From the very beginning, Tsarina takes no prisoners and throws no punches. Marta, the future tsarina, is a serf bought and sold and abused in ways that are casually written in the way that this was a casual act in her time. She knows little happiness in teenage years, but chance circumstances and finally a stroke of good fortune put her in front of the tsar of Russia, Peter. Lest you think there is a fairy tale romance and a happy ending, Alpsten instead presents a realistic story of just how perilous the life of someone even as high as a consort, and later a wife can be. Peter is erratic, arrogant, whimsical and adulterous, yet Marta, now Catherine, has learned just exactly what he needs and expects. Walking a tightrope between his wild mood swings, plotting women, war and the heartbreak and joy of children Catherine does everything she can to maintain her position in the world. And who can blame her when she's fully aware of what it means to have nothing? This book is gritty, brutal and at some points hard to read, but is a fascinating look at two people in Peter and Catherine that is often rarely heard about.

Compelling and eminently readable from the first page to the last, Ellen Alpsten‘s novel Tsarina offers a fascinating glimpse into the life, heart, and mind, of Marta, a lowly, illegitimate serf who rose to become the wife of Peter the Great and a tsarina in her own right. Marta, whom Peter re-names Catherine, serves as the novel’s first person narrator, sharing her fascinating story and enabling the reader to experience the life of a woman whose very survival depended on her wits, beauty, as well as a lot of luck and fortuitous chance. Tsarina is a must-read for any reader who enjoys a good story!

Historical fiction gives the author a lot of leeway when describing daily activities of characters. In this story of Tsar Peter of Russia, a man is portrayed who is a brutal leader, takes what he wants, when he wants it. Marta is a young woman who through a series of brutal events, becomes Catherine, Tsarina of all Russia. I’m sure the author researched thoroughly, and that the facts regarding people and places are correct. I can only hope that the depictions of the brutal rule, wars fought and daily life of Peter we’re not as cruel as depicted. If they were, and he is considered Peter the Great, I shudder to think what Ivan the Terrible must have been like!

I found this book absolutely fascinating. It not only told the story of Tsarina Catherine I married to Peter the Great, but contained quite a bit of Russian history between 1699 - 1725 as well. The rise of Marta in becoming Tsarina is phenomenal. From a life of dire poverty and illiteracy and only beauty she conquers the heart of Peter the Great. The greatest tragedy of her life is that through countless pregnancies she only produces 3 living daughters and no Tsarevich to succeed Peter. Throughout the book Peter by hook and by crook drags Russia out of the Dark Ages into the modern era, although oftentimes by quite ruthless means. Thank you Net Galley and the wonderful publishers who allowed me to enjoy this marvelous work of art.

Tsarina by Ellen Alpstein is a clearly written historical novel based on the life of Catherine I of Russia.
We are witnessed to her transformation of being born into serfdom as Marta to becoming Catherine, the second wife of Peter the Great.
The author brings vividly to life this period of Russian history. You experience the brutality of war, the chasm between rich and poor, and the treatment of women during this time.
Warning: the novel does contain graphic sex scenes and violence, not all will appreciate.
In all, I enjoyed the novel, finding it interesting and informative. Perhaps a little bit too long, my only complaint.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this e-ARC.

This book has a very interesting premise and a lovely cover. I was very excited to learn about this historical figure, of whom I had very little knowledge previously. Unfortunately, I was very disappointed by the lack of historical accuracy in the first section of the book, coupled with the extreme graphic violence described therein. After reading a very violent rape scene of the main character (a child rape scene nonetheless, as she was only 15 years old), which followed a less explicit but also very traumatic depiction of the rape of another young teen side character and her eventual suicide, I found my enjoyment of the book vastly diminished. I will read about violence where it is a testament to things that actually happened or where the author does a great job of working through the trauma, , but after checking at least 3 sources, it was clear that absolutely none of the story of the main character's childhood depicted in this book actually matches what has been historically reported about her. I don't at all mind wild flights of fancy in a historical fiction book where the historical aspect is a time period/backdrop. When it is a story of a real person's life, I believe the story should follow what is historically known, with the non-fictional parts filling in what the character might have thought or felt or been motivated by. It was particularly troubling that the book included such graphic and disturbing violence in a setting that doesn't in any way match what seems to be historically agreed upon about the character's life. It frankly felt gratuitous. I will say that I did not finish the book, so I will not be sharing this review beyond Netgalley.

3.0

I received a complimentary e-book copy of this book from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to Ellen Alpsten, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

I really wanted to LOVE this book, but, unfortunately, I cannot. The Russian nobility has always been very interesting to me, but this book didn't do it for me.

From the very beginning of the book, there was gratuitous violence, graphic sex scenes, and horrible murders and torture explained in great detail. If any of those things bother you, please do not read this book. The author writes beautifully, but this doesn't overcome the carnage in my mind.

Lukewarm recommendation. Please be aware of the violence, sexual, and torture scenes in care, it triggers you.

The topic is really interesting to me, but the reading was a bit slow to me (usually it takes me much less time to finish a book like this). I did enjoy the book though and I am glad I read it. While I understand it is not a history book and I enjoyed the stories, I wish it was a bit more historical and less fiction (though it may be hard due to little know facts about Marta’s past). Overall, it is a good book and worth reading

When I think of Russian history, my mind immediately goes to the fall of the Romanov family. So reading this was a really enlightening experience to learn about another point in time in the family's history. And I'm so glad this book was decided to be re-released because I don't think I would have come across this story otherwise. Great writing and the historical intrigue surrounding Catherine I made for a very captivating read.

This book had great potential as historical fiction. Unfortunately, the author too often resorts to cheap parlor tricks in lieu of an actual, coherent plot. Toss in a bunch of cartoonish characters and tiresome, predictable boors. Add heaping helpings of snow, war, debauchery and depravity. Try to pass it off as “historical fiction.” It just doesn’t work.

If you have to choose between watching paint peel and this load of horse hooey, take the paint.

(A one star rating is generous. Don’t waste your time.)

#Tsarina

Intensive story of Catherine the I., second wife of deceased and ruthless tsar Peter the Great. From modest beginnings as Marta to powerful ruler of great Russia. What she has to endure and do to get such a power is well written in this novel.
Characters and atmosphere are deeply described, the story is fascinating.

Highly recommend it!

This book goes from the humble beginnings of Marta to Catherine Alexyvana who started out as a poor washermaid and rose to Empress of Russia.
The book time hops from different places in her life and back again. It is a bit confusing at first then you get the hang of it.
One thing for sure that Russia seems to be known for in royalty bloodthirsty ambitious relatives who all want the throne.

This Arc was given to me by netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I want to thanks St Martins Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book and to give an honest review. This book starts off with Peter the Great dying and not finishing the note that says who will be his successor. With the lack of it in writing, Catherine becomes the Tsarina. This book moves fast and gives implicit details into what the characters are seeing. This book has many adult themes and would not be for the weak at heart. It is also a very lengthy book and I found myself skimming lots of it. I would recommend this book if you are a fan of Russian "Tsar" books.

Tsarina written by Ellen Alpsten captures the reader's attention immediately. It grabs us with the promise of what is to come. That's the wonderful thing about historical fiction; we may know the outcome but we still relish the journey.

Tsarina skirts quite closely to the "labeled historical fiction but really historical romantic fiction" but only just. The addition of battle accounts, political information and the like saves it, in my humble opinion from being what was called, in my younger days a "dirty old lady book". Of course, a "dirty old lady book" from back then is quite take compared to the extremely graphic "books" of today like 50 Shades of Gross. That is not say there isn't any adult situations, there are and they are described, sometimes in great detail. I just skip it as that isn't my bag. Also, described in some detail is the methods of torture used to extract information and confessions. It doesn't happen often and it is usually written of after the fact but those of us who would rather not know will want to skip over those sections.

Other than those trigger warnings, you can rest easy in the knowledge that Tsarina is a wonderfully written sweeping saga of a remarkably lucky woman. I read this book in a day and a half (hey, a gals gotta sleep!). I found I was picturing it all in my head as I read this book. The chill of the Russian winters helped keep me feeling cool during our current heatwave. I recommend all who enjoy historical fiction or stories covering many decades give Tsarina by Ellen Alpsten a try, you'll be glad you did.

I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley. My opinion was not influenced by this fact.

This is a very long intense read. Peter strikes me as a Russian version of Henry VIII. Not quite as aggressive, but very determined to get a son (or more than one, if possible). This puts a LOT of pressure on his wife. I can only imagine how she felt each time she miscarried or lost a child in early infancy.
Peter wants his country to be great and wants Russia to be well-respected and represented. Throughout the book, I felt that he was much too harsh on his son (Alexey) from a previous relationship. Alexey is his own person. He's nothing like Peter, and it seems to upset Peter too much. So there's the tension between father and son. It never really improved as the book progressed and I was sorry for it. I think it's fair to say that Peter really failed as a husband and father.
Moving on...
The tsarina has to be cunning in her own way. She has to get pregnant...all the time, because of all these unplanned and unpleasant failures. She has to keep her wits about her when she's with her husband. Her job is to please him and give him living children. It must have been a non-stop headache. And when Peter fools around with other women, I can only imagine her disappointment, her anger, her resentment, and a vast array of other emotions that women feel when they are being cheated on by their spouse.

Aside from the story line, I felt that the writing style wasn't my preference. I'm used to another historian's style. While Ellen Alpsten does a good job of things, she's not my preferred author. However, I know many other readers will find this book to be up their alley and would recommend them to give it a shot and make their own judgments.

Special note: I received this book from NetGallery in exchange for an honest review.

The other Russian Catherine--Peter the Great's second wife! TSARINA paints a rich and haunting portrait of the cruelty, ruthlessness, luxury and poverty of Peter's time. This is a woman most readers won't have heard of and a story worth reading, full of insight and crackling with tension.

An interesting novel that tells the fascinating story of Catherine Alexeyevna, a maid who rose to become Tsarina and the first woman to rule Russia in her own right (this is not Catherine the Great). She had to survive the dangerous politics of the Russian Court and hold the capricious attention of the complex Peter the Great for 20 years. Though, illiterate, she used all the tools at her disposal: wits, intelligence, and her charm to survive and thrive. In spite of horrors she witnessed and endured, she was also known to be compassionate, intervene on the behalf of others and able to calm Peter's lethal rages.

Rich in historical details, from food, clothing, medical practices, battles to court events, Alpsten did not sanitize history. It was a brutal time and those who have triggers may be disturbed by the rapes, torture, executions and untimely deaths of children. But this was not a gloom and doom book; it celebrated life and making the best of one's circumstances. There were parties, fancy gowns, friendships, generosity and compassion. Alpsten made up Catherine's early life for there is no reliable detail about it and were else she took artistic license I don't know but there is a lot of research that went into the book and many things are accurate.

I thought in the later part of the book Catherine's emotional connection to other people got lost among the events of pregnancies and battles. Catherine often left her children with Daria Menshikov yet they had little interaction in this part of the story though Daria was an important character earlier.

I was a little let down by the ending. The book was told from Catherine's pov until she's named Peter's successor, then the Epilogue was told by a French diplomat with a short summary of Catherine's reign. I wish there was more from her pov during her reign. It would have done her more justice.

There was one thread left hanging that I would have be interested in being explained: Catherine said Peter could have been saved if the doctor's gave him some medication but it doesn't say what it was. In fact, other than one sentence it is not brought up again. If Peter was dying from syphilis, as suggested in the novel, there was no medication at that time which could have saved him.

I highly recommend this for people who like historical fiction and anyone who enjoys a good story.

I received a free copy of this book thanks to Netgalley.com and the publisher in return for a fair and impartial review.

Net Galley provided me with this ARC (Advanced Readers Copy) of Tsarina by Ellen Alpsten.  The book was originally published in 2004, and is being re-released in October 2020.

Let me just start by saying that I read historical fiction, but usually concentrate on books whose subject with which I am familiar. I know a little about Russian History and Peter the Great, but nothing of his wife, Catherine I. So all the real stuff in this book was new for me.

To be honest, I almost gave up reading about 25% through. Why?  The story goes something like this: Threatened rape, fear of rape, then blow-by-bow detailed description of rape, repeated rape, murder, attempted rape, another detailed description of a gang rape.  Yeah, not my cup of tea. So I decided to try and trudge on and then I was able to read a detailed description of incest!

Once Marta (to be renamed Catherine) meets Tsar Peter, which is about 30% in to the book, it gets more interesting. There's lots more detailed sex and debauchery (the author seems so have some obsession with describing a woman's breasts), and the relationship of Catherine and Peter is explored.

Catherine gave birth 12, or was it 13 times, I lost count, yet she still had to deal with Peter cheating on her.  They both live for the hope of a boy, to replace the son Peter had with his first wife.  But this is approximately 1700, and children living to adulthood is a rarity.  Only three children survive Peter, and they are all girls.  What I do know of my Russian history lessons is that Peter's middle daughter Elizabeth becomes ruler.  Beyond that, I'll have to do my own independent reading to find out if the author's portrayal of Catherine is even somewhat accurate.

I get it; life as a serf in Russia was rough, and life in Russia, even in a palace, was rough when you're married to someone like Tsar Peter the Great.  I think the book explored those deprivations well, but this sort of book with all the graphic sex was not for me.

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This is a historical fiction about the life of Catherine the Great and her rise from childhood peasant to the Tsarina of Russia. The book is well written and highly detailed giving a voice to Catherine the Great but I personally found it a bit boring. This book would be great for those interested in this time period or these historical figures.

I've always been fascinated with Russian history and always wanted to read more about Catherine the Great. I had no idea what to expect and was pleasantly surprised. I thought the writing style was great, the characters came across realistically and the story was integrated well. I highly recommend to anyone who wants to learn more about Catherine I and Russian history.