
personalities, including hotel staff members, an actress, and a precocious
9-year-old girl.
A Gentleman
in Moscow is a delightful and satisfying read, not only for those who have
an interest in Russian history but also for anyone who finds the idea of living
in an old hotel glamorous (fans of The
Grand Budapest Hotel, perhaps?).
If you enjoy A
Gentleman in Moscow, you might also like The Mayakovsky Tapes by Robert
Littell, Selected Stories by Anton Chekhov,
and Towles’s first novel, Rules of Civility.
Stephen Kight
Assistant Director for Public Services
