The Romanov Empress
by
C.W. Gortner (Goodreads Author)

I have read all of C.W Gortner’s books and he never fails to deliver through his in depth research of his subject or subjects.
I have read many books on the Romanovs but did not know much about “ Minnie” ( the beloved Empress Maria, the Danish girl who became the mother of the Last Tsar of Russia . )This book narrated by Minnie is easy to follow and one feels as if one is in Russia during the Romanovs reign. Maria was the daughter of a very poor Danish royal family.
Her sister went on to marry Queen Victoria's oldest son and thus became the Queen of England. Maria went on to become the Tsarina of Russia. The author follows the Romanovs through a lavish lifestyle, through the riots and the change of fortunes of the dynasty when the last Tsar and his family are arrested . Followed by the Bolsheviks taking over the control of Russia.. The author also has a comprehensive bibliography if the reader wishes to continue reading on the Romanov dynasty.

In books that I've read in the past, fiction about the Romanov dynasty tends to focus on Nicolas and Alexandra - let's face it, there's a lot of drama there. The Romanov Empress tells the story of Nicolas's mother, Maria Feodorovna, Her view of Alexandra's behavior was very eye opening to me, and reminded me in some ways of Princess Diana! Even if you're not into Russian history, this is a good, engrossing book about a turbulent time in the history of the Russian Empire

This was such a great book. It was refreshing for the story to be told from Maria Feodorovna's point of view, since many novels center around Anastasia or the Imperial Family and Rasputin.

The Romanov Empress spans an incredible range of time in Russia; from the unsurpassed regal heights of an affluent empire to the throws of political revoltion, it follows a particularly interesting period through the eyes of a single woman, almost providentially placed as an eye witness to the changes that this nation would undergo.
I have always been interested in this particular figure in history. Gortner did a marvelous job of capturing the character and humanity of the Romanov family, the dowager empress in particular. The diction was stunning. The narrator's vocabulary was accessible, but believably eloquent for an autocratic woman. There were some areas that felt a little rushed, but considering the vast amount of time covered, it's completely understandable. A very enjoyable, insightful read overall.

This is a fantastic telling of the empress’s Maria Feodorovnas life. At first I thought it was rushed but really the author managed to write it in such a way that no words were wasted. I am a huge fan of history and the Romanov dynasty specifically and I loved that this was told from Marie’s POV instead of the more common MC. I want to read it again and will definitely be reading more from this author!

I am voluntarily submitting my honest review after receiving an ARC of this ebook via NetGalley.

This fascinating account of events leading up to and during the October Revolution in 1917 Russia as told from the perspective of Empress Maria Feodorovna is an enjoyable read fans of historical fiction will enjoy. While most readers will already be familiar with the plot and know how the story ends, Gortner successfully makes the story seem fresh by describing the events from a unique point of view. Though she lives a life of luxury and as the tsar's mother, her perspective is somewhat compromised, the Empress does report on events with a great deal more clarity, humility, empathy for the common man and honesty than one would otherwise expect. The writing is crisp and the novel progresses quickly. Fans of CW Gortner will enjoy this novel as much as his other works.

This author is a master storyteller. She pulled me in to loving the main character, Minnie, formally Marie Feodorovna, Romanov Empress of Russia, right from the start. Minnie is so vibrant and alive, full of spunk and spirit.
Before reading the book I knew the Romanov name and that they were the last ruling family before the Russian Revolution and not a whole lot more (other than that the Tsar and his family were executed). This book really made the events that led up to that revolution clear, both in Russia and abroad. At every turn I wanted her son, the Tsar, to heed her advice and somehow derail the events to come. But, of course, that could not happen.
I love historical fiction because it takes those stories that seem dry and just events from the past and suffuses them with life. Although many of the characteristics of the Romanovs were attributed by the author, and we can only suppose what they might have said and done, enough of history remains to provide that skeleton that the author fleshes out for us.
This is not a short, quick read. This is a substantial and weighty story of a family that could not accept the coming changes in their country and their rule, despite the obvious disquiet of their subjects and the fomenting revolutionaries. What might have been if Minnie's father-in-law had not been killed before he could install the Duma (the Russian version of a Parliment/ Congress)? Or if her husband, Sasha, had been willing to concede and form one during the early years of his rule after his father's death? By the time Minnie's son, Nicky, gave in it was really too late; too much blood had been shed, too many costly mistakes made.
Occasionally, I had trouble keeping all of the family members straight as there was much repetition in naming, much for tradition's sake and also due to form when ascending to power (like in England, they took on a ruling name). It was lucky that the author, or the family in real life, bestowed nicknames on most of the main characters so I could keep all of the Alexanders, Alexandras, Maries and Vladimirs straight. I hope this author continues to write historical fiction. She made the intricate history of the Romanovs enjoyable and untangled the complicated threads of the historical events around the last ruling family of Russia.

I will admit right up front that I am not a Russian history expert, in fact far from it. I have always shied away from it maybe because of the names, maybe because I am lazy. This is the most readable book about Russia I have ever read and I loved it. I had no idea of the main character, Tsarina Maria Feodorovna formerly known as Dagmar of Denmark, and the mother of the last Tsar, Nicholas, even existed. Sure I knew Nicholas had a mother but that's how far my knowledge went.

Maria was the daughter of a very poor Danish royal family. They sewed their own clothes and did their own housework. Yet her sister went on to marry Queen Victoria's oldest son and thus became the Queen of England. Maria went on to become the Tsarina of Russia. Not bad for two poor children. The royalty pool of eligible spouses is very small and everyone seems to be related somehow to Victoria of the fertile loins.

She becomes accustomed to the life of luxury easily. Fabulous furs, fantastic jewels, Faberge eggs, lavish parties, breath taking dresses and lots of household help dominate the royal lives. The serfs have recently been released from slavery with no planning for their futures. With no jobs or education, they are starving and are less impressed with the signs of riches. There is a lot of rioting, assassination attempts and murders. The Royal Family seems mystified at the serf's unhappiness. Isn't it OK to be hungry as long as your rulers are covered in jewels?

Maria is a nuanced character though. She heads and actually works for the Russian Red Cross. She founds the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. She takes nursing classes and turns her palaces at various times into hospitals. She also dances until 4 am many nights. She is also a domineering mother who really doesn't allow her children to make their own choices or have their own opinions. Her daughters manage to stand up to her but not her sons. So it is a surprise to her her but nobody else when her oldest son, Nicholas, marries a domineering woman. She is a different kind of domineering but domineering all the same. The wheels of the Revolution are set in motion with that marriage.

It was interesting to read about how the Revolution started years and years before it actually took place. It is fascinating to read about all the relationships including the ones to all the Royal Houses in Europe. In fact it made Russian history interesting to me for the first time in my life.

If you like really good historical fiction, you will like this. It's so well written and accessible that it's a joy. I recommend it highly.

Thanks to Net Galley for a copy of this book.

I loved this book! I typically don't like first person novels, but the format worked well here. This is the story of Princess Dagmar of Denmark, who marries the Russian tsarevich, and eventually becomes Empress of all Russia. It follows her from age 15 until her exile decades later, following the execution of her doomed son, Nicholas, the last tsar of Russia. I found it completely fascinating - even knowing how things would end, I could not wait to read more of this story each night. Dagmar, called Minnie by her friends, was a very strong and intelligent woman, and I loved this look at her life. It brought a slightly different perspective to that era of Russian history. Many thanks to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for allowing me to read an e-arc of this most excellent book. 4.5 stars!

In the style of Phillippa Gregory, author C.W. Gortner sweeps us into the dramatic story of Dagmar of Denmark, who became the mother of the last Russian Tsar. Tsarina Maria Feodorovna, as she is known in Russia, experiences both the splendor of the European royal houses, and the realities of war, disintegration and revolution as the aristocratic hold on power crumbles. Through her eyes we're offered a glimpse into the strength required of a women who has all of the hopes, fears and concerns of any mother and wife, yet carries the added burden of her position and has the wisdom to see that all is not well in her country. Fans of the PBS series Victoria will come to know the British Monarch in her later years and the considerable influence she wielded throughout Europe. The author has taken great effort to make the story as historically accurate as possible and his explanations and notes at the end are an added bonus.

I loved this book! It was a great and insightful introduction into one the most well now royal families. All this book did was intrigue me into reading more into the Romanov family!

I've never read about the Romanov's before, and this makes me want to know more. I really enjoyed this historical fiction. It didn't dump too much history on me while keeping me in the moment.

I received this as an ARC through Netgalley. I love Russia, especially Imperial Russia and I love to read books about figures during the time period of Imperial Russia. This book was written about the life of Tsarina Maria Feodorovna. This is the first book I've come across chronicling her life. I found her life story very interesting and this book grabbed my attention from the start. It's written in the first person and walks us through a very important time in Russian history. The Tsarina's life started in Denmark born into a relatively poor, working class family. Her life changes once her father is announced to be heir to the throne, making her royalty. She finds herself married to Russia's Tsarevich, Alexander (Sasha.) Over her imperial rein, she has several children, faces terrorist threats, scandals and war. She sees her son, Nicholas II, through his rein and then the ultimate demise of the Romanov dynasty. She survives this all, one of the few Romanov's. This novel beautifully and artfully depicts this life of Maria Feodorovna who lived an unbelievable life of luxury and bore witness to some of the worst atrocities of Russian history. As far as I can see, it is also fairly historically accurate, although, I'm by no means an expert. I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading well written novels about history's amazing women. She held a very important role in Imperial Russia and this novel offers her story in an enchanting, entertaining way. It had me hooked from the beginning to the end. Highly recommend!

This is a wonderfully written and compelling story of the Romanovs , narrated by Maria, the mother of Nicholas, the last tsar. I have read a lot about the Romanovs, but this one portrayed so well, the life of Danish Princess Dagmar, eventually becoming the Dowager Tsarina. What a courageous and strong woman. I highly recommend it.

If you are interested in learning of the Romanov dynasty, this is a perfect book to start with. This story is about the Tsarina Maria Feodorovna.. She was one of the most endearing, but strong Tsarina. She is known as being dedicated to family and friends. She didn't let anyone get away with anything. If she felt things should be done a certain way, for Russia, she made her opinion known. I love reading about the Romanov family. Their successes, their failures. Here the characters come to life. You either love them or hate them. In the end, you do admire their courage, and their dedication to Mother Russia.
5 Stars

This book is great! If you love Historical fiction you will love this book!!

I enjoy all of this authors books and this one was very good. Thank you Netgally and the Publisher for the ARC.

Well written historical fiction. A look at Maria, Empress of Russia and her trials before and after becoming the Russian Empress. Very readable and moved quickly. Highly recommend.

I place this book in the same wonderful genre of Sally Christie's books on Versailles, a delicious history, yet of Russia and the Romanovs. It is an almost slimmed down history of Alexander II and his Empress Maria Feodorovna,the last Russian Tzarina. It is wonderfully descriptive and tantamount in the already known history, shocking in details as to the attempts on the Tzars lives. A must read for any Russian history lover. I can't even imagine the life style of these rich overlords. Nicholas II, the last Tzar was their son. and I am loving every word. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House publishing for this "I can't put it down" novel. Based on fact!! a must read for any lover of Romanov history! And thank you to C.W. Gortner, and his indelible writing. Your words totally drew me in with the first sentence. This was the best best best, I loved reading it from The Tzarina's viewpoint. Thank you for such a wonderfully enticing and involving story, all based on truth. I can only imagine what it was like for the the end of the Romanov's 300 year reign. This book certainly gave me a new perspective on Alexandra, who seems to have brought down the entire Romanov Dynasty.

The fictional story of Dagmar of Denmark tells about how she rose from A somewhat noble but in impoverished beginningAnd later became Empress of Russia.Well We often hear about the Romanov family And how they met their fate in the basement, We don't read much about what happened to Dagmar who married Sasha Romanov became Imperial Highness Maria Feodorovana. The Romanov Empress tells about the trials and travails of Maria known as Minnie and how she almost married one brother, later ended up marrying another brother, bore her children and the loss of her son Nicholas. While historical fiction, the book reads like history and the characters come to life making this book a good read.

Recommend.

Review written after downloading a galley from NetGalley.