This was such a fun story! I'd definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a fun Anastasia retelling!

(4.5 Stars) Discover the journey of Anastasia, the missing Romanov daughter, in this novel set during the Russian civil war. When a Bolshevik girl and a wealthy Tsarist cross paths in rural Russia, you wouldn’t expect them to form an unshakable bond, but that is exactly what happens in Daughters of a Dead Empire by Carolyn Tara O’Neil.

Anna is on the run after narrowly escaping the massacre that took the lives of her entire family. Evgenia is traveling, attempting to sell wares made by her and her neighbors, while also serving as a messenger for the Bolshevik party. When Evgenia stops a group of villagers from burning Anna alive the two very different girls find themselves traveling together. Anna is wearing a corset full of jewels, and Evgenia can’t turn down the chance to get one of them in exchange for helping Anna find her cousin, especially when her brother, who lost his leg in the war, is in dire need of a doctor, and her family could live off that single jewel for the rest of their lives in a brand new house. Evgenia quickly realizes that this won’t actually be easy money, when she discovers that Anna is being hunted down by the commander of the Cheka, the Bolshevik secret police, and he will stop at nothing to silence Anna including murdering a fellow member of the Bolshevik party, Evgenia.

As the girls’ situation goes from bad to worse, they both are forced to face the brutality of war and the fact that neither side is truly good. Evgenia and Anna must come to terms with a lot of hard truths in this devastating portrayal of the toll that war takes on a country and it’s people. It was refreshing to see Evgenia accept that some of the people fighting for the tsarists are good people, while some of the Bolsheviks are awful, and Anna begin to realize that the Tsar’s rule was perhaps not as great as she always believed as she sees how it affected the poor citizens of Russia. It was done in a very natural way as well, so the novel never felt preachy despite its fairly overt message.

The relationship that Anna and Evgenia form is the real star of the novel, showing how friendship (as well as other relationships) can overcome the divisiveness of war. Even in their darkest moments, the two are prepared to fight for each other in spite of their lies and even betrayal. There is never a dull moment in Daughters of a Dead Empire; the novel is constant action, making it a quick and hard to put down read. Sure to be enjoyed by reader’s of all ages, especially folks with an interest in the Romanovs.

I was drawn into Daughters of a Dead Empire from the very first page! Carolyn Tara O'Neil has created a sweeping alternate history that includes many details about Russia during this time period. While there is plenty of action and adventure to keep the plot moving, it is truly the main characters friendship that really made me love this story!
Great for readers who enjoy well-written historical novels!

I read the first 10%. If the book continues as is, an easy three stars and solid four stars for the right reader. It seems catchy for the younger crowd.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan for the ARC.

Rating: 2.5-3 stars

We 👏🏼 need 👏🏼 more👏🏼 books 👏🏼 about 👏🏼 female 👏🏼 friendships.
Unfortunately, this was not that book for me.

I blame 20th Century Fox Studios for the rush of giddy excitement that floods my brains every time I see the word "Anastasia." My love for the 1997 classic is the main reason Daughters of a Dead Revolution made its way onto my list of my most anticipated retellings of 2022. I was low-key planning to play the movie/musical soundtracks in the background while I was reading quickly discovered Daughters of a Dead Revolution is not that kind of book.

As someone who has never been a history buff, I know little to nothing about the Russian Revolution, but O'Neil's debut definitely leans more into the (alternate) historical fiction ELEMENT instead of the reimagining side of the story. It's bloody and brutal and pretty bleak at times. I've actually been trying to get back into historical fiction and especially love reading about lesser-known part of history, so I definitely appreciate Carolyn Tara O'Neil's efforts; unfortunately, I finished her book feeling pretty underwhelmed.

Daughters of a Dead Empire is a quick read which would be totally fine if it were action-packed, plot-centric kind of a story, but there's a huge difference between a story that's fast-paced and one that's underdeveloped. This is the latter. The world O'Neil paints is gritty, and she deals with some heavy topics. She tries to ask some tough questions but doesn't give readers enough time to answer any of them. I do appreciate her attempts to play with shades of grey. Anya and Evegnia are from completely different backgrounds and political parties, but she doesn't paint the conflict in broad strokes of black vs. white. Each perspectives is both given some credence and exposed for its weaknesses (she is a lot more heavy-handed with Evgenia's arguments, though) which make it an interesting read. Or at least it would if we weren't rushed through the story. The weighty topics aren't given the time and care they deserve, and there's no complexity to the Bolshevic vs. Tsarist arguments we're given. In the words of Bruno Mars (kinda,) the book isn't drippin' in finesse; it don't make no sense.

The writing itself is unimpressive. It's simplistic and feels like something a middle grader would read (or write,) at least if you ignore the content and the landmine of F-bombs. The alternating POV sound the same which is one of my biggest pet peeves, and the characters needed to be developed a lot more. I love the premise of the book in theory: two girls from opposite ends of the spectrum coming together and forming a friendship, but there was little to no development of Anya and Evgenia's actual relationship because we were too busy speeding from one thing to the next in a story that isn't even that strong or compelling. It's a shame because there was a great cast of characters, or at least what would be a great cast, but there was zero character development and the relationships all felt superficial. A story like this should be emotional and heart-wrenching, but I just sped through the book until I got to the end.

Speaking of the ending, it was...confusing. I have no problem with open endings, but something about this particular ending didn't quite seem to fit with the rest of the book. I'm not sure if O'Neil truly believes that was the way the story needed to end or if she's hoping to write a sequel. Either way, it just didn't work for me.

TL;DR I appreciate the effort. The actual execution? Not so much.

I don’t have a long spiel about this. A large portion of this book just felt like a back and forth - no progress. Sure, there were more action scenes than I expected but the writing was unexceptional; almost everything was unbelievable and so, fell flat for me. The themes were interesting though, just disappointed about the execution.

Since my knowledge of the Russian Revolution is limited, I was certainly intrigued to read this novel. As one might expect, we are presented with characters from either side of the conflict. Each girl believes her ideology with her whole being. It is only when they get to know each other that they can see the issue as morally complex. It's a solid exploration of social constructs and the class divide. The final confrontations stretch the suspension of disbelief but overall it's a decent read.

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, and Roaring Brook Press in exchange for an honest review.

Content warning: death of family, death of children, murder, torture of a minor on page

So this isn't the first "what if Anastasia Romanov survived?!" reimagining of Russian history that's out there, and I have a feeling it won't be the last. I didn't dislike it enough to DNF, but it is a read I had to push myself to get through. The plot is bleak and brutal and O'Neil is pretty heavy handed with the political commentary. While I get that any novel featuring a Romanov surviving will need to at least somewhat focus on the politics of the time, I wasn't expecting it to be such a large focus.

The other roadblock for me was the language used... I'm fairly certain Russians (in general) and Russian teens specifically weren't running around using f*ck as a swear word in 1918. Nor were they using some of the phrases that Anna and Evgenia use throughout the novel. It was jarring to read a historical fiction that didn't sound authentic. Then again, maybe I'm wrong and the dialogue is historically and regionally appropriate.

The ending is somewhat abrupt and not all threads are tied up. I wish the novel had continued on for another couple of chapters. What I did like was the relationship between Anna and Evgenia. I also really enjoyed the Czech soldier Jiri and wanted more of his story to be told.

Thank you net galley for the advance reader copy of this and. This was a great retelling of Anastasia with wonderful characters.

This was gripping and adventurous. I found the character's journey inspiring! A must read for fans of wild adventures.

I absolutely will get a copy of this book for my classroom library. The differing and changing perspectives of the characters as they experience different sides of this historical event will make teaching concepts in my class that much easier.

This is the second YA novel I've read recently that imagines what would have happened if Anastasia Romanov had managed to survive the murder of her whole family. In this story, she is saved by a corset lined in jewels, which she also uses as she's on the run to try to barter for help. In a small village, she meets Evgenia, another teenaged girl who is selling goods out of a wagon and ends up saving Anastasia (or Anna, as she calls herself) from being literally thrown into a bonfire when the Bolshevik villagers realize that she's clearly from the (former) ruling class. This gets Evgenia in a lot of trouble as she is a party member and very committed to the Bolshevik cause, but the soldier who orchestrated the murder of the Tsar and his family finds out that Evgenia has helped the person suspected of being the escaped Anastasia. Evgenia has no idea who she really saved, and it puts her and her entire remaining family in danger. Told in Anna and Evgenia's alternating perspectives, I really liked the narrative structure of this, and appreciated that the author didn't shy away from the brutality of the time but also left some moments of joy and love.

Thank you netgalley and Fierce Reads for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book was great! At first I was worried that it was going to be an American washed retelling of the Russian Revolution and so I was really pleasantly surprised when it wasn’t. This book was honestly just so amazing. I loved the characters and they way than Evgenia and Anna got along. I don’t usually read historical fiction but after this book I just might. My only real complaint is that it fell sort of flat in the middle of the book, but once I got passed that it was definitely worth it.

DNF @ around halfway through (I am not leaving a star rating on Goodreads, but on NetGalley I must leave one, so please disregard the rating.)

I couldn't make myself finish this book. It's well written and all, but just too sad and brutal for me. Triggers me out every other chapter. There's a lot of violence and PTSD and I just couldn't manage that.

However, I loved how in this story, there are no right sides - both sides have wronged someone. The two main characters are caught in a world of change - the Tsar's family has just been murdered, and the Bolsheviks are trying to take over the country. In a scenario as this, it would be easy to say any one side was bad and the other good. But here, it's not simplified like that. Both sides have committed atrocities, and both of the main characters represent a side - and as they slowly learn about their situations and how their "good guys" have wronged someone, they learn that nothing is ever black or white in life - and nobody can be absolutely right or wrong.

Yet, the story was very hard to read. I couldn't manage more than a few chapters at a time, because it's just so sad, so heavy. Most people's families are killed, there is fear and violence. This book could prove very triggering. There is murder, pursuit, and a lot of other horrible things happening to the characters, some of them you witness. I believe it was needed for the story and its goals, but also, for the sensitive reader, it may prove to be a slow reading book.

I thank the publisher for giving me a free copy of the ebook in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.

I was drawn into this novel from the first page. There are chases and nail biting fight scenes. But most of all I enjoyed reading about Anna and Evgenia's friendship. They are the kind of characters that draw you in and you can't help but be invested in these strong young women! It was interesting to get a point of view on what Anna's life may have been like if she did get away! A beautiful, engaging and entertaining read! Thank you Fierce Reads for sharing this book with me! Happy reading everyone!

This book is not in a genre of books I typically read. It’s historical fiction - and an alternate retelling of the famous Anastasia Romanov. This book gripped me and I found myself reading this relatively quickly. However, this book is not for the faint of heart. There’s violence, brutality and everything you would expect from the start of the Russian revolution. It also illustrates how two girls from two different walks of life come together and learn to respect and care for one another. It’s a solemn affair of two unlikely friends dealing with opposing views in a harsh environment and learning that not everything is what it seems and to not judge someone solely by their beliefs.

I received an advance reader copy of this book and leave this honest review voluntarily.

Thank you so much to the publisher for an eQRC in exchange for an honest review!

I'll be honest, I tried really hard to get into this. I'm not sure if I'm just not in the mood for a historical novel or what, but I was not enjoying myself. I had to stop reading about 1/3 of the way through because I kept zoning out. People who read historical fiction more often might enjoy this alternate historical, but it just wasn't for me!

I loved this book. It has all the historical details I enjoy so much in novels, being a History minor, and the friendship was perfectly executed. I love, love, love friendship stories, so to have their friendship at the core in the mix of everything else, was perfection. I really appreciated how they came from such different ideology and political backgrounds--and at extremes on both ends--and how they both came to see the negatives of their respective beliefs, and showing all that in the novel was effortless. The pacing was spot on and the characters leapt off the page. A perfect read for historical fans and those wanting more friendship stories.

Wow, this book blew me away! It's action-packed, crammed full of historical detail, and tackles the Russian revolution in a gritty, heartbreaking, engrossing way. I really enjoyed the dual POV chapters, which kept the story humming along and also showed the war's events unfolding from two different perspectives.

What stands out to me the most about this book is how it shows two sides of a conflict: one protagonist is an aristocrat and the other is a revolutionary. They should hate each other, but they find commonality, and they begin to realize that their long-held assumptions and beliefs aren't always 100% accurate. In this story, nobody is fully in the right, and they must find the universal truths instead. That's a really powerful message.

I think this book will appeal to history buffs as well as anyone who likes character-driven fiction. None of the war's atrocities are glossed over, and in that sense it reminded me of Code Name Verity, in a really good way. Be prepared to not be able to put this one down!

Rating: 5/5
Publish date: 02/22/2022
I received this eARC copy from NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for my honest review.

If you’re a lover of retellings, with a mix of historical fiction and action this book is for you. Carolyn Tara O’Neil did an amazing job with the retelling of Anastasia.

Russia, 1918: With the execution of Tsar Nicholas, the empire crumbles and Russia is on the edge of civil war—the poor are devouring the rich. Anna, a bourgeois girl, narrowly escaped the massacre of her entire family in Yekaterinburg. Desperate to get away from the Bolsheviks, she offers a peasant girl a diamond to take her as far south as possible—not realizing that the girl is a communist herself. With her brother in desperate need of a doctor, Evgenia accepts Anna's offer and suddenly finds herself on the wrong side of the war. Anna is being hunted by the Bolsheviks, and now—regardless of her loyalties—Evgenia is too.

This beautiful retelling of Anastasia was written in 2 different POV, one being Anna’s. The Tsar daughter who was able to escape the fate that the rest of her family was not able to and then Evgenias, the communist. To be able to read and understand the two different POV of both these amazingly strong women was something else. It really brought to life that you cannot truly understand the others POV unless you try to, and just because the grass looks greener on the other side does not mean that it always is.

Carolyn Tara O’Neil really helped me understand the red army and the white army and where the Bolshevics fit into that world. With all the details in this book really brought together the world building, and the attention to the characters as well. I really felt for both girls and found myself understanding their differences and how they might have been able to change the world together. This book will have you laughing, crying and just impressed by these two women and the friendship that blossoms from two warring parties.

I want to thank NetGalley, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for allowing me to read this book for my honest opinion. I also want to thank Carolyn Tara O'Neil for writing a wonderful story about Anastasia.