A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

The quite ludicrous premise of this book is that an aristocrat - Count Alexander Rostov - who has until now lived in the highest echelons of Russian society, who hasn't worked for a single day of his life, is escorted out of the Kremlin and into the faded - changed - glory of the Hotel Metropole and a tiny attic room where he is expected to live out the remainder of his life, effectively under house arrest. That we believe this and are taken in by the story that follows, makes it, for me, a work of genius.

The Russia of 1922 is witnessing a period of readjustment to the new ways of doing things - new strata in society - following the seismic trauma of revolution. It is against this monochrome background that the story is set and yet the rich colours which re-appear as the Count’s story is told are truly beautiful.

While we are led to sympathise with the Count’s reduced circumstances, rather than glory in the overthrow of him and his ruling class, the respect shown to him remains, even as he is similarly unrepentant over his opposition to the concept of ‘equality.’ If he is a lost cause to the Bolsheviks he is the source of an urbane and witty humour for the rest of us and on his journey, as well as ours with him, he undoubtedly discovers more about himself, exposed as he is like never before. The characters he meets and befriends in this most unlikely of circumstances are as spellbinding as the writing is simply breath-taking.

I was bewitched by the unusual scenes amid the usual snobbery – moved sideways rather than downwards – and, literally, couldn’t wait for the next scene to unfold, the next story within a story to be told.
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I especially loved his relationship with Nina and the protective blanket he attempted to throw over her daughter Sofia. The denouement of these relationships towards an unexpectedly glorious ending to the book when the Count is finally allowed to leave the hotel is lovely and left me satisfied and yet wanting more – much more. Without doubt, this is one of the finest books I have read.

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