A Gentleman in Moscow

A Novel

By: Amor Towles

Narrated by: Nicholas Guy Smith

The mega-bestseller with more than 2 million readers • A New York Times “Readers’ Choice: Best Books of the 21st Century” Pick

From the #1 New York Times-bestselling author of The Lincoln Highway and Table for Two, a beautifully transporting novel about a man who is ordered to spend the rest of his life inside a luxury hotel

In 1922, Count Alexander Rostov is deemed an unrepentant aristocrat by a Bolshevik tribunal, and is sentenced to house arrest in the Metropol, a grand hotel across the street from the Kremlin. Rostov, an indomitable man of erudition and wit, has never worked a day in his life, and must now live in an attic room while some of the most tumultuous decades in Russian history are unfolding outside the hotel’s doors. Unexpectedly, his reduced circumstances provide him entry into a much larger world of emotional discovery.

Brimming with humor, a glittering cast of characters, and one beautifully rendered scene after another, this singular novel casts a spell as it relates the count’s endeavor to gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be a man of purpose.

A Witty Treat

I knew from reading the customer reviews that I was going to have to be patient at the beginning of this novel. The reviews also said that the patience would be rewarded. Well, it certainly was. What a delightful book! I can't remember the last time I read a book with such witty dialogue. And the story just kept getting better and better. I can't wait to read another book by Mr. Towles. One more note of gratitude goes to the outstanding narration. Get this audio book-you will be well rewarded.

Not what I expected but still enjoyable.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoyed Amor Towles book "Rules of Civility". This audiobook was lovely and the narration was very enjoyable.

What other book might you compare A Gentleman in Moscow to and why?

I'd say it's a cross between "Rules of Civility" and "The Night Circus". Charming story without being over dramatic. The narrator reminded me of the man who narrated "The Night Circus" which I thoroughly enjoyed.

What does Nicholas Guy Smith bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

His voice and style is wonderful.

So charming, I read it again

I never read a book twice. There are too many books in the world that need to be read, but I loved this book and enjoyed it just as much the second time. The main character is delightful - wise and witty and kind. The secondary characters who move in and out of the hotel, where he is under house arrest, become his family. There’s a warmth to this story that is a perfect antidote to the real world right now. I want to live in the hotel with him, see people as mostly good, and get vicarious pleasure from the hotel’s cuisine, the perfect cup of coffee or glass of wine. The writing is clever and wonderfully descriptive.

And I cannot say enough about the narrator. He is perfection. His British accent is ideal for the aristocratic Count Rostov and he brings all the diverse personalities - and humor - in the story to life. This is a quiet story, but if you give it a chance I think you’ll fall in love with it. I was both surprised and gratified to see that Bill Gates put it on his five recommended reads for this summer.

Favorite Novel of All Time

I have listened to this novel three times, and believe it is truly the finest novel I have experienced to date. I have read nearly 500 books in the past 10 years, this is my all-time favorite. The messages are profound and the composition is articulate, yet creative. To quote Emile Zhukovsky, Bravo!

Happy to have known this Gentleman

From the initial establishment of the unusual story line to the conclusion of Gentleman from Moscow, I loved this book. It wasn’t—and didn’t need to be — a fast-paced shoot-em-up and a rapid page turner. It’s holding power rested in the main character’s charm, outlook, intelligence and heart. Surely, not many men such as this Gentleman exist. I’m ever so happy to have known him.