This was not my favorite. I love historical fiction and I love Russian history, but this missed the mark on a number of levels. There was, what I felt to be, an recessive pint of gratuitous sexual violence that never propelled the plot in any way. It felt like all of the sexual scenes (rape and orgy) were included largely for shock value. Catherine was neither sympathetic nor interesting enough to keep me engaged.

Thanks to Penguin Random House and NetGalley and MacMillan USA for sending me this Advance Reading Copy. Expected publication date is October 13, 2020.

This book opens up in 1725 and Russia’s Peter the Great is lying on his death bed. He leaves no legal heir because of the evil acts of his only son. Catherine Alexeyevna, Peter’s second wife manages to keep the country from falling into complete chaos. This is the story of Catherine I (not to be confused with Catherine the Great) the first woman to rule Russia. It’s also a rags-to-riches tale about an ambitious, cunning and ruthless woman who rose out of poverty into Russian aristocracy.

This may be the most unique historical fiction I’ve ever read. It’s honestly like a real life Russian Game of Thrones. It’s raw, brutal and at times quite disturbing.

Tsarina tells the story of Catherine Alexeyevna- the first woman to rule Russia in her own right. Born a surf, Catherine meets Tsar Peter and captures his heart. They are eventually married after she spends many years as his mistress and he even eventually crowns her empress of Russia.. Seriously, it’s a crazy story in it’s own right… Add in all the depravity of the Russian empire and it’s a WILD RIDE.

The last 25% of this book dragged a bit. Honestly, Catherine would get pregnant, pray for a boy and then lose the child soon after birth. It was sad and depressing. Out of twelve children, only two survived over the age of six. Add in some political talk and I was a bit bored at times…

Trigger warnings- rape, torture, murder, infant death, sexual depravity, incest, slavery. I’m probably forgetting a few- basically this book is not for the faint of heart. It’s intense.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Tsarina tells the story of Catherine I, who started life as a serf named Marta and rose to the dizzying heights of Tsarina and Empress of All the Russias. This book is not for the faint of heart. It is raw and seems realistic, but it is brutal. There is rape, murder, rape, torture, rape, sexual depravity, rape, more torture, more rape, more murder, and around and around we go.

There's a lot of swearing, and several sex scenes. There are multiple instances of sexual assault that are very explicit and uncomfortable to read.

I loved this free historical fiction book.
From poverty to riches, it keeps you on a roller coaster ride. What's going to happen next!
If you love history & romance, this is a must read book!!
Thank you!!

Tsarina pulled me into the amazing story of Catherine and Peter! It was a fun, fast-paced read. I did find that the pacing of the story confused me a few times and it would jump around from time and place in some chapters and it would take a few pages to really get caught up to where the story was. Other than that this was a great story that helped me learn a lot more about fascinating people in a time and place that I didn't know a real lot about.

This is the story of Marta Skavronskaya, a peasant who became a mistress to Peter Romanov, Tsar of Russia. Peter goes on to marry Martha, first in secret and later officially in the Russian Orthodox Church. The book Tsarina tells the story of Marta's rise to her marriage to Peter, being crowned as empress, and her life after Peter's death.

The story is extraordinarily well told and a very entertaining way of learning about the history of the early 1700s - roughly 1702 or so when Peter took Martha as a mistress until his death in 1725 and the consequences to the rule of the Russian empire, which I won't go into here for fear of a spoiler, but I will say that it surprised me as I really didn't know much about Romanov's personal life, only the battles and conquests of territories during his lifetime.

I am tempted to say more about Russian history under Romanov and the evolution of society in Russia, but this book is really about Marta (later named Catherine when they were married in the church) and her rise from peasant to being crowned empress in 1724. One of the things that made the most impact on me in this telling of the story is the poor health care as evidenced by the number of children (they had 11) and only two living past the age of six. Secondly, I would say that it must have taken great determination on Marta/Catherine's part to effectively change cultures and lifestyles in a matter of very few years. To go from being a peasant whose parents are gone, sent to Marienburg by an aunt, and eventually meeting Peter is an extraordinary story.

My experience is that the Marienburg period was not just well-told, but it left me with quite an impression of the period, and Marta's will for survival. Of course, her life with Peter is a story in itself, but would not be the same book without telling the story of her early life.

Although the book was slow at times, I remained engaged because I wanted desperately to learn what happens next. This is a good read and do not spoil it by short-circuiting the story and going to Wikipedia. You will miss the emotion, the personal struggle, and the impact of Russian culture at the time. I am glad to have read Tsarina and highly recommend it for those interested in historical fiction and/or Russian history.

I thank the author, St. Martin's press and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book. I am voluntarily leaving this review.

Calling on lovers of historical fiction! Tsarina is a novel that you must read -- especially if you are a fan of Russian history.

Tsarina is a novel based on the life of Catherine I, the second wife of Peter the Great. It is an epic tale of the life and times of a serf washerwoman who rose to the crowned position of the Empress of Russia. One can say that Tsarina is like a Cinderella story. It is, and yet it isn't due to the portrayal of the dark side of the rise to glory. That dark side is Catherine having to cope with Peter's constant infidelity, the loss of most of her children, the ravages of war, and the untempered rage of her husband.

I found Tsarina to be a very enjoyable read. The author has done a lot of research into that era and her depictions really take you back in time so that you get immersed in the story. However, I did get a bit bogged down by the interchanging names of the characters, but that still didn't take away from my enjoyment.

Overall, a solid four stars -- I really like it.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press through NetGalley for the digital ARC. The review herein is my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions. This review is being currently posted here on NetGalley, and will cross post to Goodreads, and Twitter. Once the book is published, this review will be posted to retail sites such as Amazon as well as Barnes & Noble.

(Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an early reader copy!)

Tsarina is the compelling tale of a young woman who went from peasant to lead the Russian empire. Catherine Alexeyevna is born into poverty and hardship, yet a chance meeting and her own courage lead her to become mistress of Peter the Great (who really isn't that great...but more on that later) and eventually his wife. Catherine is smart, beautiful and learns quickly how to stay alive in the dangerous world of the Russian court. Even more important, Catherine learns how to influence Peter, even being able to moderate his vicious and violent tendencies. The heir to the Russian throne by Peter's first wife is loathed by Peter, who treats him abysmally. Peter desperately wants a son with Catherine to replace Alexeya, at the time of his death that son is too young, so Catherine becomes the Russian Empress.

The cruelty of both the times and Peter are clearly detailed in this story, and Catherine's survival through Peter's rages and illnesses, mistresses and political factions, is nothing less than miraculous. Not that she's a perfect angel, far from it, but she does have the ability to influence Peter at times and therefore save lives.

I found this book both a fun and interesting read; I'd never heard of Catherine Alexeyevna, and Ellen Alpsten brings her to life in a wonderful way. At the same time, the cruelty of the times and the people can sometimes get overwhelming; it's hard to believe that anyone would act as Peter and the nobility did, especially looking at it from modern sensibilities. I judge historical fiction by how much more I want to know about the main character; Tsarina inspired me to find out more about Catherine, and I give it 5 stars.

Tsarina is a fascinating historical novel. Catherine rose from humble origins in a small village to become the wife of Tsar Peter the Great. The book is well written and the detail and scope of the story is spellbinding.

That said, I cannot recommend this book. Gratuitous and explicit sex scenes ruined the book for me, especially scenes including rape and violence. Sometimes a stronger story is one where sex is implied not described in detail. Although I finished the book because I was swept up in the story line, it left a sour taste in my mouth.

Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a great story, although it is not about Catherine the Great. This is the story of Catherine I, Empress of Russia from 1724 to 1727. Catherine herself tells us her life story and the story of her Russia in the first person.

The book begins with the death of Tsar Peter the Great. Who will be his successor? History tells us that it will be his wife, Catherine I. But how she gets to this exalted level is more amazing than any Netflix series.

A long book, but readable, exciting and engaging, you will be immersed in the daily life of Russia. Some of the story is fantastic and epic- Peter’s creation of St. Petersburg, the long Great Northern War, the banquets, feasts and celebrations. You will have a ringside seat by Catherine. You will also see and experience many horrors and atrocities- illness and intrigue, murder, revenge and rape were all a regular part of life in the Imperial Court of Peter. The author makes full use of the sights, sounds, even smells of the times.

But best of all, you will get to know Catherine and her magical story of beating impossible odds. She began as a serf, sold to a passing merchant for one silver coin. Her life was horrible, until she was raped by soldiers and rescued by a general in Peter’s army. While in the army camp, she was befriended by a woman close to Peter, named Daria. They remained friends for life.

Catherine’s beauty, wits, and courage paired with a keen understanding of human nature bonded her to Peter the Great, first as a lover, then wife, and finally, co-regent. She experienced the sorrow of losing many of her children, failing to give birth to a male heir who survived past infancy. Somehow, she managed to claw her way into Peter’s heart and remain connected with him until his death.

An amazing time in history is brought to life in this consuming book. Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance review copy. This is my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! It opened my eyes to a period of history and culture that I have not read about in a long time.

this was an excellent debut about the rise of Catherine I of Russia. I love historical fiction that weaves history with the author's imagination of what exactly may have taken place when there were no actual records.= for portions of a figure's life. This book was super long and I have to say, dragged a tiny bit towards the end but was mostly riveting. There were a lot graphic imagery - sex, rape, torture, disease, etc. But it was well written and kept me interested.

Following the grand tradition of sweeping historical novels, "Tsarina" brings to vivid life the improbable story of a washerwoman's daughter who rose to become the first empress of Russia. Told in easy to follow prose, the story is gripping and full of life, passion, and history. It brings to life all the grandeur, excess, and cruelty of Tsar Peter the First's reign. Highly readable and mesmerizing. I heartily recommend this book.

The writing was okay. I was very interested in the story, but I have a few issues with some of the scenes and other than that I recommend this book.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I admit I hadn’t realized there were two Catherine’s in the royal history of Russia before I read this book. I daresay Catherine I is an even more interesting character than Catherine the Great. This was a wonderful tale, and I hope to read more from this enchanting author.

Tsarina By Ellen Alpsten. Publication October 2020 St. Martin’s press

Peter the Great was the Russian Tsar in the 18th century, who remodel the old Russian into the new European style. Tsarina is the story of his wife, Catherine who became the first Empress of Russia.
Marta is a peasant girl who became a servant, survived many struggles, betrayals and sex to become the wife of Peter the Great. The story is an interesting telling of history most compelling and influential woman. Tsarina is the story of her struggle for this power. How Marta a low born peasant, became Catherine 1 worked her beauty into one of the most powerful positions next to the Russian Tsar. I loved the book, it is an awesome read. This is a book that I will read again, the author seemed to grasp the heart of Catherine the Great and with unrelenting research wrote the remarkable story about her life, I gave this book 5 stars.

If Game of Thrones took place in Imperial Russia...

The story behind Tsarina is almost too outlandish to believe. Peasant Marta rises from humble origins to become the mistress to Peter the Great and later Catherine I, tsarina of all Russia. On the way, the reader gets a look behind the scenes at the debauchery of Peter’s court, the heartbreak that comes with Catherine’s rise to the top, and the machinations she employs to stay there.

This book isn’t for everyone - to put it bluntly, there is a lot of violence and sex that was a bit over the top at times. It also gets a bit long - the endless cycle of war and betrayal all seem to blend together at times. What really kept me going was the story of this powerful and strong woman - I was captivated by Catherine’s character.

If you enjoyed Game of Thrones or novels like The Other Boleyn Girl, I’d definitely recommend picking this book up.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for providing an ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for this e-ARC in exchange for a free and unbiased review.
I've read a couple different books about Catherine the Great, including one biography. This book showed me a story of her that I have never heard of before, though when I searched afterwards, it is indeed one possible origin story of hers. This author wrote richly descriptive passages that brought the scenes into sharp focus, and drags you along with her through the ups and downs of the Tsarina's life. If you like Russia, History, the Tsars or even just strong women, you need to read this book!!

I needed this book. It’s been a hard couple of weeks over here, where pandemic brain is hitting me hard. I needed to return to my genre roots - excellent, saucy historical fiction with a strong female protagonist that pulls me into its world and doesn’t let go.

TSARINA by Ellen Alpsten hit the mark. The definition of a sumptuous read, I loved Marta - later Catherine Alexeyeva, the second wife of Peter the Great - and her strength and intellect. There’s so much intrigue, sex (some of it slightly gratuitous to the plot, but it built atmosphere and tension in a way I found enjoyable) and an exploration of class and the destruction war can bring, especially to the poor and to women.

Outlander meets Philippa Gregory in a Russian setting is how I’d describe this read. I highly recommend this story if you like strong female heroines, authors who don’t shy away from the dark side of historical fiction (TW for rape, historically accurate murder and torture) and steamy scenes. Thank you to Netgalley Read Now & @stmartinspress

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 💫

I love history, but can't stand those thick boring history books that are better used as a deep sleep remedy than for entertainment value. Not a problem with Tsarina by Ellen Alpsten! Ellen took a historical figure, Marta Helena Skowrońska, who became the second wife of Peter the Great, and the first Tsarina of Russia, and wrote about her life in such a way as to make her real and relatable. This book has drama, tragedy, intrigue, love, jealousy, happiness and sorrow. Marta goes from extreme poverty to the highest position of power in the land and the reader is along for the ride. And what a ride it is!
The only negative aspect of this book, if there were to be one, is that it is very long, which caused me at times to wish for a less thorough tome, but that is a small price to pay for the knowledge I gained through reading it. I feel as though I've had a history lesson that was actually enlightening and enjoyable to read about at the same time.