It is 1922 in post-revolutionary Russia as a Bolshevik tribunal finds an unrepentant Count Alexander Rostov guilty of treasonous writing and corruption.
He is sentenced to indefinite house arrest in the Metropol, a grand hotel in Moscow near the Kremlin. Despite his cramped living conditions in a tiny attic room, he remains in good spirits and eventually finds fulfilling and creative ways to fill his time.
Although the hotel, at first, seems an oasis at one remove from the grim realities and brutal political events of the outside world, the count still experiences the impact of social and historical upheavals through other guests, his many visitors and the changes in staff.
Even though the novel could be categorised as historical fiction, it is far from being overloaded with historical detail. The author uses broad brushstrokes and footnotes with concise and often ironic details of Russian history from 1922 to 1954.
Because the author writes in the third person, the reader is given insight into the thoughts and feelings of other characters as well as life outside the confines of the hotel.
The focus remains firmly on the character of the wise, charming and resourceful Count Rostov. We see how, in spite of (or maybe because of) the constrained circumstances, his personal horizons expand, and his understanding of life deepens as he enjoys many caring and meaningful relationships. He befriends staff and guests, fosters the nine-year-old Nina and later her daughter Sofia, and finds the love of his life in an actress who has fallen on hard times.
The novel is both serious and light-hearted, with a tone that is almost playful at times. There are tongue-in-cheek footnotes and explanations, and conversations between the count and others are clever, erudite and witty. Many events are hilarious, outrageous and ‘cloak and dagger’.
This is an exceptional novel, panoramic, artfully constructed and multi-layered, with many interwoven threads and stories within stories. Yet it is an effortless, even addictive read, and it was a resounding success in my book discussion group.
A Gentleman in Moscow is widely available both in bookstores and libraries in paperback, hardcover, CD and ebook formats (you can find it at Book Depository, Dymocks or Amazon). It has recently been made into a TV series starring Kenneth Branagh.
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