Ellen AlpstenResenhas

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.

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.

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.

This was a great continuation of Tsarina. The books flowed smoothly together. Even though it is a series if you choose to read this as a standalone it would hold just as well on its own. It was an easy read for me. I have always found this time period fun to read about. The rivalry between the courts was intense. But overall it was well written and entertaining! And reading the author's note saying this was going to be a trilogy made my day! I can't wait to read the next book!

I remember learning about and being fascinated with Elizabeth of Russia, the daughter of Peter the Great and Catherine I, long ago and I'm glad someone realized she was the perfect heroine of a historical novel. This book traces her rise to the throne of Russia, through long dangerous years as others ruled Russia and favored or cast aside Elizabeth in turns. Russia went through a number of rulers after Peter the Great's death (I had a trouble keeping all the Romanov family connections straight) and this book provides Elizabeth's perspective of each. Overall, it makes for fascinating reading and I look forward to whatever this author writes next.

In "The Tsarina's Daughter", Ellen Alpsten continues her fascinating history of Russia with the story of the daughters of Peter the Great and his wife Catherine. During a visit to her mother's long empty palace at Kolomenskoye, 14 year old Lizenka and her elder sister Anouska spend their time in forbidden pursuits. While playing in the deserted rooms of the palace, Lizenka challenges her sister to sit on their grandfather's throne. Later, they spend time with their old nurse, who regales them with old Russian tales of the forest, about a sacred oak grove, a cursed ravine, where one could have any question answered. Then, the conversation shifts to their half brother and who might succeed to their father's throne. Their father, Peter the Great, has forbidden anyone to talk about their late half brother Alexei, who he executed. Under Russian Salic law no woman can inherit the throne. While their mother sleeps, Lizenka and Anouska steal away to the forest and become lost. There, they meet an evil Leshy, who curses them and future Romanovs.
When the two girls return to their father's palace, Peterhof, their future is discussed. Lizenka hopes to marry the king of France. Anouska falls in love with the Duke of Holstein, who has his eye on her younger sister. Their mother still has hopes of delivering a son and heir. At court, they meet their late half brother's young son, Petrushka, who is kept away from their father. Cousins arrive from Germany.
What follows is the coming of the future foretold to the girls in the grove. After the death of their parents, rival claimants to the throne appear and a power struggle ensues. Anouska, whose marriage fails, dies and leaves a young son. Young Petrushka, who has always loved his older Aunt Lizenka, is to marry an older woman, the daughter of a plotting minister. His anger at Lizenka's rejection of his marriage request leads to dire consequences for her, when Petrushka displays his grandfather's cruel nature. Fate intervenes again and again to topple the dreams of each claimant to the throne. Three times Lizenka hopes to be made heir, three times she is disappointed.

The author's great strength is her vivid descriptions of the characters, Russian life and culture, the country itself. We feel the mud squishing through the girl's toes as they slid down the embankment to enter the ravine and the grove. We can hear hiss of the red hot pinchers and smell the burning flesh when Buturlin is punished. We can taste the butter drenched pierogi stuffed with fillings, both savoury and sweet, and smell the solyanka simmering on the hearth. Being a baker, my favourite scene has to be when Lizenka decides to make a kulich for the new love of her life, Alexei.

Although this is the second book in the author's trilogy, you don't need to read the first to follow the plot of this one. I have read both books and can't wait for the third.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing me with an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

If you have ever wondered about a Russian historical novel you will enjoy this book. This gives a hard look at what happened after Peter the Great died without really leaving a right of succession. This story shows what happened through the eyes of the youngest daughter of Peter theGreat and his second wife Catherine. After reading this I know that I would not have wanted to live during this time in history. Elizabeth was not always easy to like but she does seem to have been the best of a sad bunch. I liked that this did show how Elizabeth felt about all her relatives and their times as the Tsars or Tsarinas of Russia. I received a copy of this book from St. Martins Press fir a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

Brutal. Life in the time of Peter the Great was harsh. Winters were dismal and made even harder with Peter the Great taxing and waging war on Sweden. The titular character survives through poverty and rape.

There is a lot of rape, adultry and sex in the scene. A LOT. With so much in the book, it quickly lost its effect.

Reading the book was brutal too. I got into fits of rage-reading just to finish the book. I didn't particular feel anything for the titular character Marta (later became Catherine, not Catherine the Great). Her rise from poverty to Tsarina made me sick with the inequalities between classes (and I thought economic equality was bad now), and even between favorites and non-favorites in Peter the Great's court.

I thought I might get a picture more of Peter the Great .. who was more Peter the Mad with his reforms and whims.

I am thankful for getting a window into this time period and culture. At least, I'll give the book that.

Quando penso al Caterina imperatrice di Russia, la prima a venirmi in mente (o ad apparire nei motori di ricerca online) è Caterina II "La Grande", Caterina I è una figura di cui intuivo l'esistenza perché se c'era una II doveva esserci una I, ma non la ricordavo per nulla dai libri di storia.

Eppure la sua è la classica storia da romanzo: da lavandaia a imperatrice, per una combinazione di fortuna e sicuramente di temperamento. Mi è piaciuto come l'autrice abbia mostrato il carattere di questa donna: non è una fanciulla delicata che viene elevata suo malgrado, una "principessa nata dal lato sbagliato della barricata". Si tratta di una donna "dei bassifondi", analfabeta, che lavora, beve, si comporta in modo volgare, ma è acuta, piena di buon senso e sa afferrare le occasioni, se deve attirare l'attenzione di un uomo potente per guadagnarsi un posto accanto a lui. Pensate cosa avrebbe potuto fare con un'istruzione!

I difetti per me ci sono, per quanto capisco che sia un romanzo storico e non una biografia scritta da professori, ho trovato l'accento sulla vita romantica di Caterina eccessivo: le scene di sesso sono numerose, ma alcune restano gratuite e non funzionali alla trama, personaggi come le figlie (anche loro figure storiche di un certo spessore) sono trascurati. Il libro inoltre termina con la morte di Pietro il Grande, saltando gli anni (oltretutto pochi) in cui la donna resta da sola al timone del paese, come se con la fine della sua vita coniugale non ci fosse nulla di interessante da dire.

Ora devo, come sempre, cercarmi una bella biografia.

Historical fiction, biographies, autobiographies, and memoirs are genres I started reading when I was in elementary school and, when one grabs me, still read today. I enjoy learning about people, events, or cultures. Now, my interests are more in the ancient worlds or cultures that predates the 20th century, I will still read 20th century stories. Tsarina was a fascinating read.

I do not know a lot about Russian history, but I did learn a lot reading this story. I have only heard a hand full of Romanovs: Catherine the Great and of course the last Romanov family. It was interesting seeing the history through the eyes of someone not noble or born in Russia. The journey of the build of Saint Petersburg and tragedy of the war going on during the time.

The story of Marta Helena Skowrońska formally known as Catherine I was a true rag to riches/ Cinderella story. She was born a serf and died as a Tsarina/ Empress of Russia. What is sad, was I was not all surprised how her story was, knowing how women were treated in pre-20th century. I would say she was a fighter, strong willed, and remarkable given what she went through. But she was also careful knowing her position of being Peter the Great’s lover and later wife.

The author did an amazing job writing this story. I believe the author imagined some of what they wrote since records do not have personal information like that, but with the time era, it makes sense. People back in those times were vicious. I can see nobles being partiers and recklessly spend their money. Women and girls being treated as property. Life does not seem all that different in today’s world (with many exceptions for us women!)

I recommend reading this if you want to learn about a strong woman. Yes, there is a lot of rape, sex, murder, and drunken parties, but given the time era, what do you expect? It was still a great read with an interesting story.

*I received an ARC from NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

This novel was based on facts (that is known) from Peter the Great's reign in the late 1600's to around 1727 on how Catherine (aka Marta), rose from a poor young girl to Tsarina, ruler of Russia. The author states that there is nothing recorded on Marta in her early years and she took a few liberties describing her family life. For me, the story reminded me of A Gentleman in Moscow -plenty of Russian names and conflicts - and very long, almost 500 pages. I was lost in places, confused at times of the characters (are they good or evil?) Alpsten describes the extravagant parties, drinking, sex, abuse, torture, famine, conflict and way of life in those days to such an extent, I wanted to hide my eyes and made my very grateful I didn't live during that time!
I won this book from the Book Club Cookbook giveaway - Thank you! It was an interesting read.
3.5 stars

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book from NetGalley and St Martin’s Press in exchange for an unbiased review.

In 1725 Catherine Alexeyeyna although born into extreme poverty rises to become a powerful force in Russia as tsarina. Formally known as Marta, she was given to Vassilley to work as a maid. He was a powerful and cruel man who uses people for his own purpose. Her life within that mansion was traumatic yet becomes a turning point in her life. The story begins with Catherine dealing with imminent death of the tsar her husband Peter. The treachery of his brother left no heir to his throne as he lie dying since his living children from Catherine were daughters Anna, Elizabeth and Natalya.

Archbishop of Novgorod, Feifan Promopivich had helped Peter draft his will and stands to read it at Peter’s deathbed. Many are anxious to the future of Russia given there is no direct transfer of power. Catherine wishes to keep his death a secret to avoid disrupting the current balance of power in Russia.

Peter’s first wife Evdokia banished to a convent 30 years ago leaving her son Alexey whom Peter always despised for his timid nature. Although Petrushka, Peter’s grandson, is the rightly heir to throne he is not present at death bed which has Catherine jostling to arrange her role as Peter’s successor.

The story proceeds to describe in excruciating detail the history leading up to this day. The novel clearly explains the strength and determination of Marta who becomes Catherine a great and influential Russian woman. About half way through I found all the day to day details dragging the story to a snail’s pace. While some of the events seem pertinent to explain the atrocities of war in Russia, much of it felt too cinematic in nature.

This book would most likely appeal to those with an extreme interest in Russian history. It was just an overwhelming story for me to totally enjoy in its entirety.

In Tsarina, Ellen Alpsten imagines the life of a peasant widowed soon after her marriage, claimed as a war prize and handed up the ranks until she catches the eye of Peter the Great, Tsar of Russia.

Marta may be illiterate, but she uses her wiles, wit, and physical attractiveness to become Peter's favorite bed partner. She becomes necessary to his happiness as a man and as a ruler. Renamed Catherine, Peter marries her and then crowns her his equal-- Tsarina.

The novel follows Marta/Catherine's life, taking readers into the peasant villages and the brutal life of serfs, into war, the building of St. Petersburg, and the decadent royal courts with all its intrigue and shifting alliances.

Since the novel is written from the viewpoint of Catherine, we can't expect to understand much about Peter's inner life. Which is too bad, since he was a complicated man who pushed Russia to Westernize and modernize but still employed brutality and ruled with a heavy hand. His excesses resulted in terrible health problems. His volatile temper and complete power resulted in the torture and murder of his enemies. It appears that Catherine was able to calm his temper, and minister to him when he suffered seizures.

I did expect to understand more about Catherine's inner thoughts. Did she truly love Peter, or, as a powerless female, was she merely using her wit to survive? Late in their story, she fears Peter and has doubts.

That Peter loved Catherine appears to be true if we believe the love letters he sent her.

Catherine's twelve pregnancies resulted in only two surviving children, but not the sons Peter so desperately desired to keep his dynasty intact. Upon Peter's death, Catherine had to quickly react to maintain control of the government.

The violence of the age comes through, the court entertainment revolving around mistreatment of jesters and anyone the royals decided to force into humiliating situations, including physical abuse, the torturing of political or romantic rivals, real or perceived, to downright murder.

Readers will gain insight into the development of Russia. Peter envisioned a modern Russia, emulating France and European civilization. It required the heavy taxation of serfs, forced labor to build St. Petersburg which would protect Russia's western border and access to the North Sea for trading. Meanwhile, he fought endless wars with Sweden, Persia, and the Ottoman Empire.

Alpsten's debut novel has its drawbacks, and yet still was compelling; Catherine's story is at once that of a fairy-tale princess and of a powerless pawn struggling to survive. My Goodreads friends highly rated Tsarina, swept away.

I did not appreciate the frequent, descriptive sex scenes of rape or lovemaking, which to me were not well written and took up too much space. I really don't need to know about parting thighs, etc., when knowing feelings and thoughts in response could add depth to a character. The writing is at times awkward. But I have to admit, I did not walk away from the story.

I received a free book through the Book Club Cook Book. My review is fair and unbiased

A massive biographical debut novel about Pete the Great's second wife. She comes from very humble beginnings to the point that ultimately she becomes the leader of Russia after Peter's death. She produces twelve children to Peter all of which die before she does. You have to be pretty crafty to survive and thrive in Russia during this era..In the end, this is a love story as even though they do bad things to each other they always show affection and end up back together. A very interesting life that would make a great movie or miniseries.

There is something about Russian tsarist history that continues to fascinate me as much as it repels. So I selected Tsarina by Ellen Alpsten with the hope that it would afford me the opportunity to learn more about Catherine the First and immerse me into the brutal but exciting world of feudal Russia. While Ms. Alpsten paints a vivid picture of historical Russia, the image of Catherine the book presents leaves a lot to be desired.

The strength of Tsarina lies in its portrayal of Russia in the 1700s. Ms. Alpsten excels at showing the brutal life of the serf as well as the complete lack of options available for women at any level. She does not shy away from showing the near-constant violence towards women at any level in society, which is not surprising considering the extremely patriarchal society that was Russia at this time. The picture Ms. Alpsten paints is one of abject poverty and near-constant violence alongside the shocking excesses of the elite.

While the purpose of Tsarina is to show how remarkable Catherine the First was, she failed to impress me. Instead, to me, the image Ms. Alpsten presents is simply a girl who caught the eye of the Tzar and who used her understanding of the shifting politics of the court to her advantage. She used liberal amounts of sex and emotional manipulation to keep her relevant even though the tzar could and did literally sleep with any woman/girl he wanted. I have no doubt that there was genuine feeling between the two, but I don’t think it makes her impressive. If anything, it makes her an opportunist and nothing more.

Historically speaking, we don’t know much of Catherine’s serf origins. It appears as if Ms. Alpsten took the most scandalous of the hypotheses to create Catherine’s backstory, complete with a sale to a new master, rape, murder, escape, war, and being in the right place at the right time. Sure, it makes for an interesting story, but to me, that is all it is.

Tsarina is too much fiction and not enough history. I did enjoy the parts where we get to see Peter the Great exert his will into modernizing Russia and establishing St. Petersberg. Unfortunately, these scenes are few and far between. For too much of the story, we see Catherine having sex and flirting her way into power and influence. While I recognize there were not many other options for women at that time, Catherine’s story leaves me unimpressed and questioning her so-called brilliance.

Catherine learned at an early age how to take care of herself. She was actually from one of the poorest families in the area. And due to several intriguing circumstances, she ends up as the Tsarina to all of Russia. Catherine was extremely intelligent, even though she never learned to read. She had and intuitiveness which helped her to achieve goals way beyond anyone’s expectations.

I fluctuated between 4 and 5 stars on this one. It is not without problems. But I was captivated. This is not the first Catherine the Great novel I have read. I love this time period. And I think she is truly one of the most fascinating of all the historical women. The author did a fabulous job with the research and with the realities surrounding this unique monarch.

Like I said earlier, this novel has a few problems. It is slow to start. Plus, at the first of this book several of the same type of things happen to Catherine. I don’t want to give anything away. But I had the thought…if this happens ONE MORE TIME! Luckily, as the book moves along the writing takes on a very good rhythm and I did not want to stop reading. I found myself very caught up in the life of Catherine as well as Peter the Great.

This is a gripping tale you do not want to miss!

Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Through a masterful weaving of known historical fact and rich description, Ellen Alpsten has written a fascinating epic, telling the story of Marta Scavronskaya, who becomes the second wife of Peter the Great. From her humble beginnings as the illegitimate elder daughter of a Baltic peasant, Marta rises to the highest position in Russia, Tsarina Catherine I. The tale begins with the death of Peter, who has died without naming an heir. While hatching her plan to become Tsarina, reflects back on her life.
When Marta's mother dies, she is left in the care of her father, much to the dismay of his wife, who despises the girl. Marta grows into a dark beauty. At the first opportunity she has to rid herself of the girl, Marta's step mother sells her to a Russian. Thus begins her life of being abused by different men, rape, almost sold into white slavery, taken advantage of by a minister's son, war, rape again. After her rescue by a kindly Count Sheremetov, Marta joins Prince Menshikov's household, where she meets Tsar Peter the Great and becomes first his lover, then his wife.
Ellen Alpsten has given a true portrayal of the times, life in the various places, where Marta found herself, the vast regions of Russia, the rages of the war with Sweden, the scorch and burn tactics. This book reminds me a lot of Boris Pasternak's "Doctor Zhivago", a book, that I have read and reread many times. We learn a lot about the reign of Peter the Great, his personal life, his accomplishments, his rule and his orgies. These were brutal times, unfortunately, and the author describes them honestly and in detail, too vividly in some people's eyes. But that was life then. This book is not for the squeamish. Her descriptions of the food in the markets, the menus in the various households and the pleasure taken in consuming these foods actually made me hungry!
I am amazed, that this book is in fact a first novel for the author. I don't know what Ellen Alpsten can write to top this one. She has set the bar high for herself. She is definitely a writer not to be missed. I look forward to her future works.

It was fun to learn about Peter the Great and Catherine the First of Russia. I have not read anything about these people before and was fascinated with how cruel people could be. Know that this has some very graphic descriptions. Catherine and Peter had a lot of sadness in their life. It is always nice to read about real people and how they lived day to day. I received a copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

This book is a fictionalized account of Catherine, the second wife of Peter the Great. She became the first Empress of Russia. Her rise from servant girl to empress was rather flat for me. In this telling, her only claim to fame is her beauty and willingness to have sex with a ruler who was sick with syphilis. She also was extremely fertile and was continuously pregnant throughout the book. I wasn't intrigued by the "person" of Marta/Catherine. This was not a book that drew me in and kept me reading to the end. I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Tsarina gripped me from the beginning and didn’t let go until the ugly, bitter end. Like looking at a gruesome car accident or death scene, my morbid curiosity of just how grotesque the events unfolding could get, spurred me on, and just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, it got worse.

This was an incredibly hard, yet addictive and fascinating read. Though I love history, Russia’s past has never been one that has held my attention for long. I have heard of Peter the Great, but the details of his reign are hazy, as are the few tidbits I can remember about Catherine I.

To grasp what she endured in her lifetime is incomprehensible. The abuse and heartache alone would’ve killed a weaker woman. To go through everything she did, including being married to the devil himself, and still be so strong and relatively grounded is shocking.

The incredibly graphic sexual depictions had my stomach churching, as I usually stick with much cleaner reads, and try to avoid graphic sex scenes. I fought with myself the entire time, debating on if I should put the book down and not read further, as there were moments I felt as if I were reading soft core porn. But instead, I chose to skip the graphic parts as much as I could (which was insanely difficult since there are SO many scenes involving some form of sexual acts) and while I skimmed the pages I thanked God that I was not a woman during that time!

If this book is a testament to the treatment of women back then, I can say with clear conviction, that they were treated just a smidge better than the animals! The way men took them with no care for their feelings or desires is grotesque, and fidelity certainly wasn’t practiced by anyone. Sex was used as a tool, a weapon, to get what you wanted, nothing more, and loyalty was out the window.

With intimate details of the wars, and the different Russian towns and countryside, I had a feel that this was well researched, though I haven’t had the time to truly see just how accurate it really is. I will say, the fact that there are not any dates does give me pause about the validity of the details.

Tsarina is clocked in darkness from the beginning, a vice growing ever tighter with each depraved sexual encounter, and every inhumane and unimaginable torture and punishment.

What kept me going was my desire to find out if Catherine herself would ever find the peace, love, and happiness that she so craved. Being the wife of Peter the Great, a man that seriously had no soul, I didn’t have high hopes, and when finished the final page feeling numb and in utter shock...well you can imagine it wasn't he happiest of endings. I couldn't stop thinking about the novel after I put it down, muttering to myself, "There is no way this all happened in real life! This is the stuff of nightmares!"

Though I rated it higher than I originally intended, thanks to the incredible writing and world building, and the fact that I seriously didn’t put it down for two days, I can’t, with a clear conscience, recommend it. Though I do believe it is a story that needs to be told, I also believe this story could’ve been told without the depravity being so graphically detailed.

*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.

Tsarina is a historical novel that tells the story of Catherine I of Russia. The arc of her life is amazing. She was born a serf and became the Tsarina of Russia, ruling in her own name for two years following the death of her husband, Peter the Great.

Ellen Alpsten takes the outline of her life and fills it with the kind of details that bring a character to life. She also adds a touch of erotica that probably explains a lot of Catherine’s rise from poverty to power. During her many years as Peter’s favorite, then as his wife, she had to not only keep his love and loyalty, she had to maneuver like a Machiavelli to keep others from taking her down. She also seems to have tempered Peter’s worst excesses as best she could.

I like Tsarina well enough. Catherine I’s life story is a fascinating one and important. She did not just serve as the Tsarina for a few years, she also was the mother of one of Russia’s better rulers, Elizabeth I. However, this story was weakened by a few of the author’s choices towards the end of the book. She fleshed out gossip for a love affair that the consensus of historians did not happen. Catherine seized power after Peter’s death, but the mechanisms of that were absent. No time was spent on her two years as tsarina. This left me feeling so disappointed because she went through so much, was in such jeopardy, it would have been nice to see what she did with power when she had it.

I received a copy of Tsarina from the publisher through Shelf Awareness.

Tsarina at St. Martin’s Press | Macmillan
Ellen Alpsten author site

https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpress.com/2020/10/25/tsarina-by-ellen-alpsten/

An enthralling, atmospheric historic fiction debut that was a slow burn.

An enthralling, atmospheric historic fiction debut that was a slow burn.

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 a changing Russia of the 18th century. It is a rags to riches story of a plucky young girl, whose cleverness, sensuality, quick wit and tender heart deliver her from a lowly life of servitude to the open arms of the ruler of all the Russias - Tsar Peter the Great. She is the beautiful Catherine Alexeyevna, second wife of Peter the Great and first Empress of all the Russias. This is the first book to tell her story.

Author Ellen Alpsten has crafted an incredible story of Herculean proportions about a low-born girl who rises to greatness. She cleverly provides a purely fictional yet believable account of the early years of this legendary woman, as the historic record is silent. Relying on the available historical records of the Romanov court, Alpsten weaves a rich and epic story about this strong, courageous and devoted 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 a country at continuous war - sometimes on all fronts - including the personal ones within the Kremlin's walls.

Trigger warning: Rape scenes, scenes from the boudoir and bacchanalia 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 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.

I received an advance copy of this book from St. Martin's Press. I was pretty excited to receive this book, it seemed right up my alley. I am fascinated with Russian History and I wasn't aware of Catherine Alexeyevna. According to the book summary, she rose from poverty to marry a Tsar and be elevated to Empress, ruling Russia when her husband died. Sounded like a remarkable story, but alas no. Throughout reading the book, never did I catch a glimmer of brilliance, or saw how she used her influence to help her husband rule Russia. What wasn't lacking in the book was sex; incest, rape, infidelity, venereal disease and just general debauchery. That said, Catherine didn't sleep around with everyone to get to be in her position. There were more descriptions of sex than how she gained influence. The book was good enough to finish, but I was disappoint that I never really saw her as a center figure who helped guide her husband and rise to power.