Hooray, I finally finished A Gentleman in Moscow! It’s a beautiful book, with an extremely likable main character, but I slogged through it, because I had to look up so many words and references, and, well, think so darn much. I’m very thankful for my Kindle!
The book begins on June 21, 1922, when Count Alexander Ilyich Rostov has just received a life sentence of house arrest in the Metropol Hotel in Moscow, as punishment for a poem he wrote in 1913. The book follows his life in the hotel for 30+ years, usually checking in every few years around the summer or winter solstice. You’d think he’d live a boring life in the hotel, but he doesn’t. He keeps a similar schedule as when he was a regular guest in the hotel, the staff and some of the guests become his family, and the politics of Russia are always in the background (or foreground!). The book is a bit slow and didn’t pick up for me until a new main character was introduced around page 230ish (of 462, eek!), but I enjoyed it, and learned quite a bit! I loved the ending.
Now I’m reading The Library of the Unwritten, which I saw on Goodreads. It’s about the library in hell, where there is a special wing for unwritten (unfinished) books. Sometimes the restless unwritten stories materialize in to characters and escape the library, so Claire, the head librarian of that wing, has to track them down. I keep thinking I will immediately love fantasy or magical realism books, but it takes me forever to learn their world and become familiar enough to enjoy the story.
A lot of my hold books from the library came in at once, and I’m not going to be able to finish them before they’re due. I’m bummed – I’d been waiting months for many of them on digital loan. I guess it’s a sign I’m not meant to read them now. Wah.
The premise of A Gentleman in Moscow sounds really interesting! I’m intrigued, though I have to admit I’m worried about the time commitment, based on your review!
I just finished Ask Again, Yes on Sunday. I had some sort of sinus nonsense going on this weekend, so I had ample time to sit on the couch and read. Wow! What an wonderful book! I didn’t realize it was so new. I don’t feel like I’m normally that on top of things when it comes to books, haha. I really loved the story. Thanks for the review (way back in August, ha) so it was on my radar!
I really think I was reading so slow because I had to look up so much and don’t have as much reading time right now. Def read it on the Kindle if you get it! It’s an easier read than The Goldfinch.
I hope you are feeling better! Isn’t the story so wonderful? One of those ones where you think about the characters quite a bit after you finish it. I am glad you loved it!
I’m glad to see your review of A Gentleman in Moscow. I might give it a try on audio as I can usually handle slow books better in that format than reading it. You should give Rules of Civility a shot if you liked Gentleman! Same author, really interesting story.
Also, did you know you could suspend holds on Overdrive/Libby? It allows you to move up in the queue but you won’t get the book until you’re ready for it. It’s a game-changer!
I’m currently reading Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi and it’s FANTASTIC. I don’t ever want to finish it, even though it’s incredibly sad at times.
Audio sounds like it will be good for A Gentleman in Moscow! I’d like to check out Rules of Civility! I thought his writing was great. Is that one as slow?
No! How do you do that? I was trying to figure it out but didn’t see the option. I really need to do that for all my upcoming holds.
Wow! That’s a rave review! I can’t wait to hear more about it!
I think I am going to DNF The Library of the Unwritten. It’s way too slow, and too much is unexplained.