Romanovs by Nadine Brandes

Oh, that is could be so. This is a wonderful reimaging of what happened to Anastasia Romanov! Everyone knows that the story ends in tragedy but not here. There have been many people who have claimed to be the last living relative of the Romanovs. All of the clams have been disproven but Ms. Brandes has written a story that made Anastasia come alive into a person who is comfortable in today's world.

The second half of the book was, for me, more interesting. The first half deals with the known story and that is interesting. It sets the stage for how the author imagined that the Romanovs were, and it does paint a picture of a free soul that is Anastasia. The author brings the story alive after the family is executed. Magis, spellbinding and love all come into their own with this author. Anastasia is portrayed as a young girl who is kind, loving and fierce! In this retelling of the tragedy, love is triumphant and all ends well. As I said, if only it could be so! I enjoyed reading this book!

There had been so many theories and rumours about Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna while I was growing up that her story intrigued me. I was one of those who hoped beyond hope that she had escaped and the kid in me hoped that she ‘had a great adventure’ while being on the run. I have read quite a few articles on her before and this is the second fiction book that I have read based on her character.

“No amount of age, pride, or maturity could stop me from loving my papa with the heart of a little girl.” ― Nadine Brandes, Romanov

Romanov by Nadine Brandes follows the history of the Romanov family as they are taken hostage till their execution and then it takes on a fictional journey with Anastasia as she escapes the Bolsheviks. The first half of the book portrays the story and the different personalities of the Romanov family. The author has tried to stick to facts for most parts, but I found that she has painted the family with rose tinted colours to make them a bit more likeable to the readers. The family dynamics and the interpersonal relationships are developed well. Once the execution takes place and Anastasia manages to escape, the book takes on a complete fictional turn and the author introduces certain element of fantasy in it.

I liked the way the author has portrayed and developed the character of Anastasia. We see the rest of her family through her eye and her love for them is very evident. There are moments when she comes off a bit naïve, especially when it comes to her views about her father, yet she grows throughout the book. Love and betrayal, moments of happiness followed by hurt and anger, she emotes it all with sincerity.

There were moments in the book that were unbelievable even if we account for the fantastical element. That was the only thing about the book that put me off a bit. For instance, someone suffering from hemophilia cannot survive the type of injuries mentioned in the book and no amount of adrenaline can account for the stunts that Anastasia pulled off.

Overall, quite an enjoyable book while it lasted though I cannot guarantee that I would pick it up a second time.

This book was an absolute pleasure. I am so thankful for the advanced reader copy, unfortunately it slipped my mind to actually write up my review until now. The characters were robust and very likable and the story had me on the edge of my seat the entire way through. I've already recommended it to many other book lovers.

Romanov was an interesting blend of fact and fiction. I enjoyed reading about the Romanov’s family’s time under the Bolshevik’s captivity and how legacy and Tsar Nicholas’ leadership affected the behavior of those around him, in the book, especially that of Nastya (Anastasia).



I appreciated the author’s note at the end, and I’m glad I read it after reading the entirety of the novel; however, I think some readers might find it helpful to read it before. If you want to be immersed in Brandes’ fiction/fact world, wait to read the author’s note. If you want to know upfront (and have some spoilers) as to what is fact and what is fiction, read it first.

I knew the basics of the Romanov story and I've seen the famous animated movie about Anastasia but I didn't know the details. This story has always fascinated me, but I've never read into it. So when I discovered that there was YA Historical Fantasy being released which delved into Anastasia and the myth of her survival and mixed in magic, I had to get my hands on a copy. (Thank you Netgalley for providing the ARC - apologies in the delay in getting round to reading this).

I loved the writing and the story. Would have liked to see more of the magic side. It felt like an afterthought at times and it should have played a more significant part in the story. Another problem I had was the beginning of the story. We're thrown straight into it, the Romanovs are already under watch and Nicholas has had to abdicate etc etc. But if you don't know the ins and outs of their fall as it were, it can be a bit confusing. I was like 'wait, what's happening, how did we get here???'. But I did eventually come to understand what was going and I loved it.

Absolutely beautiful and heartbreaking story. Loved it!

As a child, my favorite movie to watch was Anastasia. I just found the Romanov's story to be something so painful and hard to imagine, especially when you take into account the real story.

When I saw that a book was based on Anastasia's story and that it was set in a fantasy world when magic exists, I could just not resist and I'm so glad that I requested this! I absolutely love Romanov. I devoured it and could not put it down.

Nadine Brandes had crafted a wonderful story while still honoring and keeping the core of Anastasia's story. I loved reading about her view of all those months kept in exile, under the watchful gaze of the Bolchevik.The magic incorporated in this just enhanced the whole story and just took it a higher level!


I cannot recommend it enough to fans of Anastasia! Try it you will love it!

This book is a wonderful mix of history and fantasy, masterfully blending aspects of adventure, intrigue, drama, mystery, romance, and suspense! Brandes recounts the true history of the Romanovs - with a bit of magic thrown in - until their deaths, and then continues the story regaling how the youngest two Romanovs (for so long presumed alive and hidden) could have lived to fight the Bolsheviks. Throughout, you feel the bond of the members of the Romanov family both for each other and to their people. It's a story of loyalty, betrayal, and forgiveness.

Were Anastasia Romanova and her younger brother Alexei executed along with the rest of the Romanov family in July 1917? Nadine Brandes’ Romanov explores the enduring speculation that both Anastasia and Alexei escaped death that ill-fated evening, offering an enticing fictional account of how the aftermath may have fuelled rumours of the siblings’ survival against all odds.

I am in charge of our Senior School library and am looking for a diverse array of new books to furnish their shelves with and inspire our young people to read a wider and more diverse range of books as they move through the senior school. It is hard sometimes to find books that will grab the attention of young people as their time is short and we are competing against technology and online entertainments.
This was a thought-provoking and well-written read that will appeal to young readers across the board. It had a really strong voice and a compelling narrative that I think would capture their attention and draw them in. It kept me engrossed and I think that it's so important that the books that we purchase for both our young people and our staff are appealing to as broad a range of readers as possible - as well as providing them with something a little 'different' that they might not have come across in school libraries before.
This was a really enjoyable read and I will definitely be purchasing a copy for school so that our young people can enjoy it for themselves. A satisfying and well-crafted read that I keep thinking about long after closing its final page - and that definitely makes it a must-buy for me!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for sending me an eARC of this book.

I was really intrigued by the premise of this book. I don’t know a great deal about the Romanov family at all to be honest, but I was really interested in reading this take on the family.

This story follows Anastasia “Nastya” Romanov on a mission to smuggle an ancient spell on her way to exile in Siberia. With the perfect mix of history and fantasy, Romanov is a story of a family’s salvation, an ex-princess’ attempt help save her family whilst being hunted by the leader of the Bolshevik army, love and loss.

Romanov is my first book by Nadine Brandes and I can tell you now, I will definitely be picking up more of her work. I adored her writing style and I really did love the story. The small touch of magic towards the back end of the story was a beautiful touch and really brought the whole thing together.

This book will have you on the edge of your seat wanting to know what happens next and how it all ends. I highly recommend and I gave it 4.5/5 stars.

I wanted to love this book so badly. I've been fascinated with the Romanov family and the politics and events that led to their execution, so of course I've been eagerly anticipating this novel. Unfortunately, it fell flat for me. While targeted to the YA market, it almost read like it would be better suited to the middle grade audience. Much of the writing, while technically good writing, read very "young" and was quite simple. The events leading up to the family's imprisonment are never explained. This might not bother some readers, especially those already familiar with the history, but others may find this confusing.
Another issue I had was the vague description given to most of the family members. The sisters felt like a lumped together group and weren't fleshed out. Similarly, the parents were given one or two defining characteristics that overly simplified them instead of giving them a sense of having been real people. This made it harder to feel any emotion later on in the book when I felt like I should have. There needed to be more depth to flesh the characters out and I also would have preferred seeing more emotion from Anastasia herself.
For those picking this up for the magic/fantasy aspect, the world building is there but it isn't entirely explained or heavily relied upon. Again, this felt more appropriate for a younger reader. I could easily see my almost twelve year old reading this and being enraptured, but as an adult reading YA books, I needed something more to be personally engaged. Overall, I'm rating it a 2.5 with the realization that while this book was not for me, I can see where others would love it.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the free advanced copy. This did not influence my review.

This retelling of the last days and execution of the Romanovs, the last royal family of Russia, blends fact and fiction with more than a dash of magic. Anastasia (Nastya) knows how to use spells to temporarily relieve her brother Alexei's pain. When she and her family are forcibly moved even further into exile to Ekaterinburg by the Bolsheviks, her father Tsar Nicholas tells her to find the Matryoshka doll that contains three more spells that he says will save their family. Nastya spends most of the book trying to keep the doll out of the hands of Yurovsky, their diabolical commandant who is keeping them imprisoned in horrible conditions. Nastya attempts to befriend Zash, one of the Bolshevik soldiers. Through all of the death and heartache, Nastya will have to fight to the very end to keep her loved ones alive.
I have been fascinated with the story of the Romanovs, especially Anastasia, since I was little. Though this book was hard to read because of the heavy subject matter, I enjoyed it very much and loved the way things ended. I'd like to think that was what happened, even though I know they didn't survive. The magic element was ingenious and worked well with the story, just like in Fawkes. The writing was descriptive and so realistic that I felt like I was there watching everything happen. There were great lessons about forgiveness, trust, and the ways various relationships should work, and there were some excellent quotes about life that I bookmarked. The ending scenes were beautifully written and made me have chills. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction with magic added in. This book does include violence and disturbing circumstances due to the subject matter, but there is nothing else to caution readers about. I can't wait for Nadine's next book!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. A positive review was not required, and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review!

What I say: I read Romanov a while ago so it feels like I've been waiting ages to write this review. To say I really enjoyed Romanov feels a bit strange considering what happens and the historical aspects, but I did enjoy Nastya's story in all its complicated and heartbreaking glory!

The story is about the infamous Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanov (Nikolaevna) and her family and their fall from grace. We meet Anastasia, Nastya to her friends and family, in the midst of the Russian Revolution as the Romanov's face their dramatic decline and the collapse of the Russian monarchy.

If you're expecting lots of dramatic action than Romanov probably isn't the book for you because yes we see history or a version of it depicted on the pages, but the story is really about family, courage and love. Despite everything going on around her Nastya manages to find the good in people even when living in exile.

I don't know enough about Russian history to be able to comment on the truths in the story and the elements of poetic license but I enjoyed the lighter moments and the hint of forbidden romance. As for the outcome well don't worry no spoilers here but I knew certain events were coming but I kept hoping something would change things. I remember watching the cartoon version of Anastasia years ago and always held out hope that maybe she did escape and was living freely out there somewhere.

My favourite part of the story was Nastya. I liked her positivity mixed with realism and how she's portrayed as very different to how certain military people would have wanted her and her family to be seen.

4 Stars in my Sky!

Anatasia was one of my favorite movies as a kid! I watched it over and over – always wondering what it would be like to be one of the long lost Romanovs. SO when this book came out – I jumped at the chance to read it and it DID NOT disappoint. It is action packed and the relationship between the Romanov family pulls you in close. You will not want to put this book down!

This was a gorgeous story about the Romanov family that followed history more than other Anastasia retellings out there. While the story was bleak, I still enjoyed a glimpse into what the real Romanov family was like and what they had experienced in the events leading up to their execution. The alternate ending brings necessary hope to this fictionalized version that helps to balance all the sorrow. A wonderful story educators can use to discuss history with their students in a way that doesn't feel like learning.

"I have a story I was meant to live. And not even you can unwrite it.”

Romanov is Nadine Brandes', author of the best-selling Fawkes, newest release and it is based on the well-known story of the real-life royal Romanov family in early modern Russia. Brandes’ take on the tale looks into the highly contested fates of Anastasia and Alexei Romanov, the young prince and princess of the dynasty. It picks up from the family’s exile whilst waiting to be tried and likely executed, with Anastasia trying desperately to survive with the use of smuggled magic and the help of a man who is meant to be her enemy.

Now, I knew from the beginning worldbuilding would be a tricky one for Nadine to really utilise. Since the family were under house arrest in exile, it is difficult to paint an exciting and fast-paced story in the same four walls where they had to ask permission to just open a window. But for the first few chapters, it was a struggle to stay with the story. It felt like a very rigid timetable every day and, honestly felt a bit monotonous. As you get further into the book and the pace doesn’t seem to grow, you start to worry. “Right, I have around 200 pages left. Is anything actually going to happen.” Although the book does pick up nearing the end, it seems to go from 0-100. Trying to keep up became more and more difficult, with the need to look back to see if I missed something becoming more frequent.

I have to say, from a history nerd standpoint, I had quite a few problems with this book. I was so excited to pick this up as I studied Russian history, which focused on the Romanovs, during my degree. But, there are some areas of the story that are missing entirely. One major problem was the point in which the book starts. By starting at the exile of the family, you miss major plot points that give you a greater insight into this highly debated and turbulent story. You miss major events such as abdication of Anastasia’s father, the Tsar, or the revolution, which is utilised during the novel, would be able to add some contextual knowledge for the reader whilst also giving a bigger picture of big players such as her family and the armies threatening to execute them. If there was much more of an explanation into why he had to leave and why they were wanted dead, it would give readers a chance to make their own minds up on the choice of fate for the family and how they got here.

However, Nastya and her brother really shone as characters throughout the novel. Their individual personalities and relationship with each other even to leave you with a tear in your eye knowing that they could be set to die in the very near future. Nastya’s warm and empathetic personality shines throughout and you really feel her sense of desperation to save the ones she loves, going above and beyond and risking everything to do so. Her brother is equally as kind, but the showcase of his illness (which the real Alexei did have) and his persistence to overcome it really made your heart yearn for his freedom and safety. His willingness to never give up on himself and his family gives you a new view on life and how to handle yours and those around you.

One character relationship there is a slight problem surrounding is between Nastya and Zash. Although, the forbidden lovers is a very popular premise to a book, that is the problem itself. It has been used time and time again. The relationship felt very forced and like she was trying to convince herself she was in love with her guard. If developed more, it could’ve worked but it felt more like a side piece picked from a to do list of ‘how to make a popular YA novel.’

Overall, the idea of the book is fascinating. I believe it deserved the hype it was given in this respect and am glad so many people were excited about history and such a highly debated theory in the past. Saying that, the novel begins to hurt itself as it presses on. The slowness of the beginning means the pace increasing to an eye watering point, and the point chosen to pick up the story leaves not enough room to develop the historical background of the situation. If the book was not based on a real and well-known family, I think it could’ve been amazing and one of the best books of the year. However, it is always a struggle giving your own view of the personality of these people and time period. Although the characters are shining part of this book, it is a struggle with the weaving of magic in the story to compare to the Romanov family without feeling slightly underwhelmed.

A very interesting take on a historical event. Brandes has the coolest story telling style. I knew she was going to be huge when I read her OUT OF TIME Series.

I am a huge Romanov/Anastasia Junkie, and all of the retellings that have been done, I think this is one of the most unique ones that I've read. The world building in this book was so rich, and detailed. The characters were well developed, and diverse. just overall a very enjoyable read, and something I will recommend to other history buffs for a refreshing change of pace.

I, like many others, are fascinated by the history of the Romanovs, it’s a well known tale of the abdication and murder of the Tsar of Russia and his family. Although some finer details aren’t known by everyone, the general story is the same with the similar rumours of the survival of Anastasia.

So when I began to read Romanov by Nadine Brandes I expected the turning point of the story (the execution of Anastasia’s family) to be in the first quarter of the book. It wasn’t, the turning point is at just past half way through the novel! And although it was interesting to read the author’s version of the Romanov family’s life during imprisonment, I was just waiting for the inevitable to happen.

The first half of the story is mostly factual, it is based on the known actions and whereabouts of the family, the second half is where the author finally begins to weave her fictional tale of magic and desperation. I would have preferred more of a focus on Anastasia’s magical abilities as she learnt to control and use them, rather than ending the novel just when things were getting interesting!

All in all, I was left quite disappointed by this book. I feel as though the first half could have easily been condensed to a quarter of the book to allow more time to explore the spells and mystery behind the magic of this world.

If you’re completely unaware of the Romanov family and their unfortunate ending then this fictional novel might be an intriguing starting point. For someone who has read and researched into the history, it is just another version of a tale we already know with an added element of spell casting.

I have always been fascinated by history and the Romanov family. So, when this book became available to read I jumped at the chance. I loved this unique spin on this world and how introduced this realm of possibilities. Entertaining as well as keeping me on the edge of my seat. Romanov is a book well worth your time.

The mystery of what happened to Anastasia and Alexei Romanov is fascinating. In the novel Romanov, new to me author Nadine Brandes uses a historical foundation and adds in a bit of speculation and super natural to share what could have happened. Spending time behind the scenes during the Romanov family captivity was interesting and brought the family to life. The focus on spells wasn't a hit for me, but that aspect may appeal to other readers.

I loved the lessons taught in the pages such as forgiveness and putting others ahead of ones self. The writing was good and I was engaged from beginning to end. My favorite part was the afterward in which the author shared what was fact and what was fiction in the pages of the novel.