This one is absolutely delightful without being sappy or overly sweet. It's witty and fun, optimistic and charming, bittersweet and a little sad.

Having been put under house arrest in the attic room of a luxury hotel for being an unrepentant aristocrat, Count Rostov makes the best of it. There is no false positivity here, either. Just a genuinely good man making a life for himself within these walls. After all, it could be Siberia or the firing squad.

The writing itself is simply delightful! It flows beautifully, and while some have called it slow, I found the pacing just right for the characters and the story. It's an easygoing pace, suited to an easygoing Count.

And the characters!!! The CHARACTERS!!! There isn't one character in this story that is uninteresting or unbelievable. Even the tiny little side characters only there for a scene are engaging!

I'm afraid to say too much about the ending, but I felt it was perfect. Even still, it left me wanting more. Not in an unsatisfied way, but because I didn't want to say goodbye.

Also, random side note: It made me want to watch Casablanca again, and read a Russian novel.