A Gentleman in Moscow.

[HappydaysArehere]

Has anyone read this really unusual book? It’s off the New York Best Sellers list and has had good reviews. It is a slow, beautifully written, very clever book. It is easy to suspect that readers might be put off the first part of the book simply because of its pace. However, the writing reveals characters so graphically depicted that they leap from the pages. About half way through the pace accelerates and becomes a page turner. I have only a few pages to go before the end and I know it will be a hard act to follow. Love to know what others think of it.

I read it last year.
I should have loved it (big historical fiction fan and a degree in Russian), and it was OK. I think I was expecting more about his struggle to adapt to life under Soviet rule, or at least more observations on the new regime, but it was a couple of hundred pages of (nicely written) bumbling along. But thinking about it, maybe this was the point, he was so aloof, he simply didn't care about what was going on around him politically.
I did finish it, but wouldn't put it on my favourites list to be honest.

I abandoned this a couple of months ago at about 20 per cent in. I’ve tried going back to it a couple of times since but it hasn’t really grabbed me. I love Russian literature but this is not quite that. I may yet finish it, but bookwitch somewhat confirms my suspicions - well written bumbling along was what I had from it so far and was hoping it would pick up and do something else

I’ve seen it reviewed favourably by a lot of people so it is all a matter of taste.

Your opinions are interesting. I was pretty sure it is not to everyone’s taste so wanted to hear what others had to say. I really loved the Count and he made me laugh out loud in parts. He was definitely in his own aristocratic world but the effects of life outside impinged on this to some degree. The wine which was no longer identifiable by labels was identified by his experienced palette and the waiters and their service was dumbed down as a result of legislation. To him that was all important in his restricted world. Then he became a waiter himself which was evocative of the massive changes going on in life in general. His relationship with the girls was touching, especially his “daughter” who indirectly led him to the outside world.

I loved it, I felt drawn into the characters and thought the whole premise was fascinating. It brought the era to life in a new way for me. But yes, I can see several hundred pages of bumbling could describe it too...

I liked the characters and loved the build up to the end. I’m not sure I could rush into readin* a book by the same author but I will try another one soon...

I enjoyed it, although I think the Russian setting was a plot device more than anything else. Certainly a likeable character and has me eager to see how it ended (rather predictably, but still enjoyably, I felt)

Marking place. Just added it to my Amazon order.

I read it without reading any reviews and absolutely loved it. I’ve read his other book, Rules of Civility before.

I loved this book - one of my top reads of 2017. A heartwarming, interesting, original book.

Pleased that others enjoyed this book. I am thinking of getting his Rules of Civility but haven’t read any rules. I just loved the originality and brilliant writing of A Gentlemam...

It's on my tbr list for this year. Looking forward to it.