Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Sex. Violence. Machinations. I could eat up this series till the cows come home.
lighthearted
slow-paced
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The Tsarina's Daughter is a historical fiction based on the real life figure of Elizabeth Petrovna, Empress of Russia who ruled from 1741-1762. This novel tries to explain the events on how she came into power.
This novel is the second book in the trilogy but I read it as a standalone and enjoyed it a lot. The events in this book starts from 1723 and ends with when Elizabeth comes into power.
Historical fictions like this book have a lot of characters and to keep a track of all of them is a challenge but this novel is not that hard to follow in the story. The character glossary in the beginning is a good reference point. I sure was searching lot of the characters on Wikipedia to get more indepth reference as well. I really enjoyed this book and can't help myself to draw parallels with the real things happening in that part of the world right now.
Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this novel. All the opinions are my own.
This novel is the second book in the trilogy but I read it as a standalone and enjoyed it a lot. The events in this book starts from 1723 and ends with when Elizabeth comes into power.
Historical fictions like this book have a lot of characters and to keep a track of all of them is a challenge but this novel is not that hard to follow in the story. The character glossary in the beginning is a good reference point. I sure was searching lot of the characters on Wikipedia to get more indepth reference as well. I really enjoyed this book and can't help myself to draw parallels with the real things happening in that part of the world right now.
Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this novel. All the opinions are my own.
Thank you to Bloomsbury for giving me the opportunity to read and review the digital ARC of this book.
I love historical fiction. I'm intrigued by the Russian aristocracy of old. I spent most of my A level History years learning about the rise and fall of the Russian tsars, so this book was a delight - historically accurate, tense, heartbreaking and (at times) a little bit sexy.
Tsarina's Daughter follows Catherine the Great's daughter, Elizabeth, and her life as she maneuvers through life at court. The setting of this novel was colourful, detailed and beautiful - Ellen Alpsten's writing is vivid and wonderful to read.
I'm crossing my fingers for a third book now!
I love historical fiction. I'm intrigued by the Russian aristocracy of old. I spent most of my A level History years learning about the rise and fall of the Russian tsars, so this book was a delight - historically accurate, tense, heartbreaking and (at times) a little bit sexy.
Tsarina's Daughter follows Catherine the Great's daughter, Elizabeth, and her life as she maneuvers through life at court. The setting of this novel was colourful, detailed and beautiful - Ellen Alpsten's writing is vivid and wonderful to read.
I'm crossing my fingers for a third book now!
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is is in my top 3 favorite books I've ever read. I am so thankful I picked this up in a bookstore near my uni, I just thought the cover looked nice and I love Russian history.
Alpsten's writing is incredible, absolutely amazing. I genuinely was able to immerse myself into the book only into a page, I couldn't put this read down and it was all I could think about. I love the combination of genres, the combination of historical fiction with fantasy was so well down, I appreciated that the fantasy aspect of this book was minor but was still able to impact the story. It really made me miss historical fiction and again I really missed reading about Russian history.
Elizabeth was truly such a joyous protagonist and narrator to have, her POV was so interesting and I liked her moral ambiguity.
BUTURLIN. I cannot stand what happened to him, it still makes me so upset thinking about his fate. But the face that Elizabeth faced many obstacles and experienced the most tragic events is what made this book so impactful. When I finished the last age I genuinely felt tired, just everything that Elizabeth experienced was so horrible but at the same time I loved it so much.
I truly hope to find a book that makes me feel like this, I haven't felt this strongly and that excited about a book in so long. I will really miss Alpsten's writing and characters, I hope her other book is just as good! I'm really sad this book finished, I wish I could read it again for the first time.
Alpsten's writing is incredible, absolutely amazing. I genuinely was able to immerse myself into the book only into a page, I couldn't put this read down and it was all I could think about. I love the combination of genres, the combination of historical fiction with fantasy was so well down, I appreciated that the fantasy aspect of this book was minor but was still able to impact the story. It really made me miss historical fiction and again I really missed reading about Russian history.
Elizabeth was truly such a joyous protagonist and narrator to have, her POV was so interesting and I liked her moral ambiguity.
BUTURLIN. I cannot stand what happened to him, it still makes me so upset thinking about his fate. But the face that Elizabeth faced many obstacles and experienced the most tragic events is what made this book so impactful. When I finished the last age I genuinely felt tired, just everything that Elizabeth experienced was so horrible but at the same time I loved it so much.
I truly hope to find a book that makes me feel like this, I haven't felt this strongly and that excited about a book in so long. I will really miss Alpsten's writing and characters, I hope her other book is just as good! I'm really sad this book finished, I wish I could read it again for the first time.
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I was lucky enough to read this one after reading Tsarina, which is the amazing story of Catherine I of Russia, and was eager to carry on the story of the Romanov's with her and Peter the Great's daughter Elizabeth.
The story starts whilst her parent's are both alive, but at the end of their reigns. Whilst I loved Catherine's story and her impressive reign as the first Tsarina, I adored reading from Elizabeth's perspective, watching as she realised how powerful her mother had become and what that could possibly mean for her future.
When her mother dies, Elizabeth's world completely changes and everything begins to fall around her. However, she remains such a strong and impressive character who fights to defeat the odds that face her. Elizabeth is an amazing woman, full of power and I loved watching her develop throughout her life.
I've always had an interest in the Romanov line, every since I was little girl and learning more about Anastasia Romanov thanks to the animated movie. This family has always fascinated me and honestly could read anything revolving around the family. Whilst reading I found myself researching more about this family and the people involved in this time of history. I love books that just increase my knowledge and interest!
Alpsten is a phenomenal writer whose words and world building drew me in and completely captivated me. There was not one point in this book that I felt wasn't needed, in fact I could have easily read another 100 pages about Elizabeth.
The Tsarina's Daughter is a historical story full of love, loss, greed, deceit and betrayal. This is a must read for anyone who loves historical fiction or has an interest in the early Romanov line.
The story starts whilst her parent's are both alive, but at the end of their reigns. Whilst I loved Catherine's story and her impressive reign as the first Tsarina, I adored reading from Elizabeth's perspective, watching as she realised how powerful her mother had become and what that could possibly mean for her future.
When her mother dies, Elizabeth's world completely changes and everything begins to fall around her. However, she remains such a strong and impressive character who fights to defeat the odds that face her. Elizabeth is an amazing woman, full of power and I loved watching her develop throughout her life.
I've always had an interest in the Romanov line, every since I was little girl and learning more about Anastasia Romanov thanks to the animated movie. This family has always fascinated me and honestly could read anything revolving around the family. Whilst reading I found myself researching more about this family and the people involved in this time of history. I love books that just increase my knowledge and interest!
Alpsten is a phenomenal writer whose words and world building drew me in and completely captivated me. There was not one point in this book that I felt wasn't needed, in fact I could have easily read another 100 pages about Elizabeth.
The Tsarina's Daughter is a historical story full of love, loss, greed, deceit and betrayal. This is a must read for anyone who loves historical fiction or has an interest in the early Romanov line.
My curious self that is slightly obsessed with the lavish lives of the Romanovs is happy with this sequel -The Tsarina’s Daughter- Tsarevna Elizabeth, daughter of Peter The Great and Tsarina Catherine I. The story focuses a little more on the early life of Elizabeth and its interesting especially after the death of Peter The Great and Catherine I. Its almost inspiring to see a struggling Tsarevna who turns the tables around and prospers against the odds! Nothing is more positive than seeing a person going to riches to rags and then bravely fighting to stand tall.
Like the first book, this sequel also is well researched and includes so many things that usually get overlooked. Not sure if they’ll make the final cut, as I read the ARC of this book. But it definitely felt a little longer, and wish the focus was more on the ruling period of this daughter. The first person narration and writing is sharp, and brilliant! The pacing is less steady that I expected, but there are some places where it really takes turns.
I highly recommend this book as a sequel and / or as a standalone if you enjoy reading historical fiction.
Thank you SMP for the arc.
Like the first book, this sequel also is well researched and includes so many things that usually get overlooked. Not sure if they’ll make the final cut, as I read the ARC of this book. But it definitely felt a little longer, and wish the focus was more on the ruling period of this daughter. The first person narration and writing is sharp, and brilliant! The pacing is less steady that I expected, but there are some places where it really takes turns.
I highly recommend this book as a sequel and / or as a standalone if you enjoy reading historical fiction.
Thank you SMP for the arc.
The Tsarina’s Daughter - Ellen Alpsten
This is the second book in the Romanov trilogy and follows on from the first, Tsarina and we are introduced properly to Elizabeth Petrovna Romanova, daughter of Peter the Great and Catherine 1 of Russia. It starts before the end of Tsarina and so we see the end of that novel through different and younger eyes which I loved. I had read Tsarina about a week previously to this one and it was great to meet characters like old friends again but with a slightly different perspective, that of a young ingenue.
Elizabeth is headstrong and strong willed like her mother. She wants for nothing as Tsarevna, we see her relationship with her sister Anoushka and how close it is, only for it to falter, their lives entwined with that of Russia herself.
Once Peter dies, the in fighting starts for the throne. Catherine is hailed as Tsarina of all the Russia’s. Can it last? There follows the dynastic struggles for the Russian throne across the subsequent years. We follow Elizabeth’s journey from dazzling Tsarevna, with Russia at her feet to fighting for survival and her life. Elizabeth is kind, her family is everything but she has to make some very hard choices. Destitution beckons but she rises from the ashes, is clever, manipulative, turning the young Tsar Petrusha to her way of thinking and smiting her enemies.
What a rollercoaster of a life, lovers torn away from her by disease, torture, the horror and violence is laid bare, there are so many twists you couldn’t believe it’s true.
This book is as sweeping as the first, sumptuous in detail and description of the Russian court and life. Yet despite the vastness of the scene there are intimate details, and we get to know the characters well.
This flows brilliantly and I couldn’t stop reading, there is a great talent in an author that can draw you so deeply into a story.
It is gripping, spellbinding and immersive, as rich as the jewels that drip from the necks and clothes of the Russian Court, and I’ve now got a bit of a book hangover I can tell you!
This is a brilliant tale of love, loss and survival and I really need to read the next in the trilogy!
✩✩✩✩✩
[AD-PR PRODUCT]
Thank you to Becky Hunter, Midas PR, Bloomsbury and Ellen Alpsten for my copy of this book
This is the second book in the Romanov trilogy and follows on from the first, Tsarina and we are introduced properly to Elizabeth Petrovna Romanova, daughter of Peter the Great and Catherine 1 of Russia. It starts before the end of Tsarina and so we see the end of that novel through different and younger eyes which I loved. I had read Tsarina about a week previously to this one and it was great to meet characters like old friends again but with a slightly different perspective, that of a young ingenue.
Elizabeth is headstrong and strong willed like her mother. She wants for nothing as Tsarevna, we see her relationship with her sister Anoushka and how close it is, only for it to falter, their lives entwined with that of Russia herself.
Once Peter dies, the in fighting starts for the throne. Catherine is hailed as Tsarina of all the Russia’s. Can it last? There follows the dynastic struggles for the Russian throne across the subsequent years. We follow Elizabeth’s journey from dazzling Tsarevna, with Russia at her feet to fighting for survival and her life. Elizabeth is kind, her family is everything but she has to make some very hard choices. Destitution beckons but she rises from the ashes, is clever, manipulative, turning the young Tsar Petrusha to her way of thinking and smiting her enemies.
What a rollercoaster of a life, lovers torn away from her by disease, torture, the horror and violence is laid bare, there are so many twists you couldn’t believe it’s true.
This book is as sweeping as the first, sumptuous in detail and description of the Russian court and life. Yet despite the vastness of the scene there are intimate details, and we get to know the characters well.
This flows brilliantly and I couldn’t stop reading, there is a great talent in an author that can draw you so deeply into a story.
It is gripping, spellbinding and immersive, as rich as the jewels that drip from the necks and clothes of the Russian Court, and I’ve now got a bit of a book hangover I can tell you!
This is a brilliant tale of love, loss and survival and I really need to read the next in the trilogy!
✩✩✩✩✩
[AD-PR PRODUCT]
Thank you to Becky Hunter, Midas PR, Bloomsbury and Ellen Alpsten for my copy of this book