I was provided an advanced edition of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

*Trigger warning: lots of violence, sexual violence, and sex*

"Relying on her wits and her formidable courage, and fueled by ambition, desire and the sheer will to live, Marta will become Catherine I of Russia."

Overall, I was impressed with this book and thoroughly enjoyed it. I don't have an in-depth knowledge about the history of Russia, but I have enough to know who the basic players are in this book. I am a historian, and I love to read books about historic events, especially to see how the authors' take those events and weave them into fascinating stories.

I did have to look at a map of Russia while reading this book in order to get a lay of the land and to figure out where the action was happening. I hope the final copy will have a map provided in the front or end pages.

The author does an amazing job at world building and expounding upon the characters. This time in history is mostly well documented, but the author did expound upon where Catherine I originated. Her story is not one that is know very well, as most times only the great men of power are talked and written about. I loved the exquisite detail of the daily events and goings-on of life as a mistress of the Tsar of Russia. There were some fictional liberties taken with this book, as is expected of a historical fiction book, and each of them I enjoyed to the upmost.

The prologue was so dense and confusing that I almost put it down but I’m ultimately glad I didn’t. I think it would help the reader to have a basic knowledge of Russia during this time period to understand the court system, titles, and the individuals involved.

Ultimately this is a very enrapturing, heartbreaking story and it’s refreshing to see a historical fiction novel that isn’t about the late 19th/early 20th century Romanovs. Russia under Peter the Great was truly a turning point for Russia and, while I can’t speak to the total accuracy of it, it was interesting to read a fictionalized version. The writing was great and I think the pacing was mostly okay. After I sloughed through the prologue it was a quick moving story.

I feel it important to note I am the exception when it comes to Ellen Alpsten’s Tsarina, but this novel wasn’t my cuppa.

I found the narrative slow, distractingly so, and I couldn’t help feeling the author relied too heavily on the novelty of the material to carry the story. I’m all for authors delving into the untapped and little known, but fresh perspective does not eclipse the need depth, suspense, pacing, and theme.

Alpsten has an eye for a story, but her style of storytelling did not hold my attention. I respect that most readers feel differently, but Tsarina was not for me and is not something I feel I could recommend forward.

I love Russian history and was very thankful for the opportunity to read this novel. What an interesting character and time frame, so much different than the usual Romanov storylines. Highly recommend!!

I received a temporary digital advanced copy of Tsarina by Ellen Alpsten from NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and the author in exchange for an honest review.

Tsarina by Ellen Alpsten opens the book in 1725 at Peter the Great's death bed and then brings the reader back to decades to Catherine Alexeyevna's beginnings as a lowly peasant known as Marta. The book unfolds her rise from poverty to bearing Peter's many sons and daughters, of which few survive, and their many adventures together to her being crowned Emperess.

I found Catherine's story fascinating. I am not familiar with Russian history, so I enjoyed reading about the beginnings of St. Petersburg, the many wars and conflicts Russia had with the Baltics, life in Russian court, and daily life in Russia for a person of low-born status.

With that being said, Tasarina is DENSE. The almost-500 page novel felt like 2,000 pages. It was an extremely slow read for me, which is a rarity when I am reading historical fiction. I felt as if I lived every moment of Catherine's life with her, as if not one moment let alone month was left out, and it was draining.

Captivating historical fiction. Interesting and inspiring. Loved it! Thank you publisher and netgalley for this arc in exchange of an honest review.

A Fascinating Tale!

This was historical fiction at its best. This story chronicles the rise of Catherine the I of Russia. She was the first female to ever rule Russia on her own - a Tsarina. I found this book to be incredibly interesting and inspiring. When you think of feminism, you think of it blossoming in the 19760s, 1970s.. however, bursts of feminist action was taking place far before then. Catherine the I of Russia was a strong and formidable woman. This book also has Russian culture and information that is truly incredible. I was so impressed by this book! Highly recommended!

Very good historical novel about Catherine, the First, Tsarina of Russia and second wife of Peter, the Great. Marta as she was known rose from being a bought child of serfs to Empress of Russia. This follows her life through being bought at 9 years old, being a washerwoman, being forced into sex by her employer, killing her employer, running away, almost being forced into prostitution, being the woman of the hour on campaigns and catching the eye of Peter the Great. I learned a lot about this brutal era of Russian history. The characters are well defined and interesting. The historical detail was brilliant and finely researched. As this was the debut novel of Ellen Alpsten I would be interested in reading more of her novels.

This is an exquisite tale of a strong, determined woman in a time when most women were told to be seen and not heard. The writing is brilliant and the plot seems to flow effortlessly along. This will definitely find favour among the historical fiction community.

Marta and her family are very poor. She is sold as a maid. Rescued, gifted to another man. Ultimately she was given to the Tzsar Peter as a companion. Through her life with the Tzsar she saw him in many different lights. He could be kind and loving, but also cold, calculating, murderous, and unforgiving.
Marta was always loyal to the Tzsar.
Even when she saw him with many women. She had twelve children with him. Two daughter's lived to adults. She made friends and enemies. Most importantly, even though she could neither read or write she studied everyone and used what she learned.
When Peter dies, a lowly washer woman, Marta is made Zarina. She ruled for two years before her death. Those two years, Russia claims were the best years they had.
This is a story of a brave, strong, courageous women. A women that fought to become a ruler in her own right.
Exceptional well written!

Catherine Alexeyevna (1684-1727) was of humble beginnings, becoming the second wife of Peter the Great and Empress of Russia from 1725 until her death. “Pulling herself out of poverty and servitude through her intellect, wit, and sensuality, she rose to become one of the most powerful women in Russia.”

Village of Livonia, 1699. Marta, as she was known back then, is nine years old. Her childhood brings a vivid portrayal of peasants’ life, meaning pretty much suffering.

A merchant from Walk, Vassily, needs a maidservant. When passing through the village of Livonia, Marta catches his eye. She is sold by her parents into servitude.

The town of Walk is something she has never seen before, the number of people crowding the streets, even the number of chimneys – she lost the count, and all the different foods sold by vendors.

In the coming weeks, she learns how to make those delicious meals. But life under a big roof with some comforts is not easier. “Loneliness lunged at me like a wolf at a lone traveler, burying its claws into my soul.”

And when the kindness touches upon her life, she realizes that she had no idea that such kindness could exist. She finds a home and a purpose.

Tsar Peter with August the Strong declare war on mighty Sweden.

When the town of Marienburg, where she resides, is under Russian siege, she meets the legendary Russian General Shermetev. At his tent, she meets “the most powerful among the powerful, the tsar’s most loyal and absolute friend,” Menshikov.

When she refuses to be a toy between men, Shermetev encourages her with these words: “Use life’s surprises to your advantage. See your power over men like a hand of cards; play them, to trump your life.”

Marta is an incredible character. She is born as a serf, thus she is illiterate. But she is observant and a quick learner. She has her high and low moments and in those low moments she receives unexpected help or guidance like she was bound for a higher purpose.

The story also offers a vivid portrayal of Peter the Great. A man who fought many battles, who would not tolerate anyone’s disagreement including pope’s, who refused marrying a couple due to religious law not being followed. When it fits Peter, the Russian customs disappear. A very cruel man, bringing many atrocities.

The last 30% of the story is a bit drawn-out. The rich historical background, vivid portrayal of Peter’s cruelty and Catherine’s twelve pregnancies and births are surrounded by other dramas and characters and that’s when it gets a bit too much, the focus on Catherine gets lost and the story falls flat in those moments. Some of it could be condensed.

My favorite part is the first part of the story, the story of incredible girl named Marta, who in the brutal world meets kind people.

This story involves some graphic lust. You can make a point of lust taking place without graphic descriptions.

It is certainly a story crafted by a very talented writer.

This is the fictionalized story of Catherine I of Russia. It is a great read for lovers of historical fiction. The story moved along with interesting characters and well done character development. The novel also gave me a sort of Russian history lesson, I don't know very much about the country's history.
Thank You NewGalley and the publisher for this book.

I received a free copy of this book for review from the publisher. Tsarina is an excellent novel about Catherine the I of Russia. Catherine was the second wife of Peter the Great, raised in extreme poverty as Marta. Her life led her ultimately to the tent of Peter the Great as a young Tsar during war. Catherine bore 12 children of which only 2 ultimately survived. This novel presents the reality of Russia during the building of St. Petersburg and does not shy away from the horrible acts of violence and human misery during this time period.

The story is engaging and pulls at emotions from love to lust, brutality to mercy and everything in between. There wasn't much that I didn't like about the book.. Although it is a long book it kept moving and was not a particularly difficult read. I received an uncorrected version so there were a few obvious mistakes that will be corrected in the final copy.

This book is a recommendation for anyone who loves to read historical fiction. I rated it a 4 out of 5 stars because of the ability of Alpsten to stir emotions for the characters in different situations. As a debut author, Ellen Alpsten did a superior job with this historical novel. I look forward to reading more future books.

480 pages

3 and 1 / 2 stars

Russia in the 18th Century. A time of war, poverty and uncertain futures. Peter the Great is on the throne. Peter is an educated, well-traveled man who has certain ideas about governing Mother Russia.

Marta was a woman who was sold into servitude in her mid-teens. She was uneducated and from a very poor family of serfs. Her life was very hard, until she was taken in by a Lutheran family. The father was the local pastor and he and his wife were very kind and good people. But this did not last.

Russia and Sweden were at war. Two proud rulers who were only trying to one up the other and driving their countries further into poverty and strife.

Marta meets the companion of the very wealthy best friend of Tsar Peter. The two women get along famously well and when the decision is made to return to Moscow, her new friend asks Marta to go with her.

The rest of the book is Peter and Catherine Alexeyevna's (as Peter renames Marta), enduring love for one another. This is where I got frustrated with the book.

I understood that the book was a biography of Peter's second wife Catherine. However, it devolved into something else. I don't care for romance novels and the tone of the book was not to my liking. It was well written and plotted, however. It read logically as it laid out Marta's life. It illustrated well the ruling classes' attitudes toward the serfs of Russia. The abject poverty and dire living conditions of the peasants and the total disregard that the “haves” had for them. It sowed the sheer scope of the country and the vastness of the empty plains. It was very good in describing the background.

I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for forwarding to me a copy of this book for me to read, enjoy and review.

Tsarina by Ellen Alpsten is an excellent historical fiction (with a dash of biography as well but mostly fiction) of the life of Catherine I Empress of Russia.

We find that she came from humble origins with the given name of Marta, a Polish peasant, was able to escape a troubled and rough life, and ended up becoming not only the second wife of Peter the Great, but also Empress upon his death in 1725. I already knew a great deal about the Romanov dynasty, however it is always exciting to read about these historic figures in more of a fictionalized setting that is a bit more relaxed, then another history book.

Catherine, I feel, was a smart, creative, resourceful, cunning, feisty, and amazing woman that came from peasant/serfdom to a successful marriage and other half of what some consider to be one of the greatest leaders of Russia’s history, and then the first female leader of a difficult and vast land.

The 1700s were a volatile and difficult time in Russia, and for a woman to be able to navigate through these preconceived gender roles, rise through the ranks, maneuver through the backstabbing and aggressive politics of aristocrats, and become one of the most powerful women in history, is nothing short of awe inspiring. Was she perfect? Nope. But there is no way she could have been and succeeded.

This book has it all. History, strong, real-life characters, romance, and intrigue kept my interest throughout. I thoroughly enjoyed.

For anyone that loves historical fiction, romance, Russian history, and power, this book is for you.

5/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this excellent ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.

There's very few things in the world I love more than Russian History so I was very excited for this one. It's not what I expected, but I like it nonetheless! It follows a peasant girl who would change history's course and the entire political scenario of the time. It's more historical romance than biographical, but if you go into the read knowing that you should be able to enjoy it for what it is.

I enjoyed Tsarina. It was an interesting, solid read. A little more romance/bodice ripper than I was expecting and some of the language used was definitely more 21st century. I was expecting a fictionalized biography, but instead it read as more of a historical romance. I enjoyed it, but it let me feeling a little flat. Like when you want a Coca Cola but end up drinking a Diet Coke.

It was well written and detailed, with interesting characters and plot lines. I do recommend.

I would like to thank the author, publisher, Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for fair and honest review.

Tsarina
1725, St. Petersburg and Peter the Great is at the Winter Palace about to die. What follows is a story about his second wife, Catherine I. You could certainly call this a "rags to riches" story, but this is no fairy tale novel.
Marta, born out of wedlock, was a peasant and as such lived in a hut with her father, stepmother and half siblings in devastating poverty. Sold by her family at the age of 15, she goes into servitude. Although illiterate, Marta is by no means unintelligent, she is quite the opposite, cunning, smart, shrewd and passionate are just some of the adjectives that describe her personality..her beauty speaks for itself. Yet many things are expected of a servant girl and not the least was how her master exacted his lust fulfilled, taking what he wanted, leaving her humiliated and frightened. Until, until one night Marta fights back for her life, leaving him dead and bloodied. With that her journey begins.

We see the world of 18th century Russia through the eyes of Catherine I. It is a world of filth, violence and crude living. It is a world where there is a country divided in half....the serfs/peasant who live from hand-to-mouth or even less at times, to the building of St. Petersburg, Moscow and the Russian court infused with a lack of morals, jewels and abject cruelty.

I have read about Russia before in other novels, about the Romanovs, Nicholas and Alexandra, et al. For me this book did not exactly hold my interest, unfortunately. While this is the first effort by this author and was translated from its original language, I would hope her next endeavor is more successful. Truthfully, if you like lust, violence and sex, don't hesitate to read this.

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Kindle Copy for Review from Net Galley and St. Martin's Press.

I received a free, advance copy of this book and this is my unbiased and voluntary review.

A fascinating fantasy read about Catherine the first of Russia. How a peasant girl who grew up to become the second wife of Peter the Great. At a time of violence and cruelness in the streets, how she survived and became tsarina.

How in the end she might be responsible for her husband death and affected the course of Russia’s royal history. As he husband lay dying, she ignored his wish to see someone who might have been made the next heir instead.