Definitely worth a read!
We can finally – and unusually - recommend a highly acclaimed novel worthy of its hype.
The story is based around a single protagonist - Count Rostov – who is sentenced to house arrest at the famous Moscow Hotel Metropol. As the years pass we become close friends with Rostov as he recounts his memories and interacts with the hotel staff and visitors. We learn a little about Russia and its history and we luxuriate in the gift of Towles’ beautiful writing.
Without giving away any spoilers, this story is exquisitely crafted and the plotting is both clever and delightful.
But it is the writing which makes this book a joy to read. Each sentence, description and anecdote to be treasured and savoured. They all coalesce to create a memorable tale, with memorable characters in a realistic setting. The descriptions are so well delivered, that weeks after completing the book, the Hotel fixtures and fittings are still visible, the conversations endure and each meal lingers on our palate as if we had somehow inhabited the Metropol Hotel at the same time as the Count.
We all enjoyed this book. Some more than others. It’s timing might have shaped our views as there were more than a few echoes of UK winter lockdown life - house arrest (effectively), relative social exclusion, and a slower pace of life.
The slowness was mirrored by the structure and pace of the writing. In normal circumstances, this slowing down would have been very obvious, and perhaps a welcome escape from the seemingly relentless busyness. During lockdown it was somehow less welcome as we were already well primed to identify almost too deeply with Rostov’s plight .
There were lessons for life too - both during and beyond lockdown. The value of the simple things, memories of happier days, daily structure, making the most of any situation and -as we later learn – being clear about our priorities and planning accordingly.
Unusually, we are now reading two books in parallel. Since we can’t dine together we can read about food in Pen Vogler’s Scoff: A history of food and class in Britain. We can also delight our imagine with a story, The King’s General, from one of our favourite authors, Daphne du Maurier
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