Clearly, I am going against the grain in my review, because although I didn't hate this novel, I just didn't really like it. What a laborious read this was for me! I can't pin down why I never felt invested in the characters' lives, despite getting to know them fairly well throughout this long, drawn-out novel. I understand that part of the lure for many was the fact that it was a 30+year saga, set in a historical hotel, sprinkled with wit and wisdom throughout. However, personally, if I'm going to invest that much time in a book, it has to have a decent payoff, and that just never happened for me.
Although Amor Towles seems to be a skilled writer, his story-telling ability lacked a bit of oomph for me. Firstly, there was little in the way of describing the true horrors that were happening right outside the hotel door, other than a few mentions of friends being sent to prison and a main character disappearing. There were a few comedic nods to some of the absurdity of the Communist regime, but other than that, it was lifeless. Secondly, it was such a task to complete this book, and I often thought to give up on it. The incessant mentions of meals at the Boyarsky, or the stairwells to and fro, just didn't allow for much intrigue. However, because I knew full well the tremendous accolades this novel has received, I trudged along. Alas, I'd have been better off to let it go, as sadly, I feel as though I invested entirely too many hours on a novel that just wasn't my cup of tea.
Read 9/3/19
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