Tsarina was the first novel I experienced by Ellen Alpsten and it was very highly recommended by me to my friends who love historical fiction. The story of Catherine the I was remarkable. At the end of Tsarina, we got a glimpse of her 2nd living daughter, Elizabeth. In The Tsarina's Daughter, we get Elizabeth's story. Although much of the story covers what we had already read in Tsarina, it is from Elizabeth's perspective so we gain the depth that sets up this novel once Catherine the I passes and the Russian monarchy is once again turned upside down.

I'm not sure there is a more captivating monarchy than the line that built Russia. Nothing is conventional. Nothing is traditional. Each ruler makes their own rules. It's entirely fascinating and Elizabeth of Russia is no exception. She rules for 21 years.

This one is not to be missed.

Ellen Alpsten's The Tsarina's Daughter is the story of the daughter of Tsar Peter the Great and his wife Catherine. Catherine the Great herself is a fascinating character and the historical take on the women who preceded her in Russian history is no less exciting. The Russian court is full or intrigue and the novel takes you through all the twists and turns.

I will say if you are not familiar with Russian history and naming conventions you may have a hard time following some of the characters in the novel, but the character list at the beginning of the book will be very useful.

The Tsarina’s Daughter by Ellen Alpsten is an excellent historical fiction novel that presents a spotlight on the fascinating and complex Elizabeth Petrovna, The Empress of Russia. I loved this!

I have been fascinated not just by Russian History, but also the Romanov dynasty, so obviously I was drawn to this novel. I also am a huge fan of Ms. Alpsten and truly enjoyed the first book in this series, Tsarina, so this book was a must have for me.

This book was even better then its predecessor. Elizabeth, the daughter of Catherine I and Peter the Great was a force to be reckoned with. In a time that was socially and politically volatile, demeaning to women, and just a time and place of unrest, Elizabeth fought for every ounce of power and control. She was a fighter because she had to be. Far from perfect, she still had her strengths and furthered many of the plans and goals of advancement and enlightenment that her father, Peter the Great, began. This novel gave us fictionalized view of this fabulous woman.

It has it all: history, drama, passion, love, betrayal, sacrifice, intrigue, mystery, and so much more. What a jam-packed novel that kept me on edge from beginning to end. I recommend this to anyone fascinated with not just Russian history, but historical fiction in general.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and St. Martin’s Griffin/Press for this wonderful 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, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.