In 1922, Count Alexander Rostov is sentenced to house arrest at the Metropol Hotel, across from the Kremlin. When he stayed there previously, he used an elegant suite. Now he's in a 100 square foot room in the attic. Nevertheless, he think, "if a man doesn't master his circumstances, he is bound to be mastered by them".
Throughout the next 40-ish years of his house arrest, Rostov befriends many people -- from a 9 year old girl to a famous actress to a high-ranking member of the Communist Party to workers at the Metropol. From his confines, he is witness to an ever changing Russia. He makes many smart and deep observations on how he thinks a life should be lived.
This is a lovely story that I thoroughly enjoyed. Towles is a new author for me, and I will be looking forward to reading more by him.
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