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salgalruns's review against another edition
4.0
I read this as part of a buddy read, and must say, I learned an incredible amount about Catherine II. It was a long book, and trying to read this at the same time that school was starting was a huge task in itself, but worth it!
Not many would move to another country at age 14, learn a language, adopt a new religion, and endure a loveless marriage with a seemingly strange boy-man... That takes a certain amount of perseverance in itself!
I came away thinking that this was a leader who was definitely ahead of her own time. To be able to think along the lines of Enlightenment, to gather artwork and artists into Russia, and to look out for the well being of all people? Not your typical Russian ruler by a longshot.
I was amazed by her strength and ability to have such clear goals not only for herself, but for Russia. A true leader!
Not many would move to another country at age 14, learn a language, adopt a new religion, and endure a loveless marriage with a seemingly strange boy-man... That takes a certain amount of perseverance in itself!
I came away thinking that this was a leader who was definitely ahead of her own time. To be able to think along the lines of Enlightenment, to gather artwork and artists into Russia, and to look out for the well being of all people? Not your typical Russian ruler by a longshot.
I was amazed by her strength and ability to have such clear goals not only for herself, but for Russia. A true leader!
cupiscent's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
3.5
Big and thorough, though the intricate (and sometimes unnecessary) detail of her earlier life dribbled off into broader clumpings and cherry picking of events during her reign (possibly just as well, or this would have been twice as long). It sometimes felt like the author was being a little rosy-glassed about his subject, minimising or even putting the best slant on her sometimes reactionary and autocratic actions. I might have preferred deeper analysis of key events, rather than this almost exhaustive construction of events and quotes. But I learned a lot, and it was largely interesting, and easily readable.
beth_zovko's review against another edition
3.0
I listened to this book and found it very, very engaging. Non-fiction can be dry but Massie did a nice job of treating her life as an unfolding story. He used Catherine's own diaries to frame the story, which lent to the feeling of being an eye witness to history. However, the second half of the book is not as rich as the first (Catherine's diaries stop in her mid-twenties) and also feels rushed. There's not much mention of her dealings with Europe or America, and Potempkin is treated almost as an afterthought. Massie did give compelling descriptions of Catherine's coup, her lovers, and most importantly, her relationship with her son, Paul. All in all, I would recommend this to history nerds as opposed to someone looking for an 'in-a-nutshell' story, as the CDB was 19 discs (the book is 650, I think.) It was a time investment, but one that was worth it.
tigerlily31's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
5.0
lo_daviss's review against another edition
4.0
This took me FOREVER!! But actually pretty good. I’m also interested in Catherine though so maybe that has something to do with it. But Massie is a really good storyteller. Might have to look into others of his…
kcrawfish's review against another edition
5.0
This biography of Catherine the Great was a fascinating introduction to Russian history. Catherine’s own memoirs and plentiful letters and writings paint a vivid image of the monarch, which Massie combines with historical knowledge and the memoirs and writings of others to flesh out the context. I found her early life endearing and darkly humorous, and her later life the mature actions of a young idealist, and eventually the disillusioned actions of a cynic who had reversed her idealistic positions.
The vast life of someone so powerful, yet still human, shows the complexities the Russian government had to deal with as even someone as powerful and willful as Catherine tried and failed to effect change in the fates of the peasantry. France’s revolution devolved into butchery and brutality, and eventually Russia would follow. If there’s one thing we can learn, it’s that suppressing change through censorship can only lead to a darker reality further down the line.
A ruler of wit and wisdom, and a disillusioned woman who still tried to fight for a better future for her country. I really look forward to learning more about this time period and the rulers who shaped our current world.
(Also, we Americans have Catherine the Great and Austria to thank for our freedom from British rule, as 20,000 Russian troops were requested by, and denied to, King George)
The vast life of someone so powerful, yet still human, shows the complexities the Russian government had to deal with as even someone as powerful and willful as Catherine tried and failed to effect change in the fates of the peasantry. France’s revolution devolved into butchery and brutality, and eventually Russia would follow. If there’s one thing we can learn, it’s that suppressing change through censorship can only lead to a darker reality further down the line.
A ruler of wit and wisdom, and a disillusioned woman who still tried to fight for a better future for her country. I really look forward to learning more about this time period and the rulers who shaped our current world.
(Also, we Americans have Catherine the Great and Austria to thank for our freedom from British rule, as 20,000 Russian troops were requested by, and denied to, King George)