I knew nothing about Russian history before this book, other than hearing of Catherine the Great and Peter the Great. This is the story of Catherine I, the 2nd wife of Peter the Great, and who preceded Catherine the Great.

This book is filled with a lot of sex - some violent, some consensual, all pretty graphic. While you can debate the need for any of the graphic details, you can also argue that some of the violent sexual assaults she witnessed or endured early on shaped who Marta was,...before she became Catherine I. Marta grew up a poor serf in what is now Estonia. After being sold to a violent lord for a mere silver coin, she escaped to find herself the house maid of a pastor, and then married off to a Swedish man only to have him die shortly after. This is where the story turns, as she encounters Russian soldiers who try to rape her before she is saved and brought to the tents of the Russian army leaders...this is where she first meets Peter and their relationship begins and the most interesting part of the book seems to end. I found the rest of her courtship with Peter interesting to an extent, but it pales in comparison to her early life.

This is a historical romance so the dialogue is a bit unbelievable at times, and as the author pointed out, there is not much known about her early years so some liberties were taken. But in the end, I learned more about Russian history from this book, and for that I'm thankful.


Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for an arc.

Tsarina covers the life of a woman that history appears to have left behind. Catherine I, not the more popular Catherine the Great (actually Catherine the II), but her predecessor, a former Serf, maid, and per this work of historical fiction, murderer. While little is known of Catherine’s upbringing, this richly detailed and well researched book provides an amazing story of survival at a time when women had no rights, rising above serfdom rarely happened, and death was everywhere.
I enjoyed the historical detail and getting to know a “forgotten” Tsarina. The book is graphic with both violence and sex. The violence in the book was unsettling, however, I think it only fair that to remember that many rulers at that time did not maintain their position through acts of charity. The rape, torture, and abuse depicted in the book was common in those times. Overall I enjoyed the book and found that once I started I could not stop, despite knowing a bit of how her story would go!

This was a riveting book. As an avid fan of both Russian history and historical fiction, I was captured by Ellen Alpsten's take on Catherine I. Admittedly, the brutality of her life made for a challenging read, but ultimately, I was too captivated by the writing to put it down.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a galley copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

So first off, I have a thing for Russian history and this did not disappoint. This story is about Catherine 1- I feel like we don’t hear about her often, and although her childhood in this book is fictionalized, it was truly fascinating to see Marta transform to Catherine. Trigger warning for rape. Thank you to netgalley for the arc.

3.5 to 4 for "Tsarina." I almost wish I could give this a 3.75.

Historical fiction tends to lean towards very popular subject matter. (The Tudors, the Tudors, and more of the Tudors.) In "Tsarina," Ellen Alpsten goes in a different direction, selecting for a subject the empress known as Catherine I in Russian history. Catherine I was Peter the Great's wife and successor; while she wasn't THE Catherine of Russia (that being Catherine II), she was nonetheless remarkable for rising from peasant/serf origins to her position--a virtually unthinkable jump in social class.

What's good: The unique topic, the fact the book does a good job of conveying Catherine's peasant roots, and the fact that the book doesn't hide the unpleasant characteristics of either Peter or Catherine.

What's iffier: There are moments where Catherine appears to be a bit too wise, a bit too all-knowing, for her position. In short, she starts to head toward Mary Sue territory. In addition, one of her major character turns, a love affair, feels a bit out of the blue. As a result, the finale of the book feels a bit rushed.

Note: This review is based on a copy I received from Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

Tsarina is about Catherine I before she became ruler of Russia. Books about Russian history can be quite dense, but this book is written in the first person narrative of Catherine, so it reads much more like a novel. Catherine, or Marta as she was called when she was younger, grows up in poverty, but eventually meets the Tsar and seduces him, and they become a powerful pair. Even as women come in and out of his life, she is a constant, and does what is needed to stay in power. The book hops in place between the night that Peter dies, and Catherine is trying to establish her claim as ruler of Russia, and her childhood and rise to power. This book keeps the reader intrigued throughout. It is a bit of a change to learn a lot about Russian history (though her childhood is fictionalized, as not much is known about it) in more of a novel-esque form. It can be pretty intense in terms of violence, gore, and sexuality. But overall, a nice angle on this time in Russian history if one does not want to delve into a tense Peter the Great biography.

This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

A sweeping historical fiction of incredible life Catherine the emperess of Russia.
Ellen Alpsten, thought provoking decant rags to richly tale, of one the most iconic woman in Russian history.

Marta, a from the lowly class of serfs and the richly descriptive, sometimes brutal story of her long extensive climb to that of Tsarina. Realistic portrayed in-depth look at the turbulent and violent times of the 1700’s Russia.
This book will hold your attention from start to finish capturing the reader in such a way that you will remember this book long after you close the book. Incredible writing
An intoxicating glimpse of the trails and tribulations that are not for squeamish.
An unsettling, gut wrenching drama that unfolds stunningly through this thrilling storyline. From the vicious brutality that Marta endured to rise above, to the splendor and backstabbing court intrigue, that is just wicked.

Ellen Alpsten delivers an enthralling, riveting book, this one book you need to get your hands.
I will be purchasing the hardback copy when it becomes available.

A sweeping historical feast detailing the life of Catherine the emperess of Russia, and her "rags to riches" story in a volatile Russia fraught with danger and deceit. As an avid lover of Russian history I was pleased to read about an era before the infamous Romanov dynasty. I found this fictionalized take on Catherine's rise from peasant girl to Tsarina interesting. Even when Catherine is inside the winter palace she still has to use her cunning to keep her place because in 1700 Russia just because you're at the top does not mean you will always stay there. It's the story of how one woman may have had a hand in steering the course of Russian history.
I appreciate the ARC from Netgalley/ St Martin's press in return for an honest review.

The ascension of a peasant girl named Marta to Tsarina Catherine Alexeyevna of Russia is almost unbelievable, and that's what makes this story so very fascinating. No doubt, Catherine had a difficult life, both as a peasant and as wife to Tsar Peter the Great. Parts of this book sensationalize her story in ways that truly don't feel necessary given the trajectory of her life. Other parts are too repetitive. I expected lots of battles given Russia's history in the 1700s, but details on her dozen pregnancies and childbirths were redundant as was much of the court debauchery. I kept waiting to read about her reign, but that's not covered in this book, which was disappointing given its long length, which really should have been shortened. Some of the language felt awkward and out of place, which may be a translation issue. All of that said, the book taught me about a woman who I hadn't heard of before, the Catherine who came before Catherine the Great, and sparked an interest in learning more. Regardless of how many anecdotes are fictionalized here, that a woman survived and thrived through all of her ordeals, including her husband's brutality, is a testament to the tenacity she had.

Thank you Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion of the book.

You've heard of Catherine the Great of Russia, but have you heard of Catherine the I? Author Ellen Alpsten brings a breathtaking glimpse into the life of Peter the Great's second wife and successor in this work of fantastic historical fiction.

Marta, whose reign name is Catherine I, is of humble beginnings, sold as a maidservant by her family in her early years, has cheated death numerous times and ascended the throne of one of the greatest dynasties the world has ever known. This is the story of Marta, who the author describes as "the most powerful woman history ever forgot."*

From page one, I was absolutely hooked by the beautiful and immersive experience of the author's writing style. The rich descriptions of Russian court life, courtly intrigue, the brutality of life in the era, and the visceral descriptions of Catherine's relationship with the Tsar weave a difficult and demanding tapestry of this book. Each part building upon itself to create a breathtaking debut novel from an author that will absolutely be added to my "favorite authors" bookshelf.

If you love Russian history and can't get enough of historical romance, this book is for you! It reminds me so much of Nicholas and Alexandra by Robert K. Massie, but with a beautiful modern historical fiction twist.

This book is out on October 13th from St. Martin's Press! You don't want to miss it!

Tsarina is on goodreads and more information on the author, Ellen Alpsten can be found here!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a galley copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

*@Ealpsten_Author tweet dated April 20, 2020

This is not about Catherine the Great. This Tsarina came from the slums and lived with all of the horrible conditions in that time period. Violence, Immorality, and a lot of dirt! And dirty dealings. While this is a fictionalized account, much is true.

I love a historical fiction book that teaches me something. I learned a lot about Moscow, St. Petersburg and the not so likeable people in the court.

Tsarina by Ellen Alpsten

I took four pages of notes on this title for my review, but I can summarize this book in a few paragraphs.

There are many characters and most have up to four names. Try to keep track. Marta, a girl from a poor family, ends up being favored by Tsar Peter after a chance encounter, and is crowned the Tsarina of Russia by the end of the novel. What she had to endure to get there is the story.

There are wars, orgies, infidelities, cruelty, births (but few marriages), all night parties, drinking...Need I go on? Marta often joins Tsar Peter on his crusades of war to gather more land for Mother Russia where most of the tawdry behavior happens. Being rewarded with clothes, jewelry and opulent homes keeps her coming back.

These are very dysfunctional people led by a cruel, greedy, dysfunctional man. The entire book is a repeat of the same behavior of these characters page after page after page. If endless debauchery is your thing, this is your book.

I was given an ARC by #StMartins and #NetGalley for my review.

I really wasn't sure about this book when I first started but I must say...what a journey through time that was totally worth taking! I feel as if I was just on a trip through this time span with Marta. A great story with lots of twists, turns, love scenes, and death in a world where these royal families lived and ruled everything and one. It was nice to watch Marta go the bottom to the top and what she had to do/endure to get there. While, on the contrary, it's hard to decide if the Tzar is good, bad, or manic. It would be helpful if there was a map of the regions discussed in the book at the beginning or something, I had to brush up on the geography while reading this to fully understand. I wish it explained the Russian/Polish slang a little better as well as cutting back on all the names/nicknames. For example, Alexander Danilovich is also Menshikov who also may be called babushka. Aside from those things, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. Would recommend!

This book was received as an ARC from St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

I have heard and read many renditions of Catherine the Great but none of them were as enticing as Tsarina. Reading about Catherine Alexeyevna before she was Catherine the Great born into poverty and craving the wealth and power she felt surrendered that she was willing to do anything even seducing the tsar himself Peter The Great. Now since his death, Catherine now has the power she craved which always comes at a price. The book revealed so many secrets such as brutal beatings, dark secrets and mischievous schemes all to remain in power. This was such a vivid novel that uncovered secrets we all thought were conspiracies brought to light.

We will consider adding this title to our Historical Fiction collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

This book follows Marta's story starting with her life as a serf and the long (and shocking) journey that led to her becoming empress. Marta became Catherine Alexeyevna and ruled before Catherine the Great. That is to say this isn't about Catherine the Great. This book is very detailed and gets deep into the history in a way that will enthrall those interested in this time period and Catherine and how she used her intelligence and wits to rise to power. This is a bit of a longer read that didn't really get going for me until Marta became a prisoner of war, but at the writing level itself I thought the book was great and it was interesting to see how humble Catherine's beginnings were.

With that said this book does have several instances of graphic rape that I found myself skipping. I can see how all the graphic violence and sex would leave some readers conflicted.

I really loved the premise of this book. She is a character that we don't hear much about in history. I only gave this 4 stars instead of 5, because there were some very important events that I didn't think got enough time and description, while other things that seemed less menial had more. This could easily have been a 600+ page book.

Tsarina by Ellen Alpsten
Source: NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press
Rating: 4/5 stars

If ever there was a book to deserve the word ‘saga’ attached to it, Tsarina would be that book! From childhood to death, Tsarina traces the long and winding path of one woman, first as Marta and then as Catherine, to the highest levels of Russian life, love, and politics.

To say Marta/Catherine’s life was easy is would do her a great disservice and undermine all she was able to accomplish in her long life. While many only know of her later years, first as the tsar’s consort and then his tsarina, Marta/Catherine lived an entire lifetime before her glory days as the head of the Russian state. Marta/Catherine was born into abject poverty, was essentially sold by her family to a despicable man who raped and beat regularly, lived happily for a time in a small town where she lived safely and securely with a pastor’s family, all before being taken as a prisoner of war.

Because of her beauty, Marta/Catherine’s life as a prisoner of war was not nearly as bad as it could have been, comparatively speaking. She was taken into the household of one of Tsar Peter’s most trusted men as a lady-in-waiting to his mistress. While in this household, Marta/Catherine learned a great deal about the inner workings of Russian politics and the private lives of the men and women who wielded power in an ever-changing and volatile world. Marta/Catherine was never meant to rise above her lowly station, but as luck would have it, she came to the attention of Peter.

Marta/Catherine’s first weeks and months with Peter were like a dream. His attention and gifts were lavish, but Marta/Catherine knew his affections could change at any moment. Though she was certain Peter adored her (and her fertility!) he was known to be a promiscuous man and it was never certain if the next conquest would also become the next consort thus displacing Marta/Catherine. Despite all the extracurricular woman, Marta/Catherine manages to maintain her spot alongside Peter for many, many years. Through the years, Marta/Catherine becomes simply Catherine and she bears Peter twelve children. Catherine is politically savvy and understands her husband better than anyone alive. Through her years by his side, she learns to read his moods, calm his anger, and protect those she holds dear. Even in times of great fortune, Catherine is always aware of the precarious nature of her position and makes moves to secure herself and her children.

The Bottom Line: This is truly a long and winding saga that doesn’t get truly interesting until Catherine become a prisoner of war and a member of the tsar’s inner circle. Catherine is one shrewd woman and as she becomes more deeply enmeshed in Peter’s life and the affairs of state, she learns to how read situations, how to choose her allies, and how to manage Peter. Though things don’t always go according to plan – sometimes the results are simply disastrous and tragic – Catherine still manages to come out on top. For my money, I would have liked to see less of Catherine’s early life and more of her time post-Peter. Catherine’s name is renowned and though the book certainly covers a great deal of how that happened, I would have liked to have read and known more about her time as the sole ruler of Russia. My enjoyment of this book and my rating come, not from the first third of the book – that bit is slow and often not terribly interesting – but from the latter two-thirds which is filled with plans, plots, intrigue, excess, and the exploits of one of Russia’s most famous (infamous?) rulers. If you can get through the first third of this book, it is well worth the trouble.

I picked this book up because I wanted to know more about Russian history and Catherine the great and I did get a lot of new information but I hadn't counted on the excessive use of sex and rape to glean that information. It's a heavy book and had I read it another time with a different mindset, I probably would have enjoyed it more. It should come with an extensive trigger warning and I think it's worth noting that there are a lot of awkward scenes in the book which slow down the flow of the book but overall it was a decent book.

This book was originally published many years ago. It is an interesting book about Catherine the first, the second wife of Peter the Great. Set in Russia in the 1700s.

This is not about Catherine the Great. This Tsarina came from the slums and lived with all of the horrible conditions in that time period. Violence, Immorality, and a lot of dirt! And dirty dealings. While this is a fictionalized account, much is true.

I love a historical fiction book that teaches me something. I learned a lot about Moscow, St. Petersburg and the not so likeable people in the court.

I would give this author another try!

NetGalley/ St. Martin's Press, October 13th. 2020

The only word to describe this book is "gratuitous."

Marta is a peasant girl who, through various horrible circumstances, goes on to become the wife of Peter the Great, Tsar of Russia, and eventually rule Russia herself as Catherine the First after Peter dies. Now, as you would expect, the life of an Eastern European serf is not awesome. As a teenager, Marta is sold to a passing Russian for a silver coin, and things just get worse from there.

I almost want to thank this book, at least, for the things I learned. I learned that Catherine the Great was Catherine the Second, and that another Catherine ruled before her. I learned things about Peter the Great that I will never forget. But was the damage worth the few historical details I will carry away with me? Almost certainly not.

This book has nothing to offer but rape, murder, more rape, orgies, drunken debauchery, incest, torture, more rape, pregnancies, and an infinite amount of awkward sex scenes, all presented with enough NC-17 explicit detail to make you want to gouge your eyes out. If you took out all the time Catherine spends being pregnant, giving birth, and engaging in various sexual encounters both willingly and unwillingly, there would be about enough information left to form a Wikipedia page of moderate length.

I genuinely wish I hadn't read this book. Obviously a life such as Catherine's wouldn't have been all roses -- it would be unrealistic to whitewash it -- but I don't need to go through each rape with her in horrible technicolor. Would she want to be remembered for that? Wallowing in so much human misery for simple entertainment is just painful and vulgar and disgusting and gratuitous.