Scan barcode
ifyouhappentoremember's review against another edition
5.0
Despite its length, this biography is surprisingly readable. Massie writes in an accessible style, expertly including relevant historical information and stringing together an epic narrative about the life and times of Catherine the Great.
titannineteen's review against another edition
3.0
I would rate it higher at some times during the book and lower at others. So 3/5 seems fair.
stevenyenzer's review against another edition
4.0
Terrific narrative history. I was surprised to hear about the normalcy of women monarchs, as well as the fact that primogeniture was not the norm in 18th century Europe. Russian monarchs could name their own successors until Paul came along. I thought Catherine's blend of republicanism, influenced by contemporary thinkers like Voltaire and Diderot, and the "enlightened monarchy" she believed was the best form of government, was fascinating. It was also interesting to see how her liberalism began to fall apart as she watched France crumble into revolution.
The account of Catherine's early years in Russia -- held in virtual captivity with a childish husband whose lack of interest in sex caused blame to fall upon her -- made me reconsider how the lives of historical aristocrats could really be pretty shitty. Sure, she always had enough to eat and slept in a comfy bed, but she was also forced to publicly endure almost a decade of loveless marriage to a man-child.
I thought Massie's section about Catherine's lovers lasted a bit long, especially as it seemed to be thrown in and disrupt the chronological narrative. I didn't particularly care about this or that favorite unless he had a part to play in the overall story. I did think it was quite interesting how publicly Catherine found and then disposed of her lovers -- never cruelly, but very confidently.
Overall she was an inspiring and very modern woman, and I think her story is an antidote to the view of the past as monolithically sexist. She certainly encountered many forms of sexism, but she was able to seize and hold power by working within the system.
The account of Catherine's early years in Russia -- held in virtual captivity with a childish husband whose lack of interest in sex caused blame to fall upon her -- made me reconsider how the lives of historical aristocrats could really be pretty shitty. Sure, she always had enough to eat and slept in a comfy bed, but she was also forced to publicly endure almost a decade of loveless marriage to a man-child.
I thought Massie's section about Catherine's lovers lasted a bit long, especially as it seemed to be thrown in and disrupt the chronological narrative. I didn't particularly care about this or that favorite unless he had a part to play in the overall story. I did think it was quite interesting how publicly Catherine found and then disposed of her lovers -- never cruelly, but very confidently.
Overall she was an inspiring and very modern woman, and I think her story is an antidote to the view of the past as monolithically sexist. She certainly encountered many forms of sexism, but she was able to seize and hold power by working within the system.
ktc8's review against another edition
5.0
wow i feel so successful finishing this lol. it was a really interesting read and the way it was written kept it intruiging, massie did a great job. it really showed so much about Catherine beyond what I thought I knew before and also lots about 1700s Russia/Europe that was cool. after watching The Great on Hulu its so obvious they are literally not going by history at all and its a fun show but theres so much to Catherine that theyre just butchering for fun ig lol anyways I recommend Massie and this book if ur interested in CtheGreat!
jimmacsyr's review against another edition
4.0
Really well written biography of a fascinating person. The court intrigues, enlightenment ideals, foreign and domestic issues all described in detail. Since different aspects of her life are separated in chapters, it is sometimes hard to keep in perspective the number of issues she dealt with simultaneously. This is especially true for the audio book (excellent narration, btw).
Enjoyed the book very much.
Enjoyed the book very much.
lizella's review against another edition
4.0
This is the first book I've read on Russian history as an adult and I really appreciate the way Massie has woven together the tapestry of both Catherine the Great's story and those that surrounded and influenced her. While the story is fairly linear for the early part of Catherine's life, taking a more direct route based on her diaries, the later sections of the book that focus on her life as the Empress of Russia skip around to people and political topics that were key to her reign. The inclusion of the interplay of concurrent events outside of Russia gives additional context to the forces at work in the world around her. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone with an interest in Russian history or European history in the 1700's.
rheren's review against another edition
3.0
I like reading biographies of great people. Catherine was one of the great movers and shakers of the world in her day, and did things that affect even to our day now, but this book seemed to try to focus more on her as a person rather than her policies and what was going on around her, although it does give larger context when necessary. I think I would've liked more about what she did for Russia and less about her lovers and her private life. I feel like maybe it was too intimate of a portrait: most biographies I end up admiring the subjects for their gifts and courage and charisma, even while it's clear that they're not perfect and have significant defects, but I really didn't feel that admiration for Catherine the Great. I felt sorry for her, certainly, but her desperate parade of short-term flings and her opulence and her disillusionment with classical liberalism and reversion to authoritarianism didn't give me much that I felt like I admired about her by the end. The fact that she repeated with her son every single one of the things that she acknowledged made her life so miserable when she was young was especially disappointing.