One of the great mythic poems of Europe

I was immensely attracted by something in the air of the Kalevala

Did so much to bolster early Finnish nationalism on the road to independence

The Kalevala , the 19th-century folk epic that crystallised national resistance to Russian rule, was compiled by Elias Lonnrot from ancient runes sung from memory in the eastern forests of Karelia. The Kalevala inspired not only Sibelius but JRR Tolkien, whose Middle Earth and elfin tongue tapped Finnish myths and language

Meikle and Blyth have a rich subject and it is an absorbing read

a fascinating account

Moody and atmospheric, with sardonic humor; a meaty slice of horror

Stewart is masterful. He weaves a chilling, supernatural plot with a playfulness and brings the darkest chapters back from the edge. I suspect Stephen King would be impressed

This eldritch escapade is certainly an option for kids too old to go trick-or-treating

A Gentleman in Moscow is a tale abundant in humour, history and humanity, with a poignant message about time passing. That Towles also makes this rollicking good fun is no mean feat.

WINNING . . . GORGEOUS . . . SATISFYING . . . TOWLES IS A CRAFTSMAN

Towles’ use of language is an absolute pleasure to read and you can’t help but savour every last word . . . What makes it a great work of historical fiction is the apt creations the author builds outside the hotel walls in a truly tumultuous time. Towles creates such a memorable character in Rostov and this book brings something for everyone - humour, history, friendship and philosophy

A Gentleman in Moscow is exquisitely propped and styled, from the silver samovars to the red covers of Baedeker guides . . . [T]he count charms and disarms, and his story sparks much joy and a new anti-Kondo philosophy: chuck much, but keep all the books.

A sheer delight … a gorgeous comic epic.

I adored A Gentleman in Moscow . . . This is a lovely, meandering story as charming and elegant as the Count himself.

What makes it a great work of historical fiction are the creations the author builds outside the hotel in a truly tumultuous time.

If we do a better book than this on the [Simon Mayo Radio 2] Book Club, we'll have a very very good year!

A Gentleman in Moscow is quite a novel. Towles’ use of language is a pleasure and you can’t help but savour every word . . . a great work of fiction.

A love story like no other, in a beautiful-looking book.

The perfect escapist read, Amor Towles’ A Gentleman In Moscow is utterly mesmerising.

An inventive and charming novel

The same gorgeous, layered richness that marked Towles' debut shapes this novel

A masterful writer . . . a talent for conjuring up scenes from the past and present and bringing them into remarkable focus

This novel is as much a celebration of that great culture as it is a biography of an irrepressible and indomitable spirit . . . an absolute must read.

Spread across four decades, this is in all ways a great novel, a nonstop pleasure brimming with charm, personal wisdom and philosophical insight.

This is parable for all world travellers.

A charming novel.

Lovely, long and lingering story.

Written with a clipped, capering style and comic flair that can't fail to charm.

A profound, often funny survey of mid-20th-Century Russia

Unputdownable

Among the greatest comic novels of all time . . . told with such style and wit that every page reduced me to helpless laughter and admiration

The book I would recommend to anyone who appreciates what only fiction can do … It’s a page-turner and a delight.

I love the novels of Amor Towles, especially A Gentleman in Moscow - he has this ability to nail the idiosyncrasies and quirks of a character in just a few words.

A heart-warming story that asks the reader to consider what is important in life. We loved it. *****

I can highly recommend A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles as lockdown reading ... The story resonates because we have all endured restricted lifestyles of late and may continue to for months to come.

It is a good book to read during this pandemic because it's about how he is being confined to Moscow's Hotel Metropol.

Towles's book is a delight, with a beguiling central character and lively descriptions of life in Russia over a period of 30 years.

A wonderful bookwhich gives the reader an understanding of life in post revolution Moscow.

Totally original novel ... A great deal of Russian history is also subtly woven into this magical book, which is tear-jerking but never sentimental, with a quite unexpected and thrilling ending.

Wonderful, combining brilliant storytelling with beautiful writing.

I love the novels of Amor Towles, especially A Gentleman in Moscow - he has this ability to nail the idiosyncrasies and quirks of a character in just a few words.

It's hard not to fall in love with Count Rostov, an impeccably mannered and mischievous aesthete placed under permanent house arrest at Moscow's Metropol hotel ... An endearing and frequently hilarious novel that covers big topics with a velvet touch.