From the Bookshelf of Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge…

A Gentleman in Moscow

Amor Towles

Finish date: January 25, 2017

Discussion: 2017 Read Harder Challenge

Find A Copy At

Group Discussions About This Book

Showing 2 of 44 topics — 5,607 comments total

2017 Read Harder Challenge

This topic has been closed to new comments.

* Complete 2017 RHC Task List
By Book Riot · 1 post · 6015 views

last updated Dec 15, 2016 05:50AM

* 2017 Read Harder Challenge
By Book Riot · 1 post · 3503 views

last updated Dec 15, 2016 05:44AM

showing 4 of 4 topics view all »

What Members Thought

Apr 06, 2020 Maryam rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, fiction

I really enjoyed this book, such a heartwarming, well-written story.

7 likes · Like · see review

Aug 02, 2019 Kerry rated it liked it · review of another edition

I listened to this tale of Count Rostoff experiencing Moscow from the interior of the Hotel Metropole for over 3 decades! He experiences quite the gammut of Russian history and sea change from within this historic institution with humor, an excellent attitude, gentility and grace. He definitely is a glass half-full with a perfectly paired wine, chilled to the precise temperature.
I mean this character definitely revels cultivating an appreciation for the arts, enjoying the finer things in life a I listened to this tale of Count Rostoff experiencing Moscow from the interior of the Hotel Metropole for over 3 decades! He experiences quite the gammut of Russian history and sea change from within this historic institution with humor, an excellent attitude, gentility and grace. He definitely is a glass half-full with a perfectly paired wine, chilled to the precise temperature.
I mean this character definitely revels cultivating an appreciation for the arts, enjoying the finer things in life and prizing fine/high culture.

As a result, while I respected this character's ability to make the best of his circumstances and to survive while living under house arrest for decades in this elegant hotel, I found some of it a bit far fetched/un plausible if you will.

I did enjoy the book more once his curiosity is sparked and his adventures with the young 9 year old Nina shifts the eyes through which he sees the hotel. Then again when Sofia enters into the picture and changes how he himself lives in these surroundings Finally, I also enjoyed as we learn more about his crew (the triumvirate) (haughty much?) but they do have a good thing going! As a foodie I appreciated a lot of the food references and the shenanigans around the hotel. As someone who has spent some time in the former Soviet Union, I recognized a bit of a high culture snobbery throughout this book that I had mixed feelings about, especially since it seemed to gloss over some of the horrible atrocities happening just outside in a way that only a person in total isolation and complete denial could manage to build around themselves.
Overall, I had a tough time maintaining the belief that some of this could have really played out this way and not in a harsher manner. I've read too much about the brutality of part of the era covered in the book, I was not good at suspending my harsh views of the reality of this time to just float along on the flawlessly polite, impeccably cultured, Count Rostoff who maintains his positivity being cut down to a shadow of his former self over the course of the book. In the end, his spunk demonstrates some determination and ingenuity in the end. The reader was well suited to this book, but may have contributed to my finding the main character a bit stuff. There is a supporting cast of fascinating friends and colleagues in the hotel who really do help create a world there for the reader if you are willing to be carried up to the roof for some otherworldly honey by the most talented bees! ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Jun 19, 2017 Rachel rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical-fiction, best-sellers, favorites

I want to hang out with the Gentleman in Moscow! He's so classy, caring, calm, funny... great taste in food and wine. I listened to this on audiobook and the narrator is terrific. The story is absolutely lovely! I can see how some may find it a bit slow as there is no big drama, but it is a wonderful story of life, and how one can still remain optimistic and a good person even when things are taken away. And in the end, many of the things that were discussed in detail earlier in the novel all co ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

May 15, 2018 mehg-hen added it

Shelves: travel

This is a fun story which will be made into a movie, I'm sure. Good plot, bumps along, makes you very mad at Stalin and heh the starvation of the Ukranians in the 30's heh. Great read-along material if you've recently started reading about the atrocities of WWII, which I can't really recommend if you're looking to totally improve your mental health, but good reading if you're looking to improve your naievite, which I can't even spell, I'm so innocent and young and beautiful.

I always like explora ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Aug 15, 2017 Linda Parker rated it really liked it

Beautiful writing, and descriptive details. It starts a bit slow and it is a bit long, but if you give it time and simmer in the whole world the author creates it does have a rewarding end and a second half that is more anchored in a solid plot.

Like · see review