Book Review: A Gentleman in Moscow

Reviewed by Kristy Dolson

When COVID-19 spread around the world, many countries went into lockdown, advising their citizens to stay at home to lower the infection rate and save lives. In South Korea, where the citizenry already shares a strong communal mindset, this was a sacrifice most people shouldered for the greater good. In countries where the citizens have more individualist mindsets, such as England, Australia, and the USA, many were slow to heed their governments’ warnings and protocols. This necessitated stricter and more extreme measures as infections mounted. In my home province of Ontario, the governor closed restaurants, bars, and cinemas to keep people from going out.

Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, I have been content to stay in my home. I miss going to cafés and movie theaters – which have remained open despite the rise in cases – but sometimes a clear conscience takes precedence. During this extended self-isolation, I have been doing a lot of reading and reflecting. I know it is tempting to fall into the anxiety trap of endless “What if?” thinking in a time of crisis. I have had my share of low moments in the past few months. But to process and endure these extraordinary circumstances, I turn to books. This month, I share a charming and uplifting book perfect for these trying times.

A Gentleman in Moscow, written by Amor Towles, is a masterful piece of fiction set in 1920s Russia. To begin, Count Alexander Rostov appears before a Bolshevik tribunal that sentences him to indefinite house arrest. But instead of his current residence, a glamourous suite of the Metropol Hotel in Moscow, he is marched into an attic storeroom barely 10 feet in length. It is from this tiny room, stripped of his title, luxuries, and freedom of movement, that the gentleman witnesses the next three decades of Russian progress. Along the way, many pleasant surprises await him, some of which would certainly not be possible had he not been a permanent resident of the Metropol. Rostov is a protagonist for the ages, and the friends he gathers within and without the hotel are delightful. The pacing of the narrative is perfect: It pushes ahead when needed and lingers when necessary, but it never overstays its welcome or jumps too far ahead. The dialogue and prose are marvelous. I could have easily read a book double the page count and still wanted to spend more time with the count and his close friends in their blissful bubble.

This is one of those books that nestles into your soul, keeping you company through life’s storms. I found inspiration in the optimism that Count Rostov embodies through his house arrest. Here was a man who had everything taken from him without warning. He could have easily succumbed to depression and taken his life. But instead, he lifts himself up and maintains a positive outlook, choosing to make the best of a difficult situation – a much-needed reminder that as long as there is life, there is hope.

We are so fortunate to live in a time and place where communication can continue in the face of physical distance. In the absence of physical connection, we still have ways of maintaining relationships without putting ourselves at risk. Hopefully, when spring warms to summer, the government guidelines and lockdowns will lift. But in the meantime, I urge you all to stay positive. Unlike Count Rostov, we are still free citizens. We can choose to heed or disregard the government’s warnings and guidelines. But your decision to stay home saves lives. And hopefully, this will only last a few months, not a few decades. Thank you. The Reviewer

Kristy Dolson lived in South Korea for five years before taking a year off to travel, read, and spend time with her family in Canada and Australia. She holds a Bachelor of Education and now lives in Yeosu.