A Gentleman in Moscow - August CC Book Club Selection

[mathmom]

LOL, I stayed up to late too. Those last few pages were really annoying.

[Mary13]

Welcome to August and our discussion of A Gentleman in Moscow.

In the past, we have chosen many books of action, where characters take to the road and encounter all kinds of drama. A Gentleman in Moscow is a book of ideas, and as such, it took me a long time to read. The Count made me think too much!

Years ago, in a previous discussion, we talked about how pleasant–and how rare–it was to have a protagonist who is a thoroughly good person, always kind and always aiming to do the right thing. (I believe this was in our discussion of The Orchardist.) The Count falls into this category. I’d like to have dinner with him. He should choose the wine.

[Mary13]

Amor Towles himself wrote the Discussion Questions:

Questions for Your Consideration:

1. In the transcript at the opening of A Gentleman in Moscow, the head of the tribunal and Count Rostov have the following exchange:

“Secretary Ignatov: I have no doubt, Count Rostov, that some in the galley are surprised to find you charming; but I am not surprised to find you so. History has shown charm to be the last ambition of the leisure class. What I do find surprising is that the author of the poem in question could have become a man so obviously without purpose.

Rostov: I have lived under the impression that a man’s purpose is known only to God.

Secretary Ignatov: Indeed. How convenient that must have been for you.”

To what extent is A Gentleman in Moscow a novel of purpose? How does the Count’s sense of purpose manifest itself initially, and how does it evolve as the story unfolds?

2. Over the course of Book Two, why does the Count decide to throw himself from the roof of the Metropol? On the verge of doing so, why does the encounter with the old handyman lead him to change his plans?

3. The Count’s life under house arrest is greatly influenced by his relationship with four women: Nina, Marina, Anna, and Sofia. What is the nature of the Count’s relationship with each of these women? How do those relationships differ from his relationship with the members of the Triumvirate—Andrey and Emile?

4. The majority of A Gentleman in Moscow is told in the third person from the Count’s point of view. There is, however, an overarching narrator with a perspective different from the Count’s. Initially, this narrator appears in footnotes, then in the “Addendums,” then in the historical introductions of “1930,” “1938,” and “1946.” How would you characterize this narrator? How does he differ from the Count in terms of his point of view and tone of voice? What is his role in the narrative?

5. In the “1946” chapter, Mishka, Osip, and Richard each share with the Count his perspective on the meaning of the revolutionary era. What are these three perspectives? Are you inclined to agree with one of them; or do you find there is some merit to each?

6. One of the pleasures of writing fiction is discovering upon completion of a project that some thread of imagery has run through the work without your complete awareness—forming, in essence, an unintentional motif. While I was very conscious of the recurrence of tolling bells, keys, and concentric circles in the book, here are a few motifs that I only recognized after the fact: Packages wrapped in brown paper, such as the Maltese Falcon, Mishka’s book of quotations, the Russian nesting dolls discovered in the Italians’ closet, and the Count’s copy of Montaigne (in Paris). The likeness of stars, such as the freckles on Anna’s back and the beacon on the top of the Shukhov radio tower. Sailors (often in peril), such as Robinson Crusoe, Odysseus, Admiral Makarov, and Arion in the myth of Delphinus. What role do any of these motifs play in the thematic composition of the book? And if you see me in an airport, can you explain them to me?

7. How does the narrative incorporate the passage of time, and does it do so effectively? Thematically speaking, how does the Count’s experience of Time change over the course of the novel and how does it relate to his father’s views as embodied by the twice-tolling clock? What does the novel suggest about the influence of individuals on history and vice versa?

8. At the opening of Book Five, the Count has already decided to get Sofia out of Russia. What occurs over the course of Book Four to lead him to this decision? Why does he choose to remain behind?

9. Near the novel’s conclusion, what is the significance of the toppled cocktail glass in Casablanca?

10. This is a novel with a somewhat fantastical premise set half a century ago in a country very different from our own. Nonetheless, do you think the book is relevant today? If so, in what way?

11. Bonus Question: Who in the novel also appears in Rules of Civility?

[Midwest67]

I’m eager to discuss Question 8 and the ending of the book, but I don’t want to go first, only to say I was very surprised he chose to remain behind.

This left me with many questions and greatly added to the feeling that I didn’t want the book to end.

[mathmom]

I kept wanting to be a curmudgeon and complain that the book was too twee, but in the end I was beguiled by it anyway.

It’s funny, while there are ideas in the book, it didn’t feel to me at all that way. I thought that there was an awful lot of plot propelling it on. I didn’t read it slowly at all. Will write more later!

[Caraid]

I am traveling and still finishing up the book. I’ll come back when I’m done. I only have my phone so my participation will be somewhat limited.

[bookworm]

I’m a little more than half way thru. Got a lot of Reading to do tonight!!!

[Mary13]

SPOILERS AHEAD…don’t read on yet if you haven’t finished the book!

@Midwest67

I’m eager to discuss Question 8 and the ending of the book, but I don’t want to go first, only to say I was very surprised he chose to remain behind.

8. At the opening of Book Five, the Count has already decided to get Sofia out of Russia. What occurs over the course of Book Four to lead him to this decision? Why does he choose to remain behind?

I think discovering Sofia’s talent on the piano was the impetus for the Count’s decision to get her out of Russia. He saw two possible outcomes for her if she stayed: 1) Her gift would be squelched in Russia, just like the young architect’s, or 2) Anna’s connections would only work for so long, and Sofia would be conscripted into the Youth Orchestra of Stalingrad. I think the visit from Katerina was the final straw. He saw a woman who once had so much promise beaten down by life, and didn’t want the same for Sofia.

He was thinking about Katerina. In particular, he was thinking—with a sense of foreboding—that in the course of twenty years this firefly, this pinwheel, this wonder of the world had become a woman who, when asked where she was going, could answer without the slightest hesitation: *Does it matter?/i

I was surprised Alexander stayed in Russia. Wouldn’t that mean that he would never see Sofia again? Unthinkable. I wondered, too, how he could remain there undetected.

[oregon101]

Maybe he felt that to stay protected her more than if tried to leave.
Perhaps for a period she would not be missed and given some time while
he was too prominent a figure to disappear for more than hours.

And maybe his poetic soul was still in love with his country, his misery, his life as it existed.

[ignatius]

I can’t fathom the count remaining undetected indefinitely, and once he’s detected …

Doesn’t he need the requisite paperwork for bread lines, etc.? I just figure that traveling to his childhood home/meeting Anna amounts to nothing more than saying goodbye to Russia - i.e., his stops on his way out of the country.

[CBBBlinker]

I had read this book for my RL Book Club several months ago. I absolutely loved it! Hopefully I can remember enough to participate in the discussion here …

Even though the Count would likely never see Sofia again, I thought it was an unselfish act of love. He knew she would be better off. I guess I just didn’t end up thinking too hard about what would happen to him if/when he was discovered out in the country.

[mathmom]

I think a lot of the book is about love and what you do about it. Love of things, love of country, love of people. The Count seems to have a pretty healthy relationship with things - the ones he loves - he loves for the memories not out of avarice. The Count loves his grandmother enough to get her out of the country, but can’t bring himself to leave himself. He essentially does the same thing with Sofia.

The book is not so realistic that I was bothered by worrying about how long he could survive in Russia without being discovered. I can imagine him slipping away with his “willowy” woman or living happily ever after with false papers.

I don’t think it’s an accident though that the book goes on and on and on and on after the happy ending. It annoyed me no end when I was reading it late at night. But I think that splash of cold water at the end is deliberate.

[mathmom]

Nice interview - fascinating about structuring the book like an accordian. I had (of course) noticed some leaps in time, but not the overarching pattern of what we get shown: http://www.amortowles.com/gentleman-moscow-amor-towles/gentleman-moscow-qa-amor-towles/

[Mary13]

@ignatius

I can’t fathom the count remaining undetected indefinitely, and once he’s detected …

I worried about his friends at the Metropol, too. He left them letters and gold. His friendship with Osip provides a little protection, but perhaps not enough. The presumably very angry Bishop could make their lives quite difficult.

@mathmom, by “splash of cold water,” do you mean the fact that we discover the Count is still in Russia? I felt like Towles expected us to find that final scene romantic rather than alarming (although I personally found it alarming).

I’m confused about a logistical detail: Why did the Count need the Scandinavian man’s passport? Was that solely to create a red herring for the authorities?

[Midwest67]

@ignatius Are you saying your conclusion is he did leave Russia afterall?

I recall thinking (hoping?) he might be meandering his way out, but then thought, no, he’s staying. No! Why?!?!

[mathmom]

@Mary13 No the splash of cold water is all the historical bits that come after the plot of the novel is concluded.

The count stole the Finnish passport to throw the Russian police off the scent. They would assume he had fled the country and never go looking for him in Russia. Especially since Osip is perfectly fine with playing Louie “round up the usual suspects” from Casablanca. I’m confident that Osip will make everything go away. Bishop is a petty bureaucrat - I don’t think there’s much he can actually do.

I think it’s clear that the Count is staying in Russia. The story ends where it begins.

[Midwest67]

@Mary13 Yes, I thought the Scandinavian passport was a red herring, so the authorities would firmly believe he’d left the country. I thought he’d be leaving the country, via another route, following Sofia. I didn’t expect the story to go in the direction it did, with him staying.

@mathmom I was listening to the book on audio (the narrator was lovely), and at first, I tried to keep track of time and the probable ages of the main characters, and finally, I let go. Maybe that’s what it’s like when you’re under house arrest?

I did scribble down a phrase that I enjoyed so much: “The Confederacy of the Humbled”. Oh, how I enjoyed the friendship between the Count, Andrey, and Emile.

Does anyone else have favorite quotes?

I didn’t quite “get” the storyline with Mishka. Perhaps my attention wandered during that part.

[Mary13]

From the day of the Count’s house arrest, the chapters advance by a doubling principal: one day after arrest, two days after, five days, ten days, three weeks, six weeks, three months, six months, one year, two years, four years, eight years, and sixteen years after arrest. At this midpoint, a halving principal is initiated with the narrative leaping to eight years until the Count’s escape, four years until, two years, one year, six months, three months, six weeks, three weeks, ten days, five days, two days, one day and finally, the turn of the revolving door.

I didn’t notice the structure when I was reading, but it makes sense. At least it’s math I can get my head around. I never quite recovered from The Luminaries.

[TempeMom]

I also loved the whole confederacy of the humbled. It rang so true. We’ve experienced that in our own life and it was right on the money.

[Caraid]

I finished! I enjoyed this story. I never considered the Count would stay in Russia and was quite suprised at the end when he met up with Anna. I like @ignatius’ thought that the Count could still be leaving. Earlier in the story, Anna expressed a fondness for America (pg. 351). That was the first time the Count had ever considered why anyone would want to go to America. The seed was planted. It is possible that he and Anna could be continuing the journey to somehow meet up with Sofia.