Book Review: Romanov
You have heard of the famous Romanov Family, Heirs to the Russian throne and killed by Bolshevik soldiers for the Communism rule. May I give you....
ROMANOV by Nadine Brandes
Warning there will be spoilers for both historically and the novel.
First, the book cover....
The cover actually gives away very little in this novel. It's uses the rich colours of red ad gold against the black background which looked at the Wealth of the Romanov family. A small figure is on the cover along with a beautiful image of the Alexander Palace in St Petersburg. The quote embodies the whole mystery surrounding the Romanov family: Not even royal blood can stop bullets.
Characters
The main characters are the Romanov Royal Family - Tsar Nicolas II, Tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna and their children Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Alexei and Anastasia (Nastya) - and the Bolshevik Soldier Zash.
The novel for me really brought the Romanov family back to life in my eyes and although it was fiction I felt like I gained a sense of what the children where and what they liked. I knew about little following the 1997 Fox film adaptation of Anastasia but this novel gave me a fuller look at the other grand duchesses as well as Tsarevich.
Plot
Magic is now banned in Russia, Rasputin executed and the royal family have been arrested for their involvement. Anastasia, the Grand Duchess who goes by the name of Nastya to her friends and family, knows that magic is the only way to save her brother from his constant battle against hemophilia. We first come to Nastya and her family before their move to Yekateringburg and the infamous Ipatiav House.
The family dynamics is at the very heart of this novel. Brandes has captured the love that these royal members have for each other. When Tsar Nicholas is removed from the rest of his family member, Nastya becomes determined to find a way to help the family. That help might just come from a matryoshka doll. Before being taken Nicholas leave behind the doll in Nastya's care and she had to keep it hidden from the Bolshevik's view.
Throughout the first section of the novel we get to see Nastya's mischievous behavior as she puts eggs in the soldier's shoes with one exception. Over their weeks in imprisonment, a bond has formed between her and Zash. Initially the bond between the two if them starts quite weakly and doesn't seam to go anywhere until the move to Ipatiav House.
Not only does Brandes create an amazing dynamic between the characters but the readers cant help but fall in love with Nastya, Alexei and the rest of the Romanov Gang. The sad part is.... you know they are going to die. Upon making the move to the Ipatiav House, The family is united and Nastya tries all her attempts at opening the doll to protect her family. When it finally does its the fated night of the 17th July 1918.
The spell given to Nastya is one that will suspend her dying process and as her and her brother are shot at by the Bolsheviks Nastya has no choice but to watch as Zash shoots at her. The spell is an ingenious idea and I only hope it can be the truth behind what really happened that night. After Nastya and Alexei Run into Zash they realize the only option to save their family is go on on the journey to find the last remain spellmaster. Their adventure begins and it results in a chase and blood bath. As all good stories should result in.
Historical Accuracy
Brandes Researched this novel to to the tea! There are only a few people who know the true events surrounding what happened the night of July 17th, but I feel Brandes did her best to put as much historical accuracy as possible in it.
The move to Yekateringburg and Impativ House was true and the difficulty to kill the grand duchesses because of jewels stitched into their corsets was also rumored to be true. Despite some of the inaccuracies Brandes bent the story to her will.
Next?
Brandes has confirmed that there will be no second novel for this series as of this moment. Honestly I think that it would be for the best. In the last moment Nastya clutches a memory potion and decides about whether to drink it or work on destroying the Bolsheviks with her memory intact. As much as I know The Zastya supporters would love to see Zash and Naysta remain together I think its safer for Nastya to take the potion and thus the 1997 fox animation is born and drawn upon.
Book to Movie to Stage
You have no idea how much I wanted Nastya to suddenly burst out singing Anya's songs Once Upon a December or Journey to the Past.
The story of Grand Duchess Anastasia Nickolovna Romanova has inspired stories left, right and centre. The unknown portion of the killings had lead to many speculations that Anastasia survived. Fox drew upon this in the 1997 adaptation and created an amazing story for Anya with Demetri.
In 2016 Anastasia came to the stage with the original score form the movie adapted to the stage. I so badly wanted to go an see this because the story had been change again and show the villainous Gleb working to make sure the Romanov was killed at his Father's hands.
Stars
Overall, I gave the book 4.5 out of 5 Stars.
I love the story of Anastasia no matter what format. The pure mystery surrounding it is one that might never be solved but Nadine Brandes did an amazing job and trying to do just that. Amazing Job!
If you haven't read it, I would suggest it. Your mind will be blown.
Stay Safe and Read,
AnAlienatedReader
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