Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion

July group read discussion is open for A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles for a book set in an Olympic city. The discussion leader this month is Brandy.

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Awesome book. Enjoy the read! And give my best to the Count. :)

My book group had read The Rules of Civility also by Amor Towles, and I did not like it that much. When I looked at the premise for A Gentleman in Moscow and heard it was about a man who is sentenced to live in a hotel, I thought it sounded boring. I was definitely wrong! I loved this book. I thought the characters were wonderful and loved getting to know everyone at the hotel and who comes into Count Rostoff's life. I enjoyed this book so much that, although I read it in 2019, when my book group decided to do this book this year, I listened to it the 2nd time on audio. Both are good, but I really enjoyed the audio's narrator. Enjoy everyone and I look forward to hearing what you think!

Hi, this Is Brandy who is leading this month's discussion.

THis is a book I found incredibly well written and kept slogging forward because it was so incredibly well written. But I struggled with it. I think I told every single person I met while I was reading this book that it was incredibly well written but nothing really happened and if it wasn't so well written I'd have given up on it.

In the end, though, it comes together beautifully. Nearly everything is important and you know where it all fits. I am always gobsmacked by books like this and I turned off the audio and started it immediately again in book form.

It is rare for me to do both versions.

If you have read it already did you find it slow going? Did you love it from the get go?

Did you listen to it on audio or read the printed version? Did you switch between and if so did you have a preference?

Brandy wrote: "Hi, this Is Brandy who is leading this month's discussion.

THis is a book I found incredibly well written and kept slogging forward because it was so incredibly well written. But I struggled with..."

I read this book about a year ago on audiobook and I rushed out and bought the physical book too. It is a great book, I found myself intrigued by the premise and at times it was slow but then something new would happen and keep me reading. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a non-mystery type book. If you ever feel like stopping, just keep going - I promise it will be worth it.

Yes, I felt it was very slow going, but it never improved for me. Might've been too late for me to appreciate it.

I enjoyed it. I don't mind books that are heavier on character development/relationships than plot development, so the slower pace didn't bother me. I read it because I thought I would relate to the character being in self-quarantine. My impression coming away is that being stuck in a hotel is a lot more rich, varied world than being stuck in a house.

So, I really like to read aloud and often read to my mom who has had some health issues over the last few years. I'm sequestering with her right now because she really, really, really would be the last person in the world you suspect would survive a Covid case. So I thought, "hey, I'll read this book to my mom a little bit at a time through July as we're doing the group read."

Let me tell you how much it spoke to me at this time. Rostov at the window watching people go on with their life while he's in the hotel... feels very much like me listening to my sister on the phone yesterday telling me about going into the city to run errands and get her hair done. Ah youth when I took those things for granted...

Also the picking the important things to bring with him to his smaller exhile. My niece was on spring break from college when they closed school. She had a small carry on bag with her and no idea when she'd be allowed to go back to collect her things (2 weeks ago... she's happy to have more than 2 shirts now!). My nephew on the other hand, having heard this story, packed up his entire dorm room when they closed 3 days later.

Rostov's gone through several of these winnowings.

What would you bring with you if you were moving into smaller quarters for house arrest or into your mother's house for quarantine or home from college for an unknown length of time?

Rostov seems to have brought a disproportionate amount of glassware.

My math tells starting today I need to read about 16 pages a day to get to the end by July and I don't know how well I'll stick to this schedule but I like the idea of it.

So for today I read the transcripts of his sentencing and An Ambassador.

For tomorrow: An Appointment and An Acquaintanceship

Are all the chapters titled with As?

And this book has a map.

Brandy wrote: "What would you bring with you if you were moving into smaller quarters for house arrest or into your mother's house for quarantine or home from college for an unknown length of time? ..."

I would bring as many books, journals, paper, pens, and pencils as possible along with my laptop, printer, and cellphone. A bed, two blankets, two pillows. And apparently cherry fruit leathers and banana juice.

I guess that is one way my quarantine is more luxurious than Rostov's... He had a whole hotel to explore, but I get access to a houseful of possessions.

I'm just about to start the book, and I hope I'm not disappointed! I've been looking forward to it and my husband has been desperate for me to read it for ages, so my expectations are high!

Brandy wrote: "So, I really like to read aloud and often read to my mom who has had some health issues over the last few years. I'm sequestering with her right now because she really, really, really would be the ..."

I've not read it yet, but this book seems timely given the self isolation we've been in. And also, that people are self-isolating in various degrees from "not at all" (I live in AZ) to very much, so that some people are watching others live their lives while stuck at home.

What would I bring to the hotel if I were on house arrest? I suppose the same things that have helped me get by during self-isolation...my phone, laptop, books, and crafting supplies.

I do think it would be luxurious to be on house arrest at a hotel rather than my house. I have three boys ages 10, 8, and 7 and they make messes and eat all. the. time. So it would be nice to have someone serving ME instead of ME making 10 meals, 2 million snacks and 50 loads of laundry and all the dishes everyday. hahaha. To be fair, my kids do help out a lot. I still like the idea of having my meals made, dishes cleaned, and sheets washed by someone else though.

Hilary wrote: "eat all. the. time. So it would be nice to have someone serving ME instead of ME making 10 meals, 2 million snacks and 50 loads of laundry and all the dishes everyday. ..."

I feel like my only legitimate tasks these days are to feed the creatures I live with and help them find things in our messy house!

Doni wrote: "Hilary wrote: "eat all. the. time. So it would be nice to have someone serving ME instead of ME making 10 meals, 2 million snacks and 50 loads of laundry and all the dishes everyday. ..."

I feel l..."

Hahaha! Yes! If I can keep us all alive I consider it a win.

The next two chapters (vingnettes?) in and Rostov has figured out a 1920s version of Grub Hub, dealt with weird grocery substitutions with grace and been caught not following the new world order at his barber's. Seriously, this book is timely!

He' also embarked on reading a difficult tome.

Anybody have any hobbies the decided to take up due to desire or necessity during our own house arrest?

I keep saying I'm going to crochet but I have made less progress than Rostov on his book.

Hilary wrote: "Hahaha! Yes! If I can keep us all alive I consider it a win."


That is my literal goal for 2020. But the crochet thing would be a bonus!

Brandy wrote: "Anybody have any hobbies the decided to take up due to desire or necessity during our own house arrest?..."

So, I was reading a decluttering book, which is pretty pointless right now since there is no place you can donate stuff. It was talking about all the stuff you keep around that you don't actually use anymore. So it motivated me to use my bookbinding supplies that I haven't used in several years to make my own journal. That was pretty exciting.

I’m only on page 57 and I’m loving this book... it flows so nicely and is easy to read. The story keeps you sucked in. What a relief after June’s group read!

Brandy wrote: "The next two chapters (vingnettes?) in and Rostov has figured out a 1920s version of Grub Hub, dealt with weird grocery substitutions with grace and been caught not following the new world order at..."

I have actually just embarked on crochet, having reached the point where I was really feeling like I needed something new to do. So far I'm enjoying it, although I did unpick a bunch of rows last night when I realised I'd been missing some stitches...

Have just finished the book and I absolutely loved it (so glad it lived up to my expectations - and my husband's!). I just loved the atmosphere, and could really picture everything in my head. And the cast of characters in the hotel were just wonderful. (view spoiler)[I was a little worried when Sofia turned up, as while Nina as a child provided a sweet, amusing relationship with the Count, I was concerned that Sofia was going to bring on a bunch of chapters entirely concerned with bringing up a child, which for me would have impacted on the atmosphere and narrative - but I needn't have worried, her inclusion turned out very well, helped no doubt by the tendency to skip forward in large-ish time chunks (I was actually a little surprised that the entirety of WWII was skipped right over). (hide spoiler)]

I am at the beginning of Book Three. I really love it so far. I am generally good with character development books where not much happens. I love watching the evolution of Russia (the Soviet Union?) through Rostov's eyes.

The logistics are interesting to me. Since he is not allowed to go out to obtain food, the hotel has to feed him. How does that work? Does the government reimburse the hotel? Or just tell them that they have to? (view spoiler)[Later in the book he's a waiter at the Boyarsky. They have not yet addressed whether it's because he's bored, or because he's working to pay back his expenses. (hide spoiler)]

I completely relate to deciding to read a book with all his extra time and not getting to it. I was going to take up knitting again, of course that never happened. And now it's too hot, who wants to hold yarn?

Got to the end of Book 1 in my re-read last night and I am continuing to really ejoy it. My mom seems to be enjoying it too but she tends to nod off at the important bits. Like she'll be awake for pages of pages of description but nod off right as we meet the important charaters for the first time and then I'm always deciding if I should just fill her in or go back and pick it up.

I particularly enjoyed the "this character is not important later" aside with the caveat that a similarly described character will be important later. Having read just enough Russian lit to appreciate the keeping of name and people straight I enjoyed that little send up.

But reading it as lockdown fiction? The I found (view spoiler)[extra room in my rooms (hide spoiler)]?!?!?!?!? This is not relevant to my experience.

To address your original question, Brandy, the book is taking me longer to read than I expected it to. But I am enjoying it so much that I don't mind. The writing is beautiful without being show-offy or gimmicky.

The writing is superb, and every section is interesting. It does not tend to have hooks that compel you to read "just one more chapter" very often. I would compare it to a very fine ice cream/gelato. You just want a few bites at a time, and at the very end, you are very glad you bought that container.

I have been wanting to read this book for years. I am so glad I am finally doing it. I'm at about 80% (only because my Kindle needed to be charged), and it's giving me all the feels. I actually can't wait to re-read it.

I just ordered a copy from Better World Books so should have it by next week. Anxious to read this, 'cause the synopsis didn't really interest me, but from friends' reviews, I am now very interested! :)

Lynn wrote: "I just ordered a copy from Better World Books so should have it by next week. Anxious to read this, 'cause the synopsis didn't really interest me, but from friends' reviews, I am now very intereste..."

It's really good, Lynn. I just finished it the other day.

I'm about 150 pages into the book, which I picked up because it's my "first book you touch with your eyes closed" choice, and only then realized it's the group read. Yay! This is the first time I've actually had my reading coincide with the group read!
I'm not someone who tends to read about the moment in which one finds oneself--when my uncle suggested to me and my brother that we read Tuesday with Morrie when our mother was dying of ALS we just stared at him for a very, very long time. No. We have enough of that in real life, thank you! So honestly, it was a bit random that I picked it up at all, since I've been struggling with feeling claustrophobic in quarantine. It's not too close to the bone for me, though! The lockdown is just whimsical and charming enough for me to handle the darkness of it.
Another part I'm loving is all the shoutouts to Russian literature. I love Russian lit, so I'm loving the literary asides. That said, when the count cites War and Peace as the objectively best piece of big literature, I was like ZOMG Victor Hugo, Proust, and Thomas Mann would have something to say about THAT, sir.
I've been deliberately avoiding any spoilers or plot summaries, so I don't know how far past the 1920s the book goes. If it gets to WWII, though, I'm excited to see how that's handled.

Beautifully written. Very interesting and entertaining read. I usually give away the books I have read (because I don’t tend to reread books) but this one is a keeper.

I just received my copy today and hope to read it this weekend.

I finished this book last week, and forgot that this was actually a group read! l loved the book! Amazing how the closed quarters didn't limit the story at all. I enjoyed the characters and the writing, and the unexpected twists and turns. Very well done. I'm glad I read, although now I'm comparing everything I read to it, so no more 5 stars....

And I also wondered who paid for his stay: the Count or the government... Although it doesn't really matter. What is fascinating is what a rich life he managed to live and how many lives he manag d to touch despite his constraints. Leav s one with much to think about.

I hope to finish this today. A day late.. 😕

Unfortunately, I am only on page 43. I am enjoying it very much. I truly hope I can finish tomorrow!

On my copy, page 101 does. It continue to page 102. Anyone else experience this? Page 101 ends in mid-sentence and page 102 is the beginning of a new section within the chapter...

Ha! Ha! Never mind! I just figured out this is a continuation of a footnote! Agh!!

Hilary wrote: "I do think it would be luxurious to be on house arrest at a hotel rather than my house. I have three boys ages 10, 8, and 7 and they make messes and eat all. the. time. So it would be nice to have someone serving ME instead of ME making 10 meals, 2 million snacks and 50 loads of laundry and all the dishes everyday. hahaha. To be fair, my kids do help out a lot. I still like the idea of having my meals made, dishes cleaned, and sheets washed by someone else though."

That's what I keep thinking about... This guy has it good! No worries or responsibilities really. Well, other than the fact that you cannot leave the building...and if you're at all wise you realize eventually this will come to an end and it probably will not be a good end... Having raised three sons myself, I can certainly relate to your work load! Good luck!

Okay. I admit I really didn't consider that Count Rostov (view spoiler)[would be seduced by an actress! That was so funny to me! Especially given the times. For a woman to seduce a man in such a manner was totally unexpected, IMO! And then she just mild-manneredly dismisses him at 1AM! LOL (hide spoiler)] That made the feminist in me laugh out loud! :)

Loved the book. Loved the story. Loved the writing. But I see (view spoiler)[nothing realistic in Alexander's position of being sentenced to house arrest basically in a hotel. A fancy hotel. I really had to work at immersing myself in the narrative just to overlook that fantastical element. (hide spoiler)] I believe it was exquisite characterization that made this book so special for me. I would love a sequel! I want to know (view spoiler)[how Sofia's life turns out and how Alexander and Anna get on. I cannot imagine that they both want to remain in Russia... (hide spoiler)]

I know I’m behind, but I just finished this book last night! It moved a little slow for me but overall, I did like it!