amandasbookreview 's review for:

I Was Anastasia by Ariel Lawhon

3.0

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I have been wanting to read I Was Anastasia by Ariel Lawhon for what feels like ages! I have always been fascinated with the Romanov history. The book has two timelines. One of Anastasia, the other of Anna Anderson. The Anastasia timelines go through the rise of the revolution and the last days of the Romanov Family. Anna Anderson is the woman who believed she was the Grand Duchess Anastasia. If you do not know history, the Romanov family was murdered but there were rumors that the daughter, Anastasia, escaped. So Anna Anderson’s timeline actually starts in the reverse. It starts with her in her old age and proceeds backward dealing with the court decisions to recognize her as The Grand Duchess.

So I mentioned that I have been fascinated with Romanov history. This book weaves both historical timelines together beautifully. The way the author captures the last days of the Romanov family is absolutely heartbreaking, but very well written. Now I must mention this next bit…I don’t find this a spoiler because it happened 30 years ago but if you don’t want to know, stop reading. Well, Anastasia’s body was found not far from her families grave. DNA testing proves it is her and not Anna Anderson. I already knew this before reading the book. The main point of the book to me was to spin the mystery as if Anna Anderson was a possibility of being Anastasia.

“Am I truly Anastasia Romanov? A beloved daughter. A revered icon. A Russian Grand Duchess.

Or am I an imposter? A fraud. A liar. The thief of another woman’s legacy.

That is for you to decide, of course.” – I Was Anastasia, page 2 (Fair Warning)

So this quote, written for the reader, even though it is beautifully written, bothered me. It is meant to entice the reader into a mystery. There is no mystery or captivation for me because I knew the history. Now, for the pacing. I flew through the chapters of Anastasia. I felt like I was gripping the book, fearing to miss even one word. However, during Anna’s chapters, it felt blah. Not only is it confusing because her timeline goes in reverse but there is nothing to really keep me interested. I did not connect with Anna as I did with Anastasia. Maybe that is the point? Possibly.

Overall, I rate this book 3 out of 5 stars. I enjoyed the book. I think the writing is beautiful. I just think Anna’s half of the story is lacking.

Thank you to the publishers and Goodreads for a copy of the book!