A Gentleman in Moscow

A Novel

By: Amor Towles

Narrated by: Nicholas Guy Smith

Length: 17 hrs and 52 mins

Publisher's summary

The mega-bestseller with more than 2 million readers, soon to be a Showtime/Paramount series starring Ewan McGregor as Count Alexander Rostov

From the #1 New York Times-bestselling author of The Lincoln Highway and Rules of Civility, 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.

©2016 Amor Towles (P)2016 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"The novel buzzes with the energy of numerous adventures, love affairs, [and] twists of fate."—The Wall Street Journal

"If you're looking for a summer novel, this is it. Beautifully written, a story of a Russian aristocrat trapped in Moscow during the tumult of the 1930s. It brims with intelligence, erudition, and insight, an old-fashioned novel in the best sense of the term."—Fareed Zakaria, "Global Public Square," CNN

"Fun, clever, and surprisingly upbeat . . . A Gentleman in Moscow is an amazing story because it manages to be a little bit of everything. There’s fantastical romance, politics, espionage, parenthood and poetry. The book is technically historical fiction, but you would be just as accurate calling it a thriller or a love story.”—Bill Gates

The perfect narrator for this audio book!

If you could sum up A Gentleman in Moscow in three words, what would they be?

cleverly elegant

Which character – as performed by Nicholas Guy Smith – was your favorite?

Definitely the Count. No question.

Any additional comments?

The narrator is fabulous. I could listen to him read the phonebook.

Beautifully written, unusual "plot"

Ok Plot smot. Doesn't have one in the traditional sense. The plot is the setting. You're probably scratching your head saying, "Huh?" Here's a capsule of the plot: Russian count sentenced to spend the rest of his life in a glorious Moscow hotel. If he leaves, he will be shot. But what a life he leads. Enough said about that.

Kudos to author Amor Towles. This book is beautifully written. And the main character grows in wisdom through the years (hopefully, we all do). The Count has well developed relationships, some short, but others lifelong. He's a good man who always would see a glass half full, so the years in the hotel are a blessing, not a curse. There is wisdom in this book, if you listen for it.'

Nicholas Guy Smith does a first-rate job with the narration.

Did I mention that I liked this book so much that I listened to it twice? I rarely do that.

Give it some time--it'll reel you in

4.5 stars. I spent the first third of this book slogging through and wondering why it was given so many high-star ratings on Goodreads, only to become an ardent fan myself as the story progressed and the earlier threads started weaving together. Push through the first part and you'll be rewarded! A fabulous narrator, and a well-developed tale.

Absolutely perfect.

Every word, perfectly written by Amor Towles, perfectly delivered by Nicholas Guy Smith. What a gift Mr. Towles and Mr. Smith have given us. Enjoy! #tagsgiving" "#sweepstakes

Absorbing, charming, lovely.

This book has been in my Audible library for a long time, but I kept passing it over for others. Then, my book club added it to our list. I am so sorry I waited so long. I had no idea what I was missing. Every chapter presents a charming vignette in the life of a titled aristocrat in post-revolution Moscow who has been sentenced by the Bolshevik government to live his life under house arrest in a hotel because of a poem he wrote. Count Rostov is a charming, stylish, well educated bachelor; he is the perfect gentleman with perfect manners. The book is lighthearted, and the many funny and quirky situations the Count finds himself in are very entertaining. The characters he encounters are so well described, you feel you know them. There is also an undercurrent of darkness with the descriptions of life within the repressive Russian state and the hardships imposed by the communist system; this lends a layer of complexity and provides a fascinating background to the story. I absolutely loved this book and am looking forward to reading more of Towles' books.

A wondrous piece of fine literature. A

Consistently engaging from start to finish. A finely crafted look into a civilised age and class. A bow of respect and admiration Mr. Towles.

Simply Splendid

An unforgettable character in Count Alexander Ilyich Rostov and a story of stories that includes a Grand Hotel and a Hotel Budapest and Eloise of the Plaza and a luminous cast of secondary characters, as told with the charm and grace of a Peter Taylor story and the human insight of Henry James. Beautifully written, movingly told, and - however implausible aspects of the story may strike the reader - brilliantly capturing aspects of 1922-1954 Russia in transition, albeit without the Terror. A magnificently affirmative novel as a respite from our less affirmative times.

Moving. Delightful.

I was moved to tears of joy, delight, and emotion over and over again. Highly recommend this novel.

My Favorite Book

This book is a rich tapestry of beautiful language, historical events, and a deeply moving story of one man under house arrest. I have not so thoroughly enjoyed a story and excellent writing in decades and found myself searching for a pen to capture quotes from the book. One is taped at my desk at work and I have not been able to stop recommending this book to everyone.

Towles has gifted a story that spans many years with compelling characters against the backdrop of the Russian revolution, but it isn't just the large, sweeping historical movements that capture one's imagination in this book. As much attention is paid to the every day things and people in life...the things that take us by surprise in the way they fill up the space around us and add color and depth to our human experiences.

This book really feels like a classic to me.

Beautifully Written

Few novels are worth a second listen. I'm looking forward to going back to the Metropol and getting reacquainted with Count Rostov.