Blast from the Past discussion

I know that this is quite a big section, but Book Four wasn't very big so I combined them. As the Count has aged over the years, how has his outlook on life changed? What do you think he has learned from being in the hotel his whole life, and what experiences do you think that he has missed out on from being under house arrest? Do you think that he has any regrets? Any other thoughts on the closing of this book?

Robyn wrote: "I know that this is quite a big section, but Book Four wasn't very big so I combined them. As the Count has aged over the years, how has his outlook on life changed? What do you think he has learne..."

I thought the ending was beautiful, and I did not see it coming!!! Wow! I need to digest more before I write anything else...

I agree the ending was perfect. It was unveiled smoothly and at the last minute! I loved the line Rostova says about having no regrets about being at the Met because it led him to Sofia. And I also love that he got redemption on the Bishop.

The Count had created a family from the hotel workers and he was really a person that knew how to read others. He was a wonderful and loyal friend. What a wonderful character.

I thought this was a really enjoyable read, if a little too twee for me in places. I had already read Russia: A 1000-Year Chronicle of the Wild East by Martin Sixsmith for my history group earlier in the year, so it was interesting to see how Towles deftly introduces touchpoints with Russian history into the story.

I really loved the Counts humour, his own forms of quiet rebellion and (as others have mentioned) the little family he created in the hotel. I thought it was also interesting how the hotel, although being the Count's prison, ended up being is sanctuary as his friends in the outside world, even those invested in the Bolshevik revolution ended up being chewed up by the system.