The book:
A gentleman in Moscowby Amor Towles is one of those books that most people love (it was a huge bestseller in 2016 when it came out), but some people didn’t finish it. After finally delving into its 462 pages, I understood both types of readers. It takes a minute to get going, and it devotes pages upon pages to topics like absinthe and Chekhov. But by the time the book’s second big, exciting event takes place, I was so engrossed in the main characters and what was going to happen to them that I kept reading faster and faster until the end.
Count Alexander Ilyich Rostov is an aristocrat whose family lost everything in the 1917 Russian Revolution. The Bolsheviks are in charge, and although they hate the Count for everything he represents, his life is spared and he is sentenced to permanent house arrest in Moscow’s luxurious Metropol Hotel. This is a slap on the wrist compared to the Gulag, but the Count’s freedoms – access to fresh air, sunshine or any kind of diversion – are severely restricted. He is thrown out of his luxury suite into a bare attic accommodation where, like Sara Crewe in A little princessrises above his limits and makes the best of the situation. I fell in love with him and his wonderful way of facing difficulties with grace and joy. Part historical fiction, part spy novel and part love story (the devotion between him and his protégé Sofia moved me to tears), this extraordinary novel teaches readers about Russian history, but more importantly, about the power of love, courage and friendship in the darkest of days.
The series:
How does the TV adaptation compare to the book? Everyone knows that the book is usually better, but in this case the eight-part TV series, starring Ewan McGregor as the Count, comes very close to the book. The screenplay and executive producer is Ben Vanstone (The doctor and the dear animals), the series brings the elegant and glamorous Metropol Hotel, its residents and employees to life. McGregor is great in his role as a nobleman who must adapt to massive upheaval in his own life and, by extension, in his beloved Russia, which is encircled by the Soviet Union. Will he maintain his dignity despite terrible losses and his sanity despite daunting challenges? He can’t do it alone, and the supporting characters – his “comrade” Osip (Johnny Harris), glamorous actress Anna (McGregor’s real-life wife Mary Elizabeth Winstead), and Nina (Alexa Goodall), a child who is a guest at the hotel and has as little supervision as Eloise does at the Plaza – are important allies. Purists may grumble about some of the changes made in the series, but those changes have made the series crisper and more exciting than the book. It’s a compelling and heart-filling experience whether you’ve read the book or not (my husband agrees). Christian viewers will appreciate themes such as commitment, courage and sacrifice. Age rating: TV-14. Watch A gentleman in Moscow with a subscription to Paramount+, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, or Apple TV.
