If you’re like me, your previous knowlege of Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna was limited to the animated feature, Anastasia, where Angela Lansbury gave voice to her.

Like most people, my attention was always drawn to the ill-fated Romanov family, Tsar Nicholas, his wife Alix and their children, Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia and Alexi, the tsarevich. I think most people who have heard the story find themselves fascinated by them. I’ve seen the animated film, the old film about Anastasia and read more books than I care to admit. However, when I heard that Mr. Gortner was tackling the Romanov story from the eyes of Maria Feodorvna–Minnie, as most call her in the story–I was delighted.

My delight, fortunately, wasn’t wasted.

Having read all of his prior books, I knew that he wouldn’t let me down. And he did not. He took us from the 1860’s Denmark where she was Marie Sophie Frederikke Dagmar, called Minnie or Dagmar. Impoverished until a sudden change of fortune, Minnie is somewhat spirited, not wanting to conform to what is expected of her. Eventually, she comes to accept what her place will be, but it’s not a realisation that she comes to willingly. Minnie marries into the Romanov dynasty, understanding that someday, she will be Empress. You can’t help but want to yell, “Don’t do it!” But hindsight and the inability to go back in time doesn’t allow us that.

Russia is on the verge of a great change and through that time, Minnie learns to navigate not only the royal court, but her place in the people’s hearts. She has an understanding of them and doesn’t hesitate to be amongst them, learning as much as she can. Sadly, as we know, the Revolution happens and the consequences for the remainder of the family being headstrong and believing in the divine right to rule and listening to bad decision after bad decision, it ultimately costs them. Minnie can only offer advice and tries her damndest to save them from themselves.

I was enthralled from page one all the way to the end. Even knowing what is going to appen,you can’t help but be drawn in. Even if you are a die-hard Romanov family fan, I think you will learn from this. Mr. Gortner has outdone himself and this book is as beautiful as a Fabrigeé egg. Exquisite and a rarity in how spellbinding it is.

Brava, Mr. Gortner!

"In that instant, as I beheld the people of my newly adopted country, crying out my newly bestowed title, a rush of heat surged in me, erasing the chill of the air. It was inexplicable, unexpected, but I truly realized then that in marrying the heir to Russia, I'd done more than bind myself to a stranger. I had bound myself to dynasty and an empire, to centuries of women before me who'd done their duty for their country."

Tsarina Maria Feodorovna was a remarkable woman, starting out her life as daughter to a poor Danish duke in title alone. Upon the passing of the Danish king, having no heirs of his own, Maria's father assumes the throne thrusting Maria and her family into the royal spotlight. Afraid of being forced to marry for political gain Maria found herself in love with just the man she is supposed to marry, the Tsarevich of Russia. Unfortunately for Maria, her betrothed died an untimely death, not before asking of her one last thing, that she marry his brother, the new heir to the throne. Consenting, young Maria Feodorovna was thrust into the world of the wealthiest royals on earth, learning the rules of court and her new role as wife and Tsarevna. This historical novel goes on to follow Maria for the rest of her life as she faces everything from hosting lavish galas, to hiding from assassins, to the eventual Russian revolution under Lenin.

This piece of history was entirely new to me having learned almost nothing about the last Romanovs and boy, is it fascinating. Tsarina Maria Feodorovna is the perfect vehicle for it, her being such a strong and interesting woman, and written so well in this book. The story covers decades and still manages to be incredibly readable and manages to avoid the dry tone that I find so often in historical novels. Thanks at least in part to the author's use of complex characters and descriptive prose. I loved the sense of claustrophobia that slowly builds throughout the story as Maria goes from being one of the most powerful women in the world to her slow confinement and fear of the nihilists and revolutionaries. I think Gortner was able to capture this gradual collapse of the Russian empire in the minds of his characters beautifully. In the second half there were times that I felt the story drag just a bit, the plot being largely one tragedy or big event after the other, but I'm sure this is nothing if not accurate.

This historical novel definitely sparked my interest in this history and now I'm dying to learn more about it! If you like in-depth looks at history or character studies of strong women this book will surely be for you.

"One doesn’t need to meet the wolf to know when to bolt the door."

The Romanov Empress was a departure from my regular reads and it brought back my love for historical fiction novels. The Romanovs have long been a fascinating story to me and Gortner's brings their ending in an epic, colorful story.

The Romanov Empress is about the Empress Maria who was a Danish girl of humble beginnings that ended up becoming the mother of the LAST Russian tsar. What I loved the most about this book was the fleshing out of Maria. Gortner perfectly captures the different nuances of human nature. Maria could be both gracious and pretentious in one swoop and he does it in a way that you still love Maria. She's a mother and wife foremost, even while the world is crumbling around them, she was taking others into consideration. She could also be petty and dramatic but this does not deter you from her. You fall in love with this mother who supported a husband and son on the throne and was not exempt from the demise that befell them.

The story of the Romanov is decadent and filled with Russian stories and people that made the book a complete tale of love and horror. It tells the colorful, gaudy and over the top tale of what it takes to be at the top of the Russian Imperial family and how hard you can fall. Maria was the glue that was holding them together but that glue was a costly gold. Their lives were filled with excess and the book paints a wonderful insight into what their family life was like while being confronted with some of the worst horrors of human nature.

I was very familiar with the tragic story of Tsar Nicholas and Alexandra and the last Imperial family of Russia, but I was not familiar with the story of his mother, Truly a beautifully written account of the life of the beloved Empress Maria, the Danish girl who became the mother of the last Russian tsar.
You will transported to their world of glamour and wealth of the Imperial Court and the Winter Palace. I highly recommend this book for anyone that loves well written historical fiction. I gave this book 5 stars.

I found this book captivating as it was told from the point of view of Maria Feodorovna. In the past, all of the Russian historical fiction I have read was mainly about Anastasia. I loved seeing everything in a different light. It follows Maria through roughly 50 years of Russian history. Maria was born in Denmark, but through marriage became the Empress of Russia. She came to deeply care for the Russian citizens and fought bravely for both the citizens of Russia and her family. Despite its length, I didn't want the story to end. I highly recommend to any historical fiction reader.

Despite knowing the history, one can't help but keep reading. The characters come alive with personality and history is given a fresh perspective. The story is beautifully woven to give relatively accurate historical perspective yet with heart. It was hard to put down even knowing a possible tragic end.

C.W. Gortner never disappoints! I've buy each one of Gortner's books that come out. Yes, my go-to genre is historical fiction, but so is this author. The Romanov Empress is a fictional account of Tsar Nicholas' mother, who became empress when she married his father, Tsar Alexander III. Told in first person from the Tsarina herself, the book is a fascinating glimpse into a character we do not often read or hear about. The novel begins with a very young woman, insecure and shy and follows her life as she navigates royal life, politics and family. Gortner brings to life the Romanov Dynasty told through the eyes and mind of its matriarch. If you're a fan of historical fiction or Russian history, grab this quickly! If not, this book will soon make you one!

I received an advanced copy of this title via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
There is just something about Gortner that allows him to bring to life any character he writes about. A good storyteller makes a character relatable. While one might think there could not possibly be anything they could have in common with a Russian Empress, Gortner proves us wrong. He does an exquisite job of indulging us in descriptions of the lifestyle of the Russian Imperial family. There is a familiarity that one may not expect between the court intrigue of Russia with that of other European courts of the time. Gortner successfully shines a light on Tsarina Maria's life, she who has so frequently been overshadowed by her infamous son, Tsar Nicholas II. Whether one agrees with her actions throughout her life or not, one cannot dismiss the devotion she had to her family and to her adoptive country. Gortner once again triumphs in connecting the past with the present through the commonality of our humanity.

"I imagined endless winters under snow-filled midnight skies, with fur-swathed heathens downing vodka and smashing the cutlery. Anything that added to my determination to find the tsarevich unworthy became grist for my imagination, until my fear assumed such epic proportions even I had to admit not all of it could possibly be true."

I knew from the first few pages that I was going to absolutely love this novel. The Romanov Empress follows the life of Empress Maria Feodorovna from her slightly more humble beginnings in Denmark to her marriage to the Romanov heir of Russia and finally fighting to help save the empire as the mother of Nicholas II – the last Russian tsar.

This was my first novel by C.W. Gortner and after reading this, I’m already checking the library for more of his work. This is exactly the type of generational sweeping historical work that I completely adore. Gortner’s writing is elegant and beautiful so that even though there is hardly any real action, I was pulled through Maria’s life with fascination and while I had a pretty good idea of how it would end, I was still sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for the inevitable.

I knew practically nothing about Maria Feodorovna before I picked this up. Of course I figured that Tsar Nicholas II had to have had a mother but I never gave her much thought. In the middle of the novel, I realized that she was portrayed as Anastasia’s Grandmother, the Dowager Empress in the 1997 animated film (and voiced by the magnificent Angela Landsbury). Unfortunately, (especially because the film Anastastia isn’t exactly known for its historical accuracy) my associations with the woman ended there.

“It is what royal wives must do. Do you think your father would be the king he is without me? I am the whip that prods him. I am his ears and eyes, his conscience and counsel; without us, most men would stay little boys. Our family has become who we are because of me, because I never ceased to aspire for more than what we had.”

Maria was passionate, loving, beyond intelligent and fiercely loyal to her adopted country of Russia. She lived and ruled Russia during such a fraught period that she was literally dodging political assassins for the majority of her adult life. And yet, she more than persevered. While parts of her life were almost magical – it was also incredibly sad. Not only did she survive her husband, most of her children (and some of her Grandchildren), but she had to watch as her country crumbled around her at the end of her life.

One thing I particularly adored about The Romanov Empress was learning about other large historical figures – both in Russia and around Europe – during this time. Early in the novel, we get to know a mourning Queen Victoria through the eyes of young Maria and her sister Alix (who goes on to marry Victoria’s eldest son & eventually becomes Queen of England herself). And later in the novel, I was fascinated with Maria’s very contentious relationship with her step-daughter, Alexandra, especially in regard to Alexandra’s (unhealthy?) attachment to the mystic Rasputin.

I couldn’t recommend this one enough if you love history like I do. If you do pick this one up (Go! Get it now!) then I’ll leave you with one word of advice: The Romanov Empress takes place over decades and Maria had a sprawling family. It seemed like someone was getting married and popping out children every other page (and then naming them all the same thing – lol). All I can say is that my life would have been much easier if I had discovered the handy family trees in the front matter of the novel far earlier than I did. Learn from my mistakes and consult them regularly. 🙂

“We’ve learned very little from history. We should have taken note of the harsh lessons imparted by the French and the Americans. When the people are denied a say in how they should be governed, they will fight, with violence if need be. Rulers can be removed… In the end, we are mortal.”

Epic read and journey is the only way to describe this book.

I haven’t read a historical read in awhile because they just can’t hold my attention lately, but not this one. This story leaped off the pages and pulled you straight into Imperial Russia. The beauty and richness seeped in short sidedness, conflict, and drama.

Minnie rises above her obscurity to marry the Russian heir. It is amazing to see the political workings to arrange a marriage. Woman are just pawns in the play to be dealt where they will bring to most connections. I was googling constantly throughout the book to get more information because it pulled me in. I couldn’t believe how everyone was related and they kept marrying each other! You can see why genetic problems occurred.

Minnie is well written and believable. She isn’t written as this perfect person which makes the story even better. She has her tantrums, but always puts her big girl pants on to rise to the occasion and make the best of the situation she can. She is beautiful, arrogant, demanding, and loyal. She shows that being royal isn’t what we picture it to be. To be successful there are tons of scaraficing you must do, whether you want to or not. The Russian trip to self destruction could have been avoided if her children weren’t so weak and self centered. Nickolas’ downfall was of his own making with the choices he made.

The story did drag at times and you just got bogged down with the history at times. The story did have to roll out that way to be successful I think. I loved the story and expanded my mind!

Received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley. I will be checking out more from this author.

I liked this book much more than I'm going to like writing this review.

That's because this book is immensely readable and easily digestible. It's the bleached white flour version of the tumultuous last decades of the Romanov empire, and similarly devoid of real content. When I finished reading this book, I realized I hadn't marked one passage. Not one line, not one part of the story, inspired me enough to grab a pen. I'm left trying to write a review for a book I enjoyed but in a superficial, fleeting way.

If you like your Russian Revolutions without all that unpleasantness about starving peasants and Bolshevik firing squads, this is the book for you. It follows the life of Empress Maria, wife to Alexander III and mother to the doomed Nicholas II. She was born Dagmar of Denmark-- called Minnie-- a minor princess in a royal line of diminished circumstances. When her father unexpectedly inherits the Danish throne, Minnie is arranged to marry the heir-apparent of Russia, Nicholas, but he dies before they are married. She then marries his younger brother, Alexander, in what starts out as a marriage of duty rather than one of love. However, over time, Alexander and Minnie grow to love one another, and Minnie embraces her role as the Empress of Russia.

The first half of this book covers the period from Minnie's engagement until the death of her husband, Tsar Alexander III. The second half covers the years of her son Nicholas II's reign, up until Minnie is forced to flee Russia in 1918. The first half is better reading. That's because Minnie starts as a young outsider, learning how to be a Tsarina in the "backwater" of imperial Russia, but ages into an entrenched, entitled royal who does little besides complaining about her grown children.

Perhaps above all else, this book wants you to hate Alexandra, Minnie's daughter-in-law and Nicholas II's wife. And goodness knows Alexandra was a hysterical idiot. But despite this book's clear intentions, I found myself sympathizing with her over Minnie, who quite resembles a mother-in-law from Hades at times. Minnie as petty and controlling with her family and clueless about the peasantry, while always believing she's in the right. I did enjoy her enduring frenemy relationship with her sister-in-law, Miechen. But, overall, once Minnie's husband dies, there's nothing to ground her character, and her narration starts to read like gossip.

Who knows how much of the Maria Feodorovna from this book is real and how much is the author's creative narration. But if author Daisy Goodwin could write Queen Victoria of all people into a sympathetic character, I tend to think the failings of Minnie's character in this book rest squarely on C. W. Gortner's shoulders.

I think readers of light historical fiction and Romanov fans will enjoy this. 3.5 stars.

This was a sprawling emotionally charged read, and I enjoyed it greatly. I deducted one star simply due to my inability to follow the political implications throughout the novel.

I loved this book! Couldn't put it down! It was a hefty read but I loved getting to know a different royal family than I'm used to reading about.

While I knew some of the history surrounding the Nicholas II family and murder, I didn't know that much history of the Russian royal family prior to that. I did plenty of Wikipedia-ing as I read along, trying to untangle the web of royalty marrying each other throughout Europe, and of course wondering their fate after 1918 and their descendents.

I couldn't help but wonder that if the Russian monarchy had established the constitutional monarchy during Alexander II's time that maybe even events today would not have taken place. No Cold War. No Berlin Wall. No Space Race. No current issues with American politics...of course we will never know.

And while I used to have a better viewpoint on Tsarina Alexandra, that view has since been tainted from reading this book and of course reading more about her online. What a mess that all became.

Learning about this part of history from the viewpoint of Maria/Minnie/Dagmar was great, the author created a wonderful narrator, though maybe some of the threads were a bit loose as the story wore on, trying to put her perspective into the ruling part of Romanov family after she became dowager must have been difficult.

If you are into books by Phillipa Gregory or Alison Weir you will enjoy this book, too.

This is a journey through Russian history from 1862 - 1918, the court of the Romanovs, who considered themselves ordained by God to rule. It’s compelling and dramatic and a fabulous way to read history through C.W. Gortner’s portrayal. I wish I could think of words better than compelling and dramatic to describe this book, but in truth it these things. It’s the story of the Romanov dynasty, but in essence it’s Maria Feodorovna’s story. She was spirited , intelligent, beautiful, stubborn, a devout wife and mother and a woman whose place in Russian history is firm, heeding her mother’s advice that , “Even from behind the throne, a woman can rule.”

A Danish Princess from a royal family of not much means, she was not accustomed to all of the amenities of royalty until her father’s fate changes, but more importantly hers as she is engaged to be married to Tsarevich Nicholas, Nixa until he succumbs to meningitis. His dying wish that she would marry his younger brother Alexander seals her fate as she marries “Sasha”, grows accustomed to the opulent life that the court offers, falls in love with her husband and Russia. This is a story of power, of love, of family, revolution and war from the height of Romanovs to their fall. Lovers of historical fiction, especially Russian history shouldn’t miss this.


I received an advanced copy of this book from Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine through NetGalley.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. This book was great! Honestly at one point I put it down for a day because I was loving it so much that I didn't want it to end!! Historical Fiction is hands down my favorite genre and The Romanov Empress did not disappoint. I am usually drawn to all things Tudor so this was a change for me and I'm so glad I read it.

I loved The Romanov Empress. It is one of those books, a reader wants to take their time reading. The author obviously did their homework when reading this book. Awesome read!

As a big fan of C.W. Gortner's other books, I pounced on the opportunity to read a galley of THE ROMANOV EMPRESS. It didn't disappoint. The late 1800s and early 1900s are a fascinating time in Russian history and Gortner handles the challenges of depicting the fall of the Romanovs deftly. Grand palaces, royal jewels, courtly intrigue, and rebellion all mix together for a wonderful portrait of a woman who will do anything to save the empire she's grown to love.

Really wonderful historical fiction. This is the story of Princess Dagmar of Denmark- aka Minnie aka later as Maria- who becomes the Empress of Russia when she marries into the Romanov family. Oh the ups and downs of life as a member of ANY royal family during this period, let alone in Russia. This is a fascinating study not only of a woman who was married to a Tsar, mother of the last Tsar, and in the end, once again an impoverished refugee dependent on the generosity of others. You'll learn a lot about pre-Communist Russia = at least for the royal family- and about the complicated relationships between the royal families of Europe. Minnie is incredibly sympathetic and I applaud Gortner for making her so relatable as it could have easily gone the other way. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Fans of Nicholas and Alexandra (which I read years and years ago) will relish this one as will those looking for a good historical read to sink into. Highly recommend.

Thank you, Netgalley, for this arc! 4 solid stars. I love CW Gortner's writing, how you feel like you're actually THERE. I really enjoyed Maria's story - she's a historical figure that I knew virtually nothing about, except that she was the grandmother of Anastasia. Learning about Russian history was an added bonus, and I loved the ending and the historical notes.

This book was enthralling and I couldn't put it down. As a little girl, I was obsessed with Anastasia Romanov because of the animated feature movie from the 90s. I have read numerous non-fiction and fiction works about Anastasia and her immediate family, but I have never paid much mind to her grandmother as more than a footnote in her story. When I saw that C.W. Gortner was tackling Tsarina Maria Fedorova, I was thrilled. He portrays the complexities of her life in a way that make you understand who she is and what she stands for. As always with Gortner's books, I learned a great deal about the style and political ideals of the times frame which helped paint an engrossing picture of the era. The Romanov Empress was full of privilege and heartbreak and I would recommend this book whole-heartedly to any historical fiction lover.