This was one of those books that was in such high demand at the library that my curiosity finally got the better of me and I had to see what the excitement was all about. For someone who loves historical fiction, this is a perfect fit. A member of the Russian aristocracy, Count Alexander Rostov, is sentenced to permanent house arrest in the luxurious Hotel Metropole off Red Square. As the days unwind, and days become months, months become years, and finally decades, we experience an abbreviated history of modern Russia, and are witnesses to Rostov’s life, a surprisingly rich life that includes love, loss, friendship, and family. Reading this novel reminded me somewhat of how I fell down the rabbit hole of All the Light We Cannot See —the history, the characters, the settings. It’s another one of those books that the reader will remember long after it's been put down after the final page has been turned. Kenneth Branagh is to play the role of Count Alexander R