A Gentleman in Moscow reminds us what matters most
How to master your circumstances, no matter how dire they might be
Last year I came across the book A Gentleman in Moscow in one of my city’s little free libraries.
I was intrigued, but slightly wary. As someone of Russian descent, I haven’t seen many positive or fully accurate portrayals of Russian culture in the anglosphere. I’m not counting western adaptations of classics like Anna Karenina or Doctor Zhivago, as the original stories and characters were created by Russian authors. A Gentleman in Moscow was written by an American author, Amor Towles, so there was a good chance it could go wrong.
Still, the premise was interesting. It’s the story of a former aristocrat imprisoned in a prestigious Moscow hotel following the Russian revolution. It shows the evolution of the Soviet Union through the lens of someone clinging to remnants of a bygone era, all while learning to adapt to a strange new world.
I ended up enjoying the book, and was excited to find out it had been made into a TV series in the beginning of 2024. It took a while for me to find the series on a streaming platform I have access to, but I recently finished it and to say I loved it feels like an understatement. It’s one of those rare adaptations that doesn’t feel like a separate entity from the book, but a complement to it.
Towles seemed to do his due diligence when researching Russian culture, so he gets a big stamp of approval from me. And, even more importantly, the heroes of the story are downright delightful.
Russians are still primarily portrayed as the villains, the creeps, or the straight-up weirdos in western media even decades after the end of the Cold War. It’s extremely refreshing to see us portrayed as normal people who enjoy good food, literature, music, and company. Who crave love, dignity, respect, and freedom. Who go to great lengths to protect their loved ones, and who genuinely care about the well-being and betterment of their fellow humans.
Ewan McGregor is brilliantly charismatic, as always, and makes the perfect Alexander Rostov. I genuinely can’t think of anyone else I’d cast. Also a shoutout to Mary Elizabeth Winstead, who beautifully captures Anna Urbanova’s fiercely independent but secretly vulnerable spirit.
The series felt more dramatic than the book, but it did a fantastic job of capturing the overall feeling of paranoia and fear within the Soviet Union. I found myself balling my eyes out after several episodes, imagining my grandparents and mother having to live through it. I even get emotional thinking about it now.
But it didn’t just portray the bad. My two favourite scenes from the TV series (as great as the book was, sometimes having that visual leaves a stronger impression) were the New Year’s celebration from episode 2 and the show’s final moments. They really nailed Russian New Year’s — the biggest celebration of the year, culturally — with the folk music, the traditional salads, the dancing, and the overall merriment and warmth. I swear, behind the resting bitch faces Russians really can be lovely people.
As for the final scene, I don’t want to spoil anything, but it was absolutely beautiful. It made me think of my babushka and dedushka, staying at dachas during childhood visits to Russia, watching my mom’s sheer delight just walking through the willow forests of her childhood, visiting the countryside and taking in the sweeping meadows, stopping in small towns to admire traditional crafts and the architecture of orthodox churches. Simplicity and joy in the little things. To me, it’s Russia at its purest.
I’m a big believer that governments don’t dictate the mentality of their citizens (for the record, I do not support Putin), so I think the series was released at a very apt time.
Culture aside, the story itself is one of the most heart-warming ones I’ve ever seen or read. There’s a Russian word that essentially translates to soulful: душевно (du-shev-no), and that’s the one adjective I’d use to describe A Gentleman In Moscow. It’s a tale of resilience, optimism, ingenuity, and the importance of what matters most: love.
When Alexander is sentenced to life in the Metropol hotel, he’s moved from the luxurious suite he was staying in to a tiny, shabby room originally designated for low-ranking staff. He’s also forced to part with most of his belongings, which now belong to the state. Finally, he’s ordered to never leave the hotel grounds. If he does, he risks getting shot on the spot.
Alexander’s most important life lesson is to “learn to master your circumstances, otherwise they’ll master you.” And master them he did.
He learned to find comfort in rituals: morning exercises and coffee, afternoon reading, and weekly grooming sessions. He found ways to stay active and serve his community by working as a waiter in the hotel restaurant and secretly minding a beehive on the hotel rooftop.
But what really kept him sane during decades of confinement were his relationships with the hotel’s fellow guests and staff. He formed close bonds with his restaurant co-workers, who shared his passion of fine dining and wine. His romantic relationship with Anna Urbanova proved that you can still deeply love and care for your partner even if you don’t follow societal conventions. And, sweetest of all, he became a father figure to mother and daughter Nina and Sofia Kulikova, who he respectively watched grow up and helped raise within the hotel.
This is exactly why I’m writing about A Gentleman In Moscow. The cultural ties drew me in, but I loved the meaning of the story more than anything else. Imo, Alexander Rostov embodies what the Pastel Minimalist is all about. He’s an unintentional minimalist (and his brand would more likely be the Dapper Minimalist), but he discovered that you really don’t need many material things for a joyful and fulfilling life.
Towards the end, he shares that despite everything, he spent his happiest days in the Metropol thanks to his chosen family. He even reveals that given the chance, he wouldn’t re-do anything in his life because he wouldn’t want to miss out on the relationships he cultivated. As Alexander says, the conveniences of life aren’t what bring true happiness.
Now, I’m not saying that I would wish a life of confinement upon anyone who doesn’t deserve it. Alexander’s crime wasn’t a crime at all — no one can help which family they’re born into. But A Gentleman In Moscow is ultimately about making the most of life, even when it slaps you in the face.
If you’re reading this, I’m hoping you aren’t living under authoritarian rule. Here at the other end of the spectrum, we can often feel like prisoners of the system in our hyper-capitalist society. If we’re not born into wealth, we may feel like we’re just helpless cogs in the machine.
There are so many pressures we face on a daily basis: to work hard, look good … keep up any and all appearances. We might feel like our jobs, homes, and lives aren’t good enough because we’re not six figure plus earners living in the lap of luxury.
A Gentleman In Moscow reminds us that as long as you have people that love you and passions you’re able to explore, you’re one of the lucky ones.
You don’t need a big house filled with things, a flashy car, or new outfits every week. You don’t need fame or a big group of fake friends. At the end of the day, those aren’t the things you’re going to treasure. Just ask Alexander Rostov.
Watching/Reading Notes
I recommend reading the book before watching the series because you’ll get to know the characters a lot better. I think the series was a great adaptation. It stayed true to the spirit of the book and kept all the main plot points. My only criticism is that it could have done with one more episode to further develop character relationships. I feel that someone watching the series first might not pick up on just how close some of the characters got.
You don’t need to be an expert on Russian culture or history, but it does help to know the basics. If you’re unfamiliar, read a little bit about the Russian Revolution and the Soviet Union.
Always keep the core theme of the story in mind. Despite the setting and era, it’s not a political thriller or even a crime drama. I’ve read some more formal reviews complaining that it’s not intriguing or fast-paced enough, but I think those writers were missing the overall point. The book especially is a slow burn, but it’s a very sweet one IMO.
Thank you for reading! I sincerely hope this has inspired you to read and watch A Gentleman in Moscow. You’ll be in for a treat.
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I've never heard of this show and think I'll check it out!
I had a lot of Russian classmates when I attended high school in Germany. I admittedly found them a bit intimidating and stand-offish at first (the resting-bitch-face reference nails it 🙈) until I gave them the chance to warm up to me. That's when everything pivoted - such amazing people! I learned bits of Russian and a lot about the culture (beyond all the clichés) through them.
It saddens me that Russia is generally portrayed so negatively in light of recent events despite having made so many artistic and literary contributions and having such a rich history, not to mention the beautiful language and great cuisine. Visiting St. Petersburg is still on my bucket list and I hope one day it will be possible again 🙏
This show was phenomenal, the acting superb, deserves more accolades! Now I must read the book. I was afraid I would be disappointed like Station Eleven. I fell in love with the series and the book didn't hold the same magic for me.