A Gentleman in Moscow Summary
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Here you will find a A Gentleman in Moscow summary (Amor Towles's book).
We begin with a summary of the entire book, and then you can read each individual chapter's summary by visiting the links on the "Chapters" section.
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Last Updated: Monday 1 Jan, 2024
Chapters A Gentleman in Moscow Summary Overview
In June 1922, a tribunal of Bolshevik Russia condemns Count Alexander Rostov to a life of confinement within the Hotel Metropol in Moscow. Rostov, an aristocrat, could have been given a death sentence, but his previous pro-revolutionary poem titled "Where Is It Now" sways the committee's decision. After the Count is relocated to a small room, once occupied by servants, he is mostly left undisturbed. The Hotel Metropol maintains its elegance over the next three decades, serving as a venue for the new regime's leaders to relish in previously aristocratic luxuries, as well as a location to entertain and spy on international journalists and dignitaries. Among the denizens of the hotel is Nina, a lively nine-year-old girl who introduces the Count to the unseen corners of the building. Over time, the Count grows concerned as Nina's interests shift from princesses to the workings of bureaucrats and union bosses. As time progresses, the Count crosses paths with Anna Urbanova, an esteemed actress. Despite a chilly initial encounter, they soon form a close bond and share many intimate moments within the hotel. The hotel begins to rebound from a post-revolution slump as the Soviet Union gains recognition from the West. Unfortunately, an encounter with an inept waiter, referred to as the Bishop by the Count, leads to complications as the waiter ascends the hierarchical ladder of the hotel. His complaint results in an edict that all wine, regardless of its vintage, must be sold unlabeled and at a single price. This event, paired with the anniversary of his sister's death, prompts the Count to contemplate suicide, which is luckily deterred by a timely interruption. In the following days, the Count finds employment as a waiter at the hotel and eventually rises to the position of headwaiter. His life takes a sharp turn when he encounters Nina again, who entrusts her daughter, Sofia, to the Count while she pursues her husband who has been sent to Siberia. With guidance from Marina, the hotel seamstress, the Count raises Sofia. As Sofia matures, she develops a talent for piano which leads her to study at the Moscow Conservatory. During this time, the Count learns of the death of his dear friend, Mishka. When Sofia has the opportunity to tour Paris, the Count helps her to defect to the West. The Count himself escapes the hotel with the aid of Viktor Skadovsky and eventually ends up in the location of his former family estate, where he reunites with Anna Urbanova.
prologue
The book opens with an excerpt from a 1913 poem, “Where Is It Now?” by Count Alexander Ilyich Rostov. The central theme of the poem questions the whereabouts of “purpose”. It mentions many places where purpose is absent, such as “Peter’s Square” and “Vronsky’s saddlebags.” The poem is essentially a critique of the noble class. At the age of thirty-two, Count Rostov is summoned before a governmental Emergency Committee. He is interrogated about a poem he crafted in 1913, his decision to leave for Paris in the subsequent year, and his return to Moscow five years later. The Count responds to the questions with casual ease. When queried if he returned to join the Revolution, he states that his fighting days were over. The Committee spares his life but confines him indefinitely to the Hotel Metropol, his residence for the past four years. If he were to leave the hotel, he would be executed.
book 1
After surviving a hearing, the Count is escorted back to the Metropol, where he's relocated from his third-floor suite to a small room on the sixth floor. He carefully selects a few items to take with him, including a desk, a pair of scissors shaped like an egret, and a portrait of his sister Helena. During the move, he reminisces about his family and his past. In his new quarters, he receives a few visitors, among them the hotel's maître d', the concierge, and the seamstress. After his visitors leave, the Count reveals a secret stash of gold coins in his desk. The next day, he summons a money exchanger and they strike a deal. Despite his confined circumstances, the Count still dines at the hotel's restaurant and finds ways to acquire his favorite luxuries. The Count has a standing appointment at the hotel's barbershop. One day, another customer cuts off part of the Count's mustache in protest of the Count's priority treatment. The Count, suspecting the man might be an official, decides to shave off his moustache entirely. In the hotel, the Count often eats lunch in a lobby-floor dining room he calls the Piazza. One day, a young girl named Nina Kulikova joins him uninvited and inquires about his missing moustache. They strike up a conversation about royalty and duels, which the Count later recounts at the hotel bar. Nina invites the Count to tea and the two become fast friends. The Count learns Nina also lives in the hotel and has been exploring it with a stolen passkey. Together, they uncover hidden spaces and even visit the Count's old suite. Inspired by their discoveries, the Count creates a secret study by connecting his room to an adjoining one. One day, Nina convinces the Count to spy on a union meeting taking place in the hotel's ballroom. After the meeting, the Count laments the loss of Nina's interest in princesses, but is reminded that children's interests change quickly. The Count is summoned by the hotel's manager who informs him that the staff will no longer address him as "Your Excellency". During the meeting, the Count discovers a hidden cabinet containing exquisitely crafted objects. He's later visited by an old university friend, "Mishka" Mindich, and they reminisce about their past and ponder the future. As Christmas approaches, the Count gifts Nina his grandmother's opera glasses while she surprises him with the stolen hotel passkey. After a chance encounter with a young violinist in the lobby, the Count goes to bed and dreams of his potential future.
book 2
On the day marking a year of his house arrest, the Count readies himself for a meeting with Mishka, in town for a writers' gathering. In the hotel lobby, he stops two dogs from chasing a one-eyed cat, leading to a brief, cold exchange with the dogs' beautiful owner about good manners versus good breeding. Mishka, donned in a new jacket and freshly trimmed beard, recounts the joy of a recent poetry reading and his encounter with a budding young poetess, Katerina Litvinova. He leaves soon, unable to join for dinner. The Count later receives an invitation from the woman with the dogs, who turns out to be Anna Urbanova, a famous actress. Anna arranges a private dinner and surprises the Count with her grounded nature. Their conversation about their roots ends with Anna kissing the Count and inviting him to her bed. After their encounter, he leaves her room, feeling like a ghost wandering in the quiet, empty hallways, only encountering the one-eyed cat. Near his room, he discovers a ladder leading to the roof, where he meets a handyman, also from Nizhny Novgorod, enjoying coffee and bread with honey made by nearby bees. Anna, annoyed that the Count hung up her blouse, starts leaving her clothes on the floor. After a scolding from her older dresser, she tosses all her clothes onto the street, only to retrieve them later. The Count, meanwhile, is less noticed by the hotel staff as they attend to foreign guests. He impresses Nina with a comment about prime and non-prime numbers. He learns from the bartender, Andrey, about how the Bishop, through connections, became a hotel waiter and managed to implement a rule dictating all wine be sold without labels at a set price. This realization makes the Count aware of how quickly life can change. He decides to toast to his late sister Helena's memory on the 10th anniversary of her death. Two years pass, bringing changes both inside and outside the hotel. The Count prepares to honor Helena's memory, visiting suite 317 for the last time, settling his bills, and laying out his burial clothes. He watches Nina carry out scientific experiments, shares a last drink with a Brit at the Shalyapin, and reveals the events that led him to Paris in 1918. On the roof at midnight, he raises a toast to his late sister when Abram, the handyman, interrupts him. Abram's hives are filled with bees once more, and their honey tastes of apple blossoms. After bidding Abram farewell, the Count seeks Andrey's company.
book 3
The Count begins his day with coffee and exercises, soon interrupted by a mysterious envelope marked “Four o’clock.” This is a secret message from Anna Urbanova, who is waiting upstairs. The Count has a reputable position as the headwaiter at Boyarsky's, directed by Chef Emile. He, along with Andrey and Emile, meets to plan the evening’s dinner, arranging the seating to avoid any conflict between the officials and diplomats. They also discuss a new recipe involving saffron. A letter from Mishka dampens the Count's mood, revealing that Mishka is heartbroken over his past lover, Katerina. The Count is also surprised to see Nina, now a member of the Young Communist League, revealing her plans to help modernize farms in Ivanovo province. He worries about her choices, but Marina assures him that life will eventually find her. The Count spends some intimate time with Anna, now a rising star in her acting career. They share stories of sea adventures and discuss their past. Later that day, the Count is summoned by Osip Glebnikov, a Party officer. Osip seeks to understand the Western world and asks the Count to tutor him. The Count agrees to his proposal. At midnight, the Count, Andrey, and Emile indulge in a bouillabaisse made from a recipe they've been plotting for years. They reminisce about their past, revealing Andrey’s former life as a circus performer. The Count shares his belief that life will eventually find everyone, including Nina. The next day, Nina entrusts the Count with the care of her daughter, Sofia, as she plans to follow her arrested husband to Siberia. The Count readily accepts the responsibility. Sofia adapts to her new life with the Count at the hotel, who quickly learns how to cater to her needs. Their day is filled with various activities, including setting up Sofia’s new bunk bed, playing hide-and-seek, and dealing with the aftermath of an incident involving live geese. The Count also continues his tutoring sessions with Osip, this time discussing American culture and films. Meanwhile, an unexpected visit from Mishka, who’s been living a shadow-life in Yavas after serving forced labor, leaves a gloomy impression about Russia's future. Their conversation continues at the Shalyapin bar with Captain Richard Vanderwhile, leading to the conclusion that what matters endures, but it's hard to predict what that will be. The day takes a turn when Sofia falls down the service stairs, resulting in a head injury. The Count rushes her to the hospital, where Osip arranges for her treatment. The Count, forced to leave Sofia at the hospital, returns to the hotel to find gifts from Richard Vanderwhile. Sofia's accident leaves a significant impact on the Count, Andrey, and everyone else at the hotel. Despite the challenges, life at the Metropol continues, marked by Sofia's recovery, Andrey's visit to her, and the looming changes in their lives.
book 4
At seventeen, Sofia, who is now an intelligent and modest young woman with dark hair, is found in the ballroom with Piazza’s orchestra conductor, Viktor. The Count had been discussing the rapid growth of children with Vasily, but becomes alarmed when he hears of Sofia's company. Before Sofia can explain that Viktor is merely providing her with a piano lesson, the Count grabs him. Sofia performs a touching rendition of Chopin’s famous nocturne, drawing emotion from thoughts of her mother. The Count reminisces about his times with Nina in the ballroom. The Count later observes a young architect sketching the Piazza for a tourist brochure and defends its slightly worn-out state, arguing that it's the guests who truly define a space. That evening, he shares a drink with Richard, a regular visitor from the American State Department, with whom he's become friends. Recalling his encounters with Viktor and the architect, the Count likens his adaptability in his constrained environment to moths changing color in response to their surroundings. Simultaneously, Viktor selects a Bach piece for Sofia to learn, Mishka pieces together a book by candlelight, and the architect creates a fantastical image of a bustling restaurant. Before having dinner in the Boyarsky, Sofia and the Count play a game they invented called Zut. Later, during dinner, he is surprised to learn that Sofia and Marina are aware of his relationship with Anna. After dinner, he finds Richard waiting for him in his old suite under the pretense of a poetry discussion. Richard discloses his worries about the future U.S.-Soviet relationship after Stalin's reign and proposes that the Count provide information about social events in Moscow. The Count respectfully declines, not wishing to engage in spying or gossip. The next year, Stalin's death leads to the co-leadership of Malenkov, the progressive internationalist, and Khrushchev, Moscow’s former mayor. After an exasperating day dealing with the Boyarsky’s new order tracking system, the Count receives good news: Sofia won her Conservatory competition. Anna and Sofia break the news and the Count, Emile, and Andrey celebrate with a cake. The Count’s celebration is interrupted by Vasily, who alerts him to the Bishop and another man approaching his room. The stranger brings a letter instructing Sofia to join the youth orchestra in Stalingrad, but Anna intervenes, insisting that the Minister of Culture has plans for Sofia in Moscow. After their departure, the Count encounters Katerina, who informs him of Mishka's death. She leaves the Count with a package, which contains a hand-bound collection of bread-related quotations titled ‘Bread and Salt’, Mishka’s final project. The Count mourns his friend and ponders on his conversation with Katerina.
book 5
The Bishop, upon discovering the Triumvirate’s daily gatherings, took control of them. During the end of 1953, he continued to make bothersome budget cuts. Later, the Count secretly flips through Andrey’s 1954 calendar, before identifying a useful upcoming event: a dinner involving two influential committees. Later, in the Shalyapin, the Count notices a new American, “Pudgy” Webster, joking about selling vending machines in Moscow. Viktor comes over, upset about Sofia's refusal to join a goodwill tour. After speaking with Sofia, she reveals her discomfort about performing without the Count. He reassures her that he would hear her play even from the moon. Sofia's plan to be in Paris in June kick-starts a countdown for the Count. He knows he must utilize his time wisely. In March, he visits the barbershop, requests a shave, and while the barber is away, he steals the “Fountain of Youth” bottle and a spare razor. He uses the razor to cut into the pages of Montaigne’s Essays. In May, the Count infiltrates an Italian couple’s room using Nina’s key and steals clothes. Afterwards, he asks Webster to deliver a letter to Richard in Paris. Later, he retrieves a cap from the Italian couple’s room, narrowly avoiding being caught. At the end of May, Sofia tries on a beautiful blue dress for her Paris trip. The Count is taken aback by her transformation from a child to a woman. Soon after, the Bishop relocated the meetings to his office. He insists Andrey, not the Count, oversee the upcoming committee dinner. After the meeting, the Count requests a word with Andrey. During the committee dinner, Andrey displays a sudden hand tremor. The Count ends up stepping in. During the event, a spectacle orchestrated by Khrushchev takes place: the city’s power is briefly transferred to a new nuclear plant. The Count discloses his strategy to Sofia. She reluctantly agrees to trust him. After Sofia mentions a venue change in Paris, the Count prepares a fresh map. They enjoy a meal together and after dinner, Sofia bids her goodbyes before leaving for her taxi. The Count then composes five letters. He reconnects with Osip, now a high-ranking KGB official, and they watch Casablanca. The Count is reminded of Sofia’s impending escape to freedom. The Count then steals a passport from a Finnish couple and encounters the Bishop holding an outdated Paris map in his room. The Count quickly confronts the Bishop in his office with two loaded pistols, forcing the Bishop to burn incriminating files before being locked away. The following evening, the Count steals a raincoat and fedora and awaits in the lobby. Meanwhile, Sofia delivers a stunning performance in Paris, before transforming her appearance and seeking asylum at the American Embassy. She hands Richard a parcel from the Count containing gold coins. Back at the Metropol, the phones start ringing incessantly. In the chaos, the Count exits the hotel.
afterword
At the St. Petersburg station café, Count interacts with Viktor for one final favor. Soon after, Viktor travels to Vyborg near the Finland border, abandons a hat, fedora, and a Finland guidebook with ripped out maps in a public restroom, and journeys back to Moscow. Count mysteriously disappears when KGB officers arrive at Metropol for an inquiry, leaving his companions clueless. Marina, Audrius, Vasily, Emile, and Andrey receive farewell letters from the Count, each with a golden coin as a farewell gift. The subsequent day, a top KGB official, Osip, learns that a Conservatory student has fled to Paris and her guardian is absent from Metropol. Based on a lead from the trapped hotel manager, investigators find clues in Vyborg suggesting the guardian escaped into Finland. With a barely noticeable smile, Osip quotes Casablanca in response, “Round up the usual suspects.” After several days of walking, the Count reaches his former family estate in Nizhny Novgorod Province. He encounters two young children, a boy and his sister, frolicking amidst the apple trees. He follows them to the site where Idlehour once graced the land, now reduced to charred remains. Bidding the children farewell, the Count heads to a nearby village where Anna Urbanova is patiently waiting for him in a tavern, at a secluded table for two.
