Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read an ARC of this book. At times it's a beautiful historical novel about a period in history that I'm not super familiar with. At other times the descriptions of the torture, violence and death being described is pretty heart wrenching. Would absolutely recommend!

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read an early copy of Daughters of a Dead Empire!
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Daughters of a Dead Empire is a book that has long been on my radar. I am pleased to report that it absolutely lived up to my expectations! O'Neil has masterfully woven a tale that is equal parts beautiful and brutal. It neither shies away from the horrors of war or the beautiful resilience of humanity. That hard to strike balance is what makes this tale something spectacular. The historical exposition enhanced the story without making the writing feel clunky or a chore to consume. The real standout for me was the characters though! They're nuanced and flawed in ways that endures you to them quickly and fiercely. Daughters of a Dead Empire is a story that doubles as a thought provoking tale and a epic page turner steeped in atmosphere and history.
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This doesn't read like a debut. O'Niels masterful pacing, intense character study, and rich atmosphere has me excited to see what she does next!

Thank you to Netgalley for this advanced copy of DAUGHTER OF A DEAD EMPIRE. If you like historical fiction, then this book is for you. Compelling story.

It was okay but the dual POVs didn't quite work for me in this case. I think I would have liked it better with a single POV. I just felt too jostled back and forth and unable to feel attached to either character. Also the voice felt a bit too similar between the two characters. I would have preferred to see it told from Anna's perspective only.

An alternate history in which Anastasia Romanova survives the execution of her family, this novel follows two "daughters" of the dead Russian empire: deposed Tsar Nicholas' daughter Anastasia, who is on the run from her family's chief assassin, and rural Bolshevik Evgenia. After Evgenia saves Anastasia from an enraged mob bent on burning her to death, the two girls are forced to work together to save their own and each others' lives.

Technically, the novel is fine. It's told via alternate narratives from each girl's perspective and is paced effectively, mixing high action scenes with inner monologues and friendship building. In terms of the novel's messaging, I'm weary of its brand of retro naivete that "communism will raise us up together, peasant and reeducated landowner's daughter, hurrah!" Evgenia understands that everything must be "burnt down" but somehow thinks this mass destruction can somehow be targeted so as to exclude human beings. This degree of naivete has proven fatal, again and again and again and again. Across human history, political ideology has never been a conduit for achieving universal empathy and human decency.

I appreciate this author's good intentions and encourage deeper and more thoughtful study of human psychology and history.

A speculative historical retelling of Anastasia Romanov? Sign me up. I didn’t expect the story to be so grounded and historical but it was really well done. I didn’t have a lot of knowledge of the Russian revolution prior to going into this, but reading it through the story was fascinating. The story focuses on the famous mystery of what happened to the Romanovs and what happened to Anastasia? This is definitely a book for anyone who enjoys historical mysteries, or just the Anastasia mystery itself. The characters were interesting a d the relationship between the girls set during such a difficult time and situation was an interesting read. Their journey, their hardships, and the historical backdrop really do make a good read for anyone interested in Russian History but can look at it from the “what if” perspective.

*Thanks Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Roaring Brook Press for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

I enjoyed this speculative historical retelling of Anastasia Romanov, and I would recommend it for readers that are interested in the Bolshevik Revolution and the overthrowing of the Russian monarchy. The death of the Romanovs was shrouded in mystery, and Anastasia has taken on a life of her own through numerous retellings. This story was interesting in that it took on various points of view and politics of the time to create a fuller picture of what was happening during the revolution. The characters were complex and nuanced, and I liked the addition of Evgenia. I hope to get this book for the library that I work at.

Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for an early e-arc of this book.

Daughters of a Dead Empire is a historical fiction that centers around the beginning of the Russian Revolution and features the daughter of Tsar Nicholas Romanov, Anastasia. It’s a retelling of the famous conspiracy theory that centered the young daughter for years.

Right from the very beginning of the story, we’re thrown into action and the escape of Anastasia from her family’s execution. Along the way she meets Evgenia and together the two work together to help get Anastasia get to safety.

Every character that Carolyn Tara O’Neil has created in this story is genuine and slightly complex. It’s told from the point of view of each girl in alternating chapters, and we really see the difference in societal backgrounds. Evgenia grew up as a Russian peasant in a home with no electricity or running water, whereas Anastasia comes from a big family and lots of money. Their different political stances really add the the thrill of the whole story.

I enjoyed the dynamic of each girl and the journey and hardships that they encountered. It’s a fast paced Young Adult novel, filled with some really good historical facts. Definitely a must read!

Highly to recommend to those who love this period of Russian history, but can embrace a "what if?" alternative story involving Anastasia.

DNF ~33%

I really wanted to enjoy this one! An Anastasia retelling? The songs from the animated movie were flitting through my head as I started this story haha but unfortunately for me, I found the background and political context bogging down the plot and the writing pretty sub-par in my opinion. Although this story has chapters from two different character POVs, they often sounded the same and even repeated parts of the plot that weren't that exciting the first time around. I pushed through the last 15% or so to see if things picked up but for me they just didn't. Sadly, I don't think this book is for me.

Daughters of a Dead Empire tells the alternate history of Anastasia, daughter of the deposed tsar, Nicholas, of the Romanov dynasty. While the Romanovs were executed by the forces of the Red army, the fate of Anastasia was often shrouded in mystery, leaving many to wonder if she could have survived. Carolyn Tara O’Neil imagines that she did survive, and she crafts a thrilling story of Anastasia’s flight through the Russian countryside and her unlikely friendship with a Russian peasant girl named Evgenia. As the commander who executed her family realizes she escaped and pursues her, she must fight to stay hidden and find help. Commander
Yurovsky is unflagging in his pursuit, and he punishes everyone who helps Anastasia in her escape, leaving a trail of dead and dying behind him.As he closes in on her, she and Evgenia must decide whether class and birth matter or whether each individual is a unique person, standing on her own merits and values.

O’Neil has created a fascinating story in which each character feels genuine and complex. Through careful characterization, she makes readers care about her people, pulling for their escape and growth and success. The privileged Anastasia is clearly the product of elitist insulation and protection, but she is also kind, open-minded, caring, and brave. The peasant Evgenia is perhaps more of a snob than Anastasia, judging “Anna” for her wealth, privilege, and ignorance of real life. As the story progresses, the girls grow and change, opening their minds and gaining perspective from each other, even as the story races on, bringing danger to the characters who we are growing to love.

The pacing, characterization, and setting of this story are all rich and detailed and authentic. My primary criticism, and the reason I would not recommend this for my students or plan to use it in my classes, is the use of extreme profanity throughout the story. While some profanity has become common in young adult literature, the profanity in Daughters of a Dead Empire seems flagrant, intentional, and gratuitous, filling the story with offensive language when other, more creative language could have conveyed the same intensity and emotion without alienating some readers and many parents and teachers.

Overall, this is a thrilling page-turner. Readers will enjoy the story as an alternate view of the Romanov story, while they learn the real story through the author’s detailed and accurate historical notes. If readers can balance the harsh language with the outstanding plot and characterization, they will enjoy this speculative view of Russian history.

I absolutely loved this story. The Russian revolution was a fascinating part of history. The mystery still survives to this day. What happened to Anastasia? No body was ever found. There have been numerous sightings and false leads over the years. This is a great fictional account of what could have happened. The story runs smoothly and I just couldn't put it down. As with all wars, the young and the poor are always the hardest hit. Russia traded a Tsar for an even more repressive form of government when Communism was instituted. Things never change and we never learn from our mistakes. Readers of all ages will enjoy this ren

I LOVE historical retellings and reimagining. I love Anastasia. This book was definitely a win for me. The pacing was a bit off for me in some places. Definitely an enjoyable read overall.

I have always had a real fascination with the Romanov empire, and the story of Anastasia. Did she escape or die with her family.

This is the first book that I read about her that imagines what might have occurred if she did escape. It has an original twist, as it is not about her tryiig to prove her identity - it's actually about her escape.

Another thing I liked about this book was that it gave more context and understanding to the revolution and who the parties were. I always knew there was a red army and white army, but I was confused as to who was "good" and who was "bad" and who the Bolshevics fit in. The author gave me a much better understanding while weaving it into the story. I thought she did a great job of this.

I also thought the author did a great job with the writing. The world building was excellent, I could picture the characters and rooted for them hard. I was sucked into this book and really needed to know how it ended. I was not bored for a minute.

I want to thank the author, the publisher and #netgalley for the ARC which did not impact my review. This is 4.5 stars which I am putting as 4. Why not 5? It was a really good book but I didn't close it and go "wow" I didn't cry or laugh out loud. My standards for 5 stars is pretty high and this was not quite there. But overall, a really good book.

Actual rating 3.5 - I enjoyed reading about a historical event and time period that I haven't read much about. Anna and Evgenia both had their strengths and weaknesses; they believed in different things and it took them a while to find a gray area regarding their beliefs. I liked Anna more than Evgenia due to her words and actions since Evgenia was kind of all over the place. Lots of research went into this novel and O'Neil didn't shy away from including the gory aspect. Thank you NetGalley for an ARC.

Despite the fanciful "what if Anastasia lived?" premise, Daughters of a Dead Empire is a brutal, bloody examination of the violent upheaval in Russia in 1918. "Anna" manages to escape when the rest of her family is executed and aims to make her way incognito to Tsarist forces and safety. Bribed with a diamond from the hidden jewels sewn into Anna's corset, Evgenia, a peasant girl and staunch communist, reluctantly agrees to give the wealthy girl a ride to her village. The two girls face peril from the clashing opposing armies as well as Commander Yurovksy, the man who murdered the Romanovs and will stop at nothing until Anna is dead.

The novel is a heavy, pull-no-punches look at the turmoil of the Russian Civil War and the resulting tragedy and destruction. Chapters alternate between Anna and Evgenia's first-person points of view, providing both Tsarist and Bolshevik perspectives. Through Anna's shocked eyes, we view the poverty of the Russian peasants firsthand and the desire for self-governance. Evgenia hates the life of privilege and ease that Anna has led, but recognizes that Anna is an innocent party and - begrudgingly - feels compassion for her. United by horrible personal loss, they begin to form a bond with each other despite their differences.

Though the developing friendship between the two girls is hopeful and heartwarming, much of the book consists of descriptions of stomach-turning violence, torture, and death. The many-times-previously-imagined scenario of Anastasia's survival and ensuing deviation from actual events feels at odds with the gritty historically accurate detail. The book's very open-ended conclusion is dampened by the reminder in the epilogue that ordinary Russians would continue to suffer greatly under Bolshevik rule for decades.

The writing is straightforward and clear, and makes for a quick read. In dual perspective books, sometimes the narrators' voices blend together, so O'Neil does well to distinguish Anastasia's refined and precise language from Evgenia's more blunt speech. However, Evgenia's very frequent use of the F-word is both repetitive and off-putting in a young adult novel, and some turns of phrases seemed anachronistic ("I screwed up"). The graphic descriptions also push the envelope on what's appropriate in a book written for teens. The novel was an interesting window into a part of history I did not know as many specific details about, but it isn't one I'll ever be revisiting.

The Russian revolution and execution of the Romanov family are fascinating, but gruesome and complex parts of history. The legend of Anastasia (or any combination of the Romanov siblings) surviving has been around for decades, and it wasn't really until the early 2000s that the truth was fully known, that the whole family was killed that night. But this story leans into the what-ifs, providing a plausible scenario in which Anastasia (who goes by Anna) survives, and manages to flee. She needs help to reach the White army before her pursuers find her, and manages to convince Evgenia, a peasant and communist, to smuggle her across communist territory. Things don't go as planned and Evgenia and Anna will need to be clever and lucky to evade capture long enough to reach the White army. What I loved about this book were the leading characters, Evgenia and Anna are completely different people, yet manage to find some common ground and form a true friendship. They're both fiercely loyal and competent, and their journey was so fun to read. I also liked how the author managed to convey the complexities of the revolution through Evgenia's character, which is something that's not really seen in a lot of these sorts of retellings. The ending was so, so satisfying, and I loved the character arc for both girls.

An incredible, captivating, and compelling debut.

I absolutely DEVOURED this book and couldn’t put it down. I have been fascinated and obsessed with the Romanov’s for most of my life and this historical fiction is a perfect intersection of so many of my interests. How could you not be enthralled by the idea of a long lost princess escaping a death sentence? This book does such a great job in imagining Anastasia’s life immediately after the death of her family and one man who will stop at nothing to finish the job.

I fully intended to continue reading this over the next few days but I was entirely unable to stop reading.

Daughters of a Dead Empire is viscerally exciting--breaths new life into a classic alternative history tale!

Thanks to Macmillan Children’s and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this to review! I think the publication date got pushed back a bit due to the chaos that is the world of publishing at the moment, but you’ll definitely want to keep an eye out for this historical fiction come February!

I don’t know how I missed it, but I didn’t really realize this was an Anastasia story until probably about halfway through the book. Maybe I’m just oblivious. The structure of the book, though, obscures Anna’s true identity for most of the book, giving you information in just bits and pieces. I think this helps to add to the overall tension of the story, quickly moving you through the dangerous Russian countryside.

Both of the main characters are equally fleshed out, and the way their relationship evolves throughout the story feels so effortless. Some of the side characters also help in providing context and giving you a good feel for the time period this is set in. I haven’t read a whole lot about this particular time in Russia, but the author gives you plenty of resources in the back of the book if you’re interested and want to keep reading.

This is a historical fiction novel, but it also reads a bit like a thriller. The tension is well-done throughout the book, making you want to keep reading to see what happens next. Fans of authors like Ruta Sepetys will definitely enjoy this new voice in YA historical fiction.