Summary: A Russian man of leisure is remanded to the Metropol hotel, where he spends decades with a colorful cast of characters.
Rating & Recommendation: 5/5; recommended for fans of historical fiction, Russian history
Review: I enjoyed this. I enjoyed this very much. It was funnier, more whimsical, and more charming than I was expecting, especially considering that the main character is basically imprisoned in a hotel, all while a civil war rages outside the gates. Part of the charm is due in large part to the fact that The Count is meant to be charming. He's a man of leisure who knows nothing of hard work, only of a relatively carefree and regal life. He's a scholar and a womanizer, meant to flit and flutter through the day, and the fact of his imprisonment manifest itself as a challenge to his way of life.
“Just remember that unlike adults, children want to be happy.“
The beginning is a bit slow - it almost reads like a series of short stories - and nothing really happens until the back half of the book. It's definitely what I would call a slow burn, a la Mad Men. But the story is superb, and the well-crafted plotting makes itself evident about half-way through. The observations are so nuanced that I was never bothered by the pace. It feels like being guided through a day in the life of someone with a very keen eye, and I was pretty preoccupied wondering what he was going to comment on next. Then, delicately - as in life, so in good literature - a plot is so suddenly dropped into your lap, you find yourself wondering how the author so masterfully set it up without you seeing it coming. I wasn't sure what to make of Nina and her growing importance to The Count, but ultimately, it was delightful. It forced character development where I wasn't sure there was going to be any, and it made room for what I believed to be a great ending.
Towles obviously loves the ideas of time and retrospect, of nostalgia. Of value and purpose. Of being the last of your kind and being forced to adapt. There's a lot in here about mastering one's circumstances and finding fulfillment despite a grim situation.
I think the current climate has us all feeling some kind of way about Russia, but this was endearing and witty, I felt shame over having cast Russians in such a poor light. I will recommend this over and over again. The grammar, the turns of phrase, the metaphors, and the color of the writing... I was very pleased with it all. Towles just gets it, like no one I've read in a very long time.
To the Count! #fiction #russianhistory #historicalfiction #amortowles
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