Marina Character Analysis in A Gentleman in Moscow

The Metropol’s seamstress. Marina not only mends the Count’s pants several times (particularly when he is exploring the hotel with Nina), but she also serves as a confidante for him. A mother of two, Marina counsels the Count in the ways of fatherhood when he starts to feel protective over Nina, and later when he is in over his head in agreeing to watch Sofia. Marina helps take care of Sofia as a young girl, but also helps the Count realize that he is capable of being a father.

Marina Quotes in A Gentleman in Moscow

The A Gentleman in Moscow quotes below are all either spoken by Marina or refer to Marina . For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

Imprisonment, Freedom, and Purpose Theme Icon

). Note: all page numbers and citation info for the quotes below refer to the Random House edition of A Gentleman in Moscow published in 2016.

In the seventeen years since the making of that peace—hardly a generation—Russia had suffered a world war, a civil war, two famines, and the so-called Red Terror. In short, it had been through an era of upheaval that had spared none. Whether one’s leanings were left or right, Red or White, whether one’s personal circumstances had changed for the better or changed for the worse, surely at long last it was time to drink to the health of the nation.

Related Characters: , , ,

Page Number and Citation: 17

Explanation and Analysis:

Marina Character Timeline in A Gentleman in Moscow

The timeline below shows where the character Marina appears in A Gentleman in Moscow. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...Andrey (the maître d’ of the hotel restaurant, the Boyarsky), Vasily (the hotel’s concierge), and Marina (the hotel seamstress) standing outside. The Count explains his sentence of house arrest. He opens... (full context)

The Count, Andrey, Vasily, and Marina then have a night of good cheer and conversation. He is grateful that they seem... (full context)

At ten o’clock, the Count says goodnight to Andrey, Vasily, and Marina. He sits at his desk, which had been left to him by his godfather, Grand... (full context)

Bolshevism and Class Struggle Theme Icon

The Count then pays a visit to Marina, the hotel seamstress, in order to repair his pants. He tells her about his adventures... (full context)

When the Count leaves Marina’s office with his pants intact, a bellhop stops him and tells him that Mr. Halecki,... (full context)

...outside of them. The staffing trend of hiring inexperienced waiters at the Boyarsky has continued, Marina now has a junior seamstress, and Nina is moving with her father to an apartment... (full context)

The Count pays a visit to Marina to fix a button on his jacket. He insists on fixing it himself, as Marina... (full context)

As the Count sews, he mentions to Marina that he ran into Nina. He tells Marina that Nina is still self-assured, passionate, and... (full context)

...stumbles back to his room. He thinks about the day he has had, and how Marina had been right about Nina. In stories, Death often lurks in the shadows and waits... (full context)

...responds that he is awake now. She tells him that she left her doll in Marina’s room. (full context)

At two o’clock, the Count and Sofia pay a visit to Marina, who is surprised to see him with a little girl in tow. Marina leads Sofia... (full context)

The Count returns to Marina’s office, discovering that Sofia and Marina have spent the time sewing a new dress for... (full context)

At eleven o’clock the Count starts to run back to Marina’s office to pick up Sofia. At the top of the stairs, however, he is surprised... (full context)

...to the hotel. The Count is hesitant to leave Sofia, but Osip has arranged for Marina to stay with her in his absence. (full context)

...should invite Charlie Chaplin as well, trying to close the conversation. Sofia continues, saying that Marina thinks that the Count is worried that Sofia would be scandalized. The Count is shocked... (full context)

...Christmas gift for Sofia. He also hired Stepanovich to help Sofia rehearse her piece, and Marina to make her a dress. The Count had also been teaching Sofia French, and visited... (full context)

The Count and Anna sit in the actress’s suite, waiting for the big reveal. Marina opens the bedroom door to show Sofia in a blue, long-sleeved, trumpet-style gown. Anna gasps... (full context)

At ten o’clock, Marina knocks at the door. Sofia packs up her things and the three of them head... (full context)

...the papers in the lobby, and lunches in the Piazza. He pays a visit to Marina in the afternoon and has a drink in the Shalyapin. He dines at the Boyarsky... (full context)