Blast from the Past discussion

Imagine spending your whole life watching life happen outside of your bedroom window....does Towles do a good job portraying life outside and how it is affecting Count Rostov inside? Count Rostov has some interactions with the people inside of the Hotel, describe your favorites so far.

I think it's interesting that all street names were changed, building names were changed, park names, etc. The secret police were everywhere, and I can't imagine having to keep my thoughts to myself for fear of being sent to Siberia. I watched the Lucy Worsely documentary on Netflix about the Romanovs recently, so some of this stuff is fresh in my mind. If you guys haven't watched that, I highly recommend!!

There was a quote that I tabbed that I absolutely loved in this section of the book. Mishka says to the Count..."Who would have imagined when you were sentenced to life in the Metropol all those years ago, that you had just become the luckiest man in all of Russia." What a profound and thought provoking quote!! How telling that life outside of the hotel is worse and harder than being stuck in one place for the rest of your life. What are your thoughts?!

I had also underlined that quote! It is ironic. Thanks for the recommendation on Netflix I think I will check it out. It is sad about the changes in Russia but they definitely were not the only country that did that, but I am thinking though of Germany renaming France’s names on occupation. Reading this book and Voices from Chernobyl last month, I’ve been really impressed with the Russian loyalty to their country. It seems they are really a different breed of stock.
It is sad about Nina although thankfully there is Sofia. I like the pages marked by the years where Towles explains about political happenings during that time. So many people....such hard labor and times.