A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
The novel follows the life of Count Alexander Rostov, an aristocrat who is sentenced to house arrest in the Metropol, a grand hotel across the street from the Kremlin, by a Bolshevik tribunal during the early years of Soviet Russia. Despite the vast historical changes occurring outside the hotel's walls, the Count lives a life of intellectual exploration, emotional discovery, and surprising personal growth within the confines of the luxurious establishment. Over the decades, his reduced circumstances provide a lens through which to observe the tumultuous events of mid-20th century Russia, as he befriends staff and guests, raises a spirited young girl who comes into his care, and adapts to his new reality with grace and wit.
The 2229th greatest book of all time
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Total Points: 173
This book was first published in 2016
13 Lists
- score: 59 -- 222 Best Books of All Time That Deserve a Spot on Your Bookshelf, With Picks from Bestselling Authors and Indie Booksellers - 2024 (Weight: 170)
- score: 35 -- Readers Pick Their 100 Best Books of the 21st Century - 2024 (Weight: 89)
- score: 25 -- Not the NYT list: 100 fine books from around the world (and not just the USA) of the 21st century - 2024 (Weight: 73)
- score: 23 -- America’s 100 Favorite Books - 2024 (Weight: 70)
- score: 11 -- Current’s 100 Books of the 21st Century - 2024 (Weight: 30)
- score: 6 -- 100 Best Books of the 21st Century - 2024 (Weight: 20)
- score: 3 -- Readers’ Top 100 Novels Of All Time - 2026 (Weight: 10)
- score: 3 -- Bill Gate's Book Recommendations - 2024 (Weight: 10)
- score: 1 -- Best Fiction Books of the 21st Century (So Far) - 2025 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- Boston Public Library: Top Fiction and Non-Fiction Books of the 2010s - 2020 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- Barack Obama's Reading Lists - 2025 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- Australia’s Radio National top 100 books of the 21st century - 2025 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- Our Users' Honorable Mention Favorite Books of All Time - 2024 (Weight: 1)