The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial Russia
By Candace Fleming
ISBN# 9780375867828
Author’s Website: http://www.candacefleming.com/
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Kayt
Synopsis:
Here is the tumultuous, heartrending, true story of the Romanovs—at once an intimate portrait of Russia’s last royal family and a gripping account of its undoing. Using captivating photos and compelling first person accounts, award-winning author Candace Fleming (Amelia Lost;The Lincolns) deftly maneuvers between the imperial family’s extravagant lives and the plight of Russia’s poor masses, making this an utterly mesmerizing read as well as a perfect resource for meeting Common Core standards.
Review:
This book brings the history of the Romanovs (the last Russian royal family) to life in photos and wonderfully written insights. We get to see inside the family with intimate first person accounts of this tragic family. The photos are truly amazing and enlightening. Reading this well written book gives us a true vision into the before, during, and after events that brought down this family. As well as the events that forever changed the face of Russia.
It is really interesting to see not only the history of the family, but also the information on the state of Russia, its citizens and their view of royalty in the face of war and the devastation that drove the peasants to revolt. Nicholas II and his family were not prepared for inheriting the throne in 1894. His wife wanted to live the opulent life, but deal with none of the responsibilities. There daughters Marie, Tatiana, Olga and of course Anastasia are brought to life in snippets of fun and real life. The citizens of Russia are heard from in their own accounts and that really brings it to life. And let’s not forget that famous mystic Rasputin is in this true tale. So many stories, fictional and non have been written about Rasputin and Anastasia that it is nice to hear the historical facts.
This book is written to satisfy Common Core Standards and therefore written for young adults. It is lively and easy to read. A big feat for me since I have a very hard time reading non-fiction these days. If I can get through it and enjoy it, I am sure history buffs will devour it. The layout of the book is friendly and entertaining. Nothing is dragged out so that you get bored or forget what you read. Yep that happens to me. Ms Fleming has done copious research and her writing is flowing and interspersed with dialogue from the mouth of the actual people.
I would definitely recommend The Family Romanov to anyone that enjoys history. It is so well written and researched and sure to satisfy the most ardent fans of this time period. The reader gets a truly in-depth journey into the state of Russia leading up to World War I and the events that changed the once powerful empire. The murder of the Romanov family by Bolsheviks in 1918 is heartbreaking. The Family Romanov is a captivating journey into history. That is actually saying a lot as I am not a history buff. Ms. Fleming has authored a fabulous and in-depth book that draws you in and keeps you involved until the end.
