2025 Reading Challenge discussion

This thread is to discuss A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles.

Pages: 462 pages

Length: 1 month (April)

Participants: M, Rebecca

Everyone reads at their own pace during a Buddy Read. Because participants can be at different parts of the book at different times, it is extremely important to mark spoilers so that the book is not ruined for someone who is not as far along as others!!!

Mark spoilers by placing {spoiler} before the text and {/spoiler} after the text but use the < and > instead of the { and }.

I read the first 20 pages or so of this one tonight and I am stoked to pick this up finally.
Longest standing on my TBR, the first one I ever added to my Goodreads list.
It feels like the perfect change of pace for me right now because I've been deep in the science fiction/fantasy world.
I plan on diving in come the 1st :) but I'm a slow reader so no rush!

I'll put this one on the top of my stack for when I finish The Last House on the Street. I bought this one from Book of the Month club forever ago.

Amor Towles is one of my favourite authors, and the only question I asked when I read this book in July was what took me so long to read him???? I've now read three of his novels, but this is my personal favourite of them

Note that this hotel is a real one, and I included a picture of it in my review if you're interested in seeing it since we don't put pictures in posts here that I've ever seen. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Interesting, Karin! Thanks for sharing. This is going to be my first Towles novel, and I'm hoping to start it this weekend.

Got through Book One tonight and while I'm only reading a few pages here and there, I'm enjoying the slower, leisurely pace of this one so far.
This is quite charming and I'm glad that I also own Rules of Civility for later reading. I have a feeling I'll be reading more of Amor Towles.

I also own Rules of Civility. Looking at my current reads, I’ll probably read this one next week. I meant to start sooner but didn’t, which when I think about it, is why I’ve owned this book so long and haven’t read it! 🤣🤣🤣😳

Haha I feel ya! I literally remember buying it from Goodwill almost 3 years ago, all stoked too because it was so talked then but I still didn't read it lol.

M wrote: "Got through Book One tonight and while I'm only reading a few pages here and there, I'm enjoying the slower, leisurely pace of this one so far.
This is quite charming and I'm glad that I also own ..."

I read this book of his first, and it wasn't long before I read his other two novels. Now I'm waiting for him to publish another one!

Karin wrote: "M wrote: "Got through Book One tonight and while I'm only reading a few pages here and there, I'm enjoying the slower, leisurely pace of this one so far.
This is quite charming and I'm glad that I..."
Table for Two. Not actually a novel - short stories and a novella - but just out.

Starting this one today.

I’ve finally really settled into this book. I’ve finished pert one and through 1923 in book two. Man, it’s so good.

Book two was certainly bitter, wasn't it? I was worried that it wasn't going to end on a sweet note. Now onto book 3!

Just wanted to mention that in the "Arachne's Art" chapter of book 3 (view spoiler)[ Nina's passion for collectivization hits me completely differently now that I've read how this plays out in Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin (hide spoiler)]

I've been sitting at a couple chapters into book 3 so I'm probably just a bit behind ya (busy work week :))
My brain told me it was too early for book 2 to break me so I was prepared to make it through. I'm already anticipating to really love Ewan McGregor for these moments that I hope the show covers.

I told my hubby that we have to at least watch the first episode this week. It’s not his kind of novel—he pretty much only reads sci-fi, fantasy, horror, and celebrity memoirs—but I bet he’d love watching the show.

Totally. I mean, those are normally my kinda genres too but this has been a really enjoyable change of pace. Thank you for reading it with me!

She I don’t know what to read, I pick up a romance or nonfiction as a comfort read. 😊. This book is way more enjoyable than I really thought it would be. I’m still in book 3, but I finished the 1938 chapters last night and it feels like a lot has happened over the past few pages.

I also watched the first two episodes of the series last night. So good! Even the changes they’ve made from the book for the show are perfectly understandable. I stopped after two episodes because I didn’t want to spoil the book for myself. 😁

I might have to dip into the first episode tonight :)
I find myself smiling a lot through this overall and have tabbed the heck out of it, haha.
(view spoiler)[The thimble game with Sofia was adorable (hide spoiler)] and I love how the relationships have grown with so many different characters.
I really have no idea how this will all come to an end but I think I may plow through and finish this one today since this month is almost over!

I just finished book three, so I know I'll finish this one in the next day or two. I think (view spoiler)[ seeing his relationship with Sofia is just precious. When his friend tells him that his house arrest has actually worked to make him the happiest man in Moscow, I think it might be true. Also loved Osip in this last section of book three as well. . . . Kind of hate that Bishop is now the hotel manager though. Yuck! (hide spoiler)]

The end of book four made me bawl like a baby. 😭😭

I definitely closed the book at the end of book four and took a little break today.

I just finished and while I got misty eyed a few times I wasn't full crying while I was reading but now that I finished...full cry, all the tears. lol
I can't believe I waited like 2+ years to read this. Sitting on my shelf, just waiting.
UGH, sooo good! <3

That was so good. So very good. And, of course, now I’m also going to have to watch Casablanca again too!