A Gentleman in Moscow

This book has been a slow read, but a very satisfying one. The narrator is as witty as the protagonist, Count Alexander Rostov, a Former Person under permanent house arrest at the Metropol Hotel by the Communist Party. Despite his aristocratic bearings, the Count adapts himself to his new circumstance with surprising agility, never once losing composure nor his fine manners. We meet the hotel residents and staff, as well as emerging leaders of the new country who dine at the Metropol.
It took a long while to settle into the gentle cadence of this novel, but once you accept that the book will not be offering thrilling twists and turns at every chapter but instead beguile you with its language, characters, and dialogue, you can enjoy the unfolding tale of the Count, his daughter, Sofia, and the people around them.
There is a twist, of course, as well as a rapid elevation of pace towards the end of the novel, that make for a satisfying finish.
This book is like a good meal at the Boyarsky, the restaurant the hotel is noted for, which one can only enjoy if one lingers and appreciates the delicate balance of flavours.