Ellen Alpsten

Much like its predecessor, "Tsarina", this story is as epic as a Russian novel; fraught with incredible loss, betrayal, subterfuge, and despair. Yet it also speaks of opulence, the excesses of the rich and powerful and how one safely navigates such a world as that of a changing Russia of the 18th century. It is a riches to rags back to riches story of a plucky young girl, whose cleverness, sensuality, quick wit and tender heart guide her through the quagmire of aristocratic life with all of its precarious pitfalls and occasional shining moments. This is the story of young Elizabeth, the eventual Empress of all of the Russias.

Author Ellen Alpsten has crafted an incredible story of Herculean proportions about Elizabeth, the younger daughter of Peter the Great and his second wife, Catherine I. She cleverly provides a purely fictional yet believable account of the early years of this legendary woman. Relying on the available historical records of the Romanov court, Alpsten weaves a rich and epic story about this strong, courageous and religiously devout woman. In one stroke, she captures the beauty of the Russian landscape as well as the soul of the Russian people with her painterly writing style. In another, she captures the shear brutality of aristocratic life and its associated struggles for power.

Trigger warning: scenes from the boudoir as well as those of horrific brutality are quite graphic. This may all be closer to the truth than one would hope.

Regardless, the book was interesting, well researched, well written and most informative regarding Russia's history and this amazing woman's place within it.

I am grateful to St. Martin's Press for having provided a complimentary uncorrected digital galley of this book through NetGalley. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.… (mais)

Elizabeth, the daughter of Peter the Great and Catherine has an idyllic childhood. She is surrounded by luxury and family. She dreams of marrying King Louis XV of France, and ruling as Queen. When her father dies the Russian line of succession is thrown into chaos and she finds her fortunes reversed. Now she is dependent on the goodwill of those around her.

Elizabeth was an interesting and dynamic character. She truly grew over the course of the book, and it was fascinating to watch. The book was well paced and unraveled in a dramatic and intense way. I would love to read more from this author. Overall, 5 out of 5 stars.… (mais)

In Tsarina my mind was opened up to a world I did not formerly know. Immersive, tragic, and at times painful to read, I was expecting The Tsarina’s Daughter to bolster that same fire as its predecessor, but sadly it fell flat for me.

The Tsarina’s Daughter tells the tale of Elizabeth in her formative years, leading up to her becoming Tsarina herself. Though I love learning more about Russian history, I felt like Elizabeth’s story dragged on, and I didn’t feel that same hunger to stay within the pages like I did with the first installment. Honestly, I could’ve seen this story wrapped up much more quickly, and feel like this would’ve made this read more enjoyable. This is supposed to be a three-part series and I can’t help but wonder if Elizabeth’s life, including her reign, would’ve fit better in one novel. It also doesn’t help that this time period is not one of my favorite era’s to study, which could have also contributed to my lack of luster.

I really wanted to love this novel, but it felt uninspired, with rote repetition, and a subject matter that really didn’t appeal to me.

*I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book which I received from St. Martin's Press and read through NetGalley. All views and opinions are completely honest, and my own.… (mais)