As I was reading, I seldom need to remind myself that this is a work of fiction because it's that good. I do believe her to be Anastasia without a doubt. This is one way to think about the possibility if she were alive or not. Though I'm not very familiar with the history of this lost Russian Princess I only knew she was lost. I'm not even sure if she was found.

I love how this was written and the stories are told during different times of her life and different settings. You see her as a very old woman, then you see her as a young child living in the palace, and in the next chapter you see her as a younger version of her present old self. She may have been beyond the age of 50 but she's still got a lot of fight left in her.

All in all this was such a great read and a whole different genre and pace to what I'm used to reading. It's refreshing.

The constant shifting in the timeline of the story confused me at times. Anna’s timeline is all over the place and I would have preferred to have hers go chronologically like Anastasia’s.

I really liked Anastasia’s POV but couldn’t get into Anna’s.

This book re-sparked my interest in the Romanovs and now I need to go read some NF books about them.

I am the first to admit that I am not a history buff. I did horrible in history at school, but luckily for me, I love historical fiction. Especially good historical fiction that makes me want to find out more about the actual events. I Was Anastasia definitely falls into the good historical fiction.

The story is told by two people; Anastasia Romanov and Anna Anderson. Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia was the youngest daughter of Tsar Nicholas II. During the Bolshevik Revolution, the family was forced to flee their palace. After being kept in captivity for a time, they were brutally executed. But some believed that Anastasia survived.

Anna Anderson was the best known imposter who claimed to be Anastasia Romanov. She claimed that she had survived the attack.

The story is told from both women’s point of view. We follow Anastasia as she is placed in captivity and eventually executed. We follow Anna has she tries to convince the authorities that she is Anastasia.

The book uses an interesting technique in that it presents something and then the next chapter will be several weeks before that event, or several months before that event. It worked very well, made the book even more interesting than a straight linear time line would have.

I really enjoyed this book. I understand that it is historical fiction, but from what I’ve read online, it seemed to have been well researched. The author’s note after the novel goes into detail about the research and any changes to actual historical facts that might be included.

I received an ARC of this book.

History has always been my favorite subject, so, when I had the chance to read about Anastasia I grabbed it. Unfortunately, I just couldn't get into this one like I had hoped.

I Was Anastasia

This will probably make my favorite's list for the year. I'm still thinking about this story. I do want to give a warning if you are a sensitive reader. There are several grisly scenes. The story telling was a little hard to adjust too. There are two story lines one of which is told in reverse. It's fascinating how it comes together in the end, but it can be a little confusing. The story is amazing though. The building tension made me so nervous. I can't stop thinking about it.
I received a copy for review from Netgalley.

I have been slightly obsessed with the Romanov family since the first time I heard the story of their untimely death. The mystery surrounding Anastasia as the girl who might have lived has been fascinating. Even though I know how Anna Anderson's story ends, it is still quite the interesting story. So many theories, so many clues, so much history, - all very exciting to read about. This is a telling of the story that is very different. It is not just the way it is written ( get there in a moment), but the story told itself There are a few liberties taken and the author reveals that in the end, but it is still an intriguing story that lead me to find some non fiction to read about Anastasia.

The writing style may drive some people crazy but I like it. It kept the suspense up and I kept wondering when the stories would finally intersect. Anastasia's story was told as it happened, chronologically. While Anna's story was told backwards. We started at the end and worked back. I will admit that sometimes it was hard, but I enjoy reading books that challenge me. I especially love reading books that are written differently than everything else on the market. This fit the bill.

If you keep up with the news, the ending here is no spoiler. So I knew going in, exactly how this would end. I still thoroughly enjoyed the trip the author took to get me there. It says a lot about a book, when I know the ending, yet still want to read.

Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for providing this book to read.

I must admit before reading this I did not know much about Russian history or the Romanovs. I remember learning about the youngest child, Alexei, in my genetics class because he was a hemophiliac, which made him the perfect case study. I also remember hearing that the entire family had been executed, but never really knew the story. When I came across this on NetGalley I was intrigued to learn more about this story given my of lack in knowledge in this subject and my love of historical fiction.
By 1918 the Czar of Russia had been removed from his throne and his family had been forced into exile. In the early hours of the morning the family was awoken to be moved to a safer location, so they are told, only be lead to the basement and executed. None of the seven family members survived the night, or so history has told us.
In 1920 a woman appeared in Berlin with an uncanny resemblance to Anastasia, the youngest of the Czar's daughters, claiming to be her. Is it possible that she survived the execution, or this is an imposter trying to claim the imperial riches?
This story is told using both dual perspective and dual timelines in alternating sections. First, we witness what happens to the royal family leading up to their execution through the eyes of Anastasia. Finally, we follow Anna Anderson, the woman claiming to be Anastasia, beginning in 1968 and working our way back to 1918. We trace her steps in reverse until in the end we finally reveal where her story truly begins.
I really enjoyed this delivery method by Lawhon, one that I have not encountered before. I enjoyed that both storylines were working together towards the same ending point. One reason I love historical fiction so much is that I like to feel that I have learned something new by the end of the book as well as being entertained. This book feels like a great balance of being very well researched and still being very entertaining at the same time.
This is my first historical fiction read outside the WWII genre and I would highly recommend it! I will caution that there are some difficult to read moments including sexual assault and violence, but worth the read.

When I discovered this book via NetGalley, I could not have been more excited about starting this book. It centres around one of the most fascinating historical mysteries of Princess Anastasia of Russia and the enigma surrounding her disappearance and whether or not she survived the attack that killed the rest of her family. I mean, I LOVED the animated movie, Anastasia, as a child (and still do to this day) so I greatly looked forward to reading this book. Unfortunately, I wasn't even able to make it through the entirety of this book. I was confused on the timing of events straight from the get-go and the writing did not ease my confusion at all. It jumped back and forth in time, which is normally not an issue for me, but the time lapses were so short and random (three months here, four months there) that they didn't make much sense. And the characters were not well developed or explained. I didn't know who two of main characters were or their significance and this lack of information, for once, did not entice me to finish this book. I was quite disappointed, as I had high hopes for this book as an Anastasia and general historical fiction enthusiast. This book was sadly not for me and I unfortunately have to mark this as a DNF. Maybe sometime in the future I can come back to it and quite possibly have a different outlook, but for now, I have to put this one down.

I was Anastasia tells the story of Anna Anderson, a woman who for most of her life pretended that she was Anastasia, the daughter of Nicholas II who somehow miraculously survived the murder of her family in Russia. In the era before DNA tests it would have been almost impossible for anyone to effectively prove (or disprove) her story so Anna was able to get many to believe she was really the lost Grand Duchess. What made this telling of the story unique was that Lawhon choose to tell the story from Anastasia's perspective - starting on the day Nicholas was forced to abdicate to the night at the Ipatiev house. Anna's story starts with her learning that the German court refuses to acknowledge her claim in the 1960's and works its way back to the point where both stories meet - effectively showing in reverse the steps that led to Anna becoming Anastasia. At first this structure was a little hard to follow but it was very effective in making you want to know why Anna was choosing this identity rather than her own. Even though we know now that Anastasia and her family did not survive, you want to know what happened. I think Lawhon provided a believable explanation for what happened to Anna and how she became Anastasia.

When I was in my early twenties, I went through what I called my “Romanov stage”. I read every book in the library on the Romanovs and all the books about people who claimed to be Anastasia or Alexei rescued and grown. I was fascinated by their lifestyle and their tragic story, and I wanted so much to think that one of those beautiful children had survived and was alive and well.
This story had me at the title. I love Lawhon’s writing and have read all her other novels. The timeline was unique: Anastasia’s story starts with her family’s imprisonment and continues to their last days and the tragedy in the cellar. Anna’s story starts with the near present and moves backward to that same period.
You can tell that Ms. Lawhon spent her time researching not only the details, but the personalities and characteristics of the characters of this novel, from the sisters to Alexei to the servants.
A sad yet unforgettable read — especially for those, like me, who once went through an “Anastasia phase”.
Thank you for my review e-copy via Net Galley!

4 engrossing stars to I Was Anastasia! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Being approved to read an early copy of I Was Anastasia was like winning the lottery to this historical fiction fan. Not only because of my love for the genre, but also because of my interest in Anastasia. Not because she was a princess necessarily, but because growing up I remember discussions about Anna Anderson and if she was or was not the real Anastasia Romanov.

Ariel Lawhon ambitiously tackles this notion in a genius structure through writing from two viewpoints in different timelines, Anastasia’s in forward-progression, and Anna’s in reverse.

In the Author’s Note, Lawhon describes that it was challenging to write this way, and I kept thinking that as I read. She even read biographies of Anna Anderson in reverse order so that she would formulate it in her head the way she would eventually write Anna’s voice.

It would have been easier to write in linear form, and perhaps easier for the reader to follow; but I enjoyed this convergence in storylines. It built the suspense for me. Even though I already knew the true outcome, I longed for a different one as I quickly read through this book waiting for the timelines to intersect, waiting for the answer Lawhon would write.

Reading the Author’s Note also inspired me to dig deeper into Romanov history. I have a nonfiction book she cited as a reference, The Romanov Sisters: The Lost Lives of the Daughters of Nicholas and Alexandra, and plan to read it soon to learn more.

Thank you to Ariel Lawhon, Doubleday, and Netgalley for the ARC. I Was Anastasia is available now!

I was a little hesitant to read this book because I already know quite a bit about the Romanovs. as I have been interested in them since writing a research paper on Nicholas II. However, the author manages to create an interesting story, and maintain, as far as I can tell, historical accuracy. The book alternates between the story of Anastasia Romanov, the youngest daughter, of the last czar of Russia, and Anna Anderson, one of the best known women who claimed to be Anastasia.. It was an interesting picture of what the last several months of Anastasia's life were like, and what Anna's life was like when she was assumed to be Anastasia. The end of the book was heartbreaking, so if you do not already know the history, be prepared. Altogether, an interesting story, and an interesting way to tell it.

In 1920, a woman is pulled out of a German canal. Her body is covered in scars and she won't say how she ended up in the water. When she finally breaks her silence, she claims to be the Russian princess Anastasia. The Russians insist that she and her entire family were executed by a firing squad, and many people believe that she is only looking for money and fame. She is dubbed Anna Anderson and a long investigation begins, as everyone tries to uncover the truth: is she the Princess Anastasia?

The story of Anastasia is one that has persisted in our consciousness for many years. There have been movies, books, and even a Broadway musical because we can't resist wondering if one of the Romanovs could have escaped their terrible fate. If you think there's nothing left to this story, think again. Ariel Lawhon throws you right into the action with Anna who confronts the reader, insisting that you have to come to your own conclusion after you hear her story. The action moves in two storylines, as we see Anna in the present navigate the believers who shower her with attention and the detractors who call her a liar. Years earlier, the Princess Anastasia tries to keep up her spirits under house arrest and increasingly dangerous circumstances.

I Was Anastasia is historical fiction at its best, which is exactly what readers have come to expect from Ariel Lawhon. If you know your history, you already know the answer to the question of Anna's identity. But as Anna points out, it almost doesn't matter. We want her to be Anastasia, because we want some hope to have come out of a dark, terrible story. We want Anna to be Anastasia because Ariel Lawhon makes both stories so compelling that we can't help wanting to believe.

I Was Anastasia
By Ariel Lawhon
Doubleday March 2018
240 pages
Read via Netgalley

Have you ever seen the animated tale of Anastasia? My little sisters and my daughters fell in love with the legend of Anastasia. We all learn about how the Bolsheviks ruthlessly gunned down the poor royal family in school. We learn about the missing bodies. We daydreamt about what it would be like to be a lost princess, to be suddenly found after having disappeared for so many years. We just wanted to hope that Anastasia managed to get out of Russia and find love, happiness, and have a couple of grandkids before she died.
Ariel Lawhon's book, I was Anastasia, puts you in the middle of all the action of this tragic tale. While the non-linear method of telling the story is a bit disconcerting and difficult to follow, at times, there is a pattern. If you give up on trying keeping track of events (like I was doing because I'm a giant nerd & was actually keeping track in a notebook) and just go with the flow of the story, (which I finally gave up and did about halfway through) you'll find that the events are all related. The story becomes less like going through white water rapids in a tight canyon, and more like a challenging, but fun, day on the river in a kayak, bouncing from one memory to the next.
Ms. Lawhon puts us on the edge of our seats with the very first page and keeps us there, locked in the grip of memory the entire time, wondering until the last second. Is she Anastasia or is she a fraud? What is going to happen to the woman telling the tale? What are her motivations? If she is really Anastasia, why wouldn't she push the issue? If not, what drives her and how does it affect those who believe her tale?
I really enjoyed this novel. There were some rough passages. I will, with complete candor, admit to a large amount of naiveté with regards to Anastasia Romanov. I knew the high school text book and animated movie information about her, with a general knowledge of her gravesite finally being discovered. It never occurred to me that her road to that grave site would have been difficult. In my mind's eye, it was all "dancing bears and painted wings" up until her death. I never wanted to look past that, to what hardships the Romanovs were put through during their final days. But I've read my Solzhenitsyn and should have known better. I just wanted to hope.
Hope is what has attracted people to the story of Anastasia for the last century. We just want to change the outcome of the story for that one little girl. You should read I was Anastasia, and gain an insight into what might have happened, and why so many people were willing to believe.

Fascinating story and I won't spoil Lawhon's conclusion (in case you don't know the real-life ending), but I did find the Memento-like (author's own description) telling to be confusing. Anastasia's story is told in chronological order and Anna's is told backwards. Lawhon's reason for doing this is in the author's note and makes perfect sense but it made for a disjointed reading experience. My advice if you haven't read this yet is don't put the book down partway through a section! It always took me a little bit to get my bearings again when I did.

But like Lawhon's last book, this is well-written and compelling and I can't wait to see what readers get next.

This book is a hot mess. The constant change in the points-of-view lead to an unreliable narrator (which very well may be the point but I found it distracting). The shift in time periods wasn't so bothersome until we were shifting, in a single chapter, through three different years at least. I don't have an issue swapping through "present" to "1917" or what have you in linear chapters but doing it within each chapter was annoying and made the book hard to follow. I had no idea if we were 1917, 1945, or whatever and whatever year we were in, who was speaking. I didn't connect or find Anastasia a compelling character and definitely not sympathetic which, again, may be by design but it felt contrived. I'm trying to be mindful I got the ARC and that the final book may be wholly different but as it is? No thank you..

I have always been fascinated with the Romanovs assassination and Anastasia's story so I was excited to read I Was Anastasia. Wow. What a ride! Forward and backward in time, this book had me in it's spell to the very last page!

I have been eagerly awaiting publication of I WAS ANASTASIA by Ariel Lawhon since I really enjoyed her earlier works (Flight of Dreams and The Wife, the Maid, and the Mistress). Her newest work of historical fiction centers on Anna Anderson and her efforts to be recognized as Grand Duchess Anastasia, the youngest daughter of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia. The story expertly moves between time periods and locations including 1917 Russia, 1920 Berlin, 1946 France, 1950s Germany, 1956 Hollywood, 1968 France and 1970 Charlottesville, Virginia with Anastasia's story moving forward in time while Anna's is told in reverse order, beginning with her last court case. That may add confusion for some younger readers, but to me, this choice merely reinforced the complex and sympathetic nature of the characters.

Once again, Lawhon has captured our attention by inviting her readers to join her in applying our imaginations to a fairly well-known historical events. I wonder who she will be researching next?

Links in live post:
http://treviansbookit.blogspot.com/2016/02/flight-of-dreams-by-ariel-lawhon.html
http://treviansbookit.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-wife-maid-and-mistress-by-ariel.html

3.5 stars. *****Spoiler Alert****
Even though I knew the story of The Romanovs and their fate, I knew very little about Anna Anderson who for decades claimed to be Anastasia Romanov and worked to prove that she survived the firing squad that took the lives of Tsar Nicholas II and his family. I was pulled in at the beginning, but my interest in Anna’s story waned. Maybe it was because I knew the outcome even though I knew not much else about her. There are dual narratives - Anna’s which moves backwards in time and Anastasia’s in chronological order. In the author’s note, Ariel Lawhon relates her attraction to Anna’s story but it was the Anastasia chapters that captivated me. The imagined account of what it was like for the Romanov family in the time just before they are sent off to Siberia and their death was compelling. I was so taken by the family in spite of what history tells us about Tsar Nicholas II . Captivated enough that I now want to read more about the Romanovs. This time I’ll try a non - fiction account. I was less taken with the Anna chapters and I found myself hurrying through those to get back to the Anastasia chapters. I did though find the backward telling an interesting mechanism. It took me a while to get used to it, but I liked the challenge in spite of my desire to get back to the Romanovs in 1917.

Lawhon clarifies what she takes liberty with in the telling of the story, and I appreciate what appears to be a well researched account. 3 stars but an extra half for the intrigue that has me wanting to read more about the Romanovs.

I received an advanced copy of this book from Doubleday Books through NetGalley.