4 Romanov stars

This sweeping historical fiction tale takes us back in time to when the Romanovs ruled Russia. You’ve heard of Peter the Great, this is the story of his daughter, Elizabeth. Filled with palace intrigue and everyone trying to get ahead, this one kept me engaged, but it was long, 512 pages!

Elizabeth’s circumstances changed several times, from the privileged upbringing as Peter’s daughter to being ostracized and cast out of favor because her parents weren’t married when she was born. She was threatened several times that she’d be sent to a convent for a life of misery.

You never know who to trust at court and there are several regime changes. There’s all the opulence of the court contrasted with the poverty and pain of the people of Russia. There’s even a little magical realism in this one with several prophecies for Elizabeth and her sister.

This is the second in the series, but I read this as a standalone. Be prepared for lots of nicknames for characters, as common in Russian books. I enjoyed the escape into the past with this atmospheric one.

The Tsarina's Daughter tells the story of Elizabeth, Catherine I's daughter. I have to say that the delivery of the audiobook ARC really was what made this book work better for me than book 1 did. Elizabeth lives her life as a princess and heir to the throne, yet she is always kept one step away from it by the partiarchal oligarchs that surround the Romanov dynasty. Once again, Alpsten's world-building is masterclass and meticulously researched as we delve into the world of early 18th century Russia. I will confess to not knowing about Elizabeth before I read about her in this book, and I walked away from this book particularly impressed with her resourcefulness and resilience, two things that were absolutely crucial for women in power during this time period. She was a character who experienced so much loss and betrayal but still remained true to herself and loyal to her bloodline and country above any else no matter the cost to her. Watching her rise to power was really something satisfying. Also I love author's notes in books like this because you go on to learn more about her reign and her legacy, a legacy that produced the famed Catherine the Great. THE TSARINA'S DAUGHTER is a story of remaining true to oneself in a world that wishes to rob you of power. It's romantic, thrilling and scandalous, and it was a really great read for me.

I enjoyed The Tsarina's Daughter by Ellen Alpsten. I had Russian history in college and I believe this book will stick with me much longer than that history class. Tsarevna Elizabeth is the daughter of Peter the Great and Catherine. The book talks about the cruelty of the Tzar's in Russia. They killed people so they could not ascend to the throne. The book starts when Elizabeth was a child and the trials and the fear she had to live through to one day take the throne. I believe this book closely followed the history but was enjoyable because there were stories of love and cruelty that brought the history together.

I would not say this book explains anything going on today in Russia, other than some things in history do repeat. If you are interested in Russian history, this is a great read. It is a slow read so expect to invest some time in this book.

I was given an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. #TheTsarinasDaughter #EllenAlpsten, #NetGalley

Ah, I love all things Romanov. This book is technically a continuation of the book Tsarina by the same author, but can definitely be read alone. As a preface, Tsarina was about Catherine rising from a serf (horrendous stories) to marrying Peter the Great and becoming Tsarina, Russia’s first female ruler. Elizabeth is their daughter.

I loved reading the intricacies of their royal lives. Especially breaking boundaries into the first Tsarina rule and what that entailed. Elizabeth’s life had multiple ups and downs as many people ruled after her parents. To me, Elizabeth was the obvious next ruler but politics, bloodlines, self-interest and influential people deemed the next ruler more often than not.

“In the past five years the Russian throne had been vacated three times.”

Growing up, I’ve always heard of the Romanov curse. I now feel as if I understand this more! There were many deaths and tragedies along the way. Some were astonishing and happened so quickly, on very influential days. Being able to check the facts and google while reading just solidified the story for me.

As I said in my previous review of Tsarina, “I feel I know her Russia. I feel I know her as a person.” Alpsten’s ability to surround you in the intricacies of the time period are astounding. Her ability to wrap you in her every day struggles and give you the most realistic feeling of royal life are some of my favorite aspects of her writing. Another favorite I have is the research. She takes the information she is able to find and has to fill in the blanks, but it is very detailed and true to the time period.

“You are Russia. Your father was the Tsar anointed by Heaven, your mother the Tsarina, a daughter of the Russian soil. Legend and lore, law and logic, are combined in you. The Russian people worship you. For any soldier you are the Tsar’s daughter. But more so, you are the Tsarina’s daughter! Your mother has reigned. Why shouldn’t you?”

The expanse of the book entails the highs and lows and self examination as Elizabeth readies herself to take the throne. I do wish it hadn’t ended so abruptly. I wanted more information about her takeover for the throne, her reign, her refusal to kill anyone, her heir but also her nephew and his life. I have many questions! I still need to do more research but Google just doesn’t fulfill my questions like Alpsten does! Hopefully more will be in an upcoming book. I also wanted more information about their ages. I had a hard time picturing a few scenes due to this. I know this was a problem I had in Tsarina also, but I’m very picture-oriented when I read and placing their age is a big part of that.

All in all, a very impressive read. I will continue to read Alpsten’s books and anxiously await the next one!

Tsarina was my first read by Ellen Alpsten and I really enjoyed it. The beautiful, winters setting in the first book stayed with for a while after reading and the same is true of The Tsarina’s Daughter.

The Tsarina’s Daughter follows the store of Elizabeth, daughter of (Tsarina) Catherine I and Peter. To be honest, I thought I would breeze through this book since I read and learned so much about the hierarchy and history of this time period in the first book. That was not the case lol. There are still a lot of characters to keep up with but luckily this book can be read as a standalone.

I love this type of historical fiction and I love reading about dynasties and royalty that’s not about the British throne. Sigh, I see that there are new covers for Tsarina and The Tsarina’s Daughter and I’m going to have to buy physical copies of because they are so gorgeous.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC.

A amazing glimpse into the Russian court life during the end of Tzar Peter the Great. The story is about his daughter Elizabeth and the highs and lows of being a Russian princess. There is a large cast of characters and when I saw the list, I almost decided not to read the book. So I skipped it and drove into the story. One is carried away by the descriptions of grandeur and hardships of the common people and serfs. Some descriptions will be a flashback to the movie Dr. Zhivago. I know different time period, but the winter scenes. I read and listened to the audiobook, the narrator was fantastic, but the book help me keep the characters straight. I have read the first in the series and this book definitely can be a standalone. This is a wonderful story that will transport you to a different time period.
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC. I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an Advance Reader Copy of this story. #NetGalley #TheTsarinasDaughter #MacmillanAudio

This was a great continuation of Tsarina. The books flowed smoothly together. Even though it is a series if you choose to read this as a standalone it would hold just as well on its own. It was an easy read for me. I have always found this time period fun to read about. The rivalry between the courts was intense. But overall it was well written and entertaining! And reading the author's note saying this was going to be a trilogy made my day! I can't wait to read the next book!

My history of this time period in Muscovy has always been murky. Reading The Tsarina’s Daughter helped clarify the rapid ruler change after the 1725 death of Peter the Great. I hadn’t realized there were 4 rulers In between his death and the reign of Elizabeth Petrovna.
It’s a thick tome and took me a while to read it. Steeped in Russian mystique and atmosphere, it’s fast paced and danger lurks around every corner. Alpsten had me living in 18th century Russia every time I turned the page.
I love this series and am looking forward to the last book.
I also love the cover!

I did not read this book, so I cannot give feedback. Time got away from me, and I had too much else going on. I hope it does well. I did like the info I saw on the story. thank you for letting me have access to it. I'm giving it a 4 start review because I have to enter something, but honestly, I did not read the book.

The Tsarina’s Daughter is the sequel to Tsarina. Although is is the second novel, it can be read as a standalone without any problems. However, to get the full flavor of this historical fiction, I do recommend that one reads the first book before reading this one.

There are numerous characters and luckily, there is a cast of characters listing that outlines the who is who in the story. Truthfully, it was a blessing to have this as it helped me navigate the narrative a lot better. Especially since different names were used interchangably throughout the novel. Each of the characters were well developed. I didn’t particularly care for any of them until later in the story when many of them have matured or grown old.

Insofar as the storyline goes, it is a little longwinded. But it is probably because a certain atmosphere needed to be established — bejeweled monarchs, impoverished villages, and extravagant palaces.

The Tsarina’s Daughter is an enjoyable read. However, I didn’t quite appreciate the sprinkle of fantasy when a forest spirit prophesized the fates of Lizenka and Anoushka. To me, fantasy no matter how minute it is to the novel’s entirety has no place is an otherwise great historical fiction. Overall, four satisfying stars.

I received a physical and digital ARC from St. Martin’s Press for a book tour. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions. Tour Date: March 15, 2022

Historical fiction story from a period of history rarely explored. This is a detailed but fictional account of the life of Tsarina Elizabeth, second daughter of Tsar Peter the Great and Tsarina Catherine of Russia, from her time as a young girl through the death of her father, her mother, the political turmoil of the Old Believers and the progressive direction of Russia. Elizabeth herself was a lesson in contrasts, always loyal to Russia, but also selfish and self-indulgent.
Elisabeth experiences life privileged princess and then is plunged into poverty beholden to whomever has grabbed the throne until the time when she can rightfully assume the title of Tsarina. So many power struggles, questions on whom to trust, always wary of losing favor and possibilities of ending up either in a convent or on the gallows. Elizabeth became adept at experiencing loss, that of her parents, her sister, her loves of her life. So many secrets and lies rule the day.
While an interesting read, I needed to fact check some historical information for this story to make sense and was impressed with the accuracy. I’ll admit that the first part of the story was a bit slow but, surprisingly the more I learned, the more it kept me reading to find out about Elizabeth’s life. This story leaves you pondering beyond the last page, of a time period little known. The author did a great job of drawing you in. While this is reported to be the second in a series of three books, I read it as a stand-alone book. However, I’m thinking I’d like to read her first book, "Tsarina", to add more dimension to learning about this time period which could be a prequel to the well-known Romanov stories we are most familiar with.

Many thanks to #netgalley #thetsarinasdaughter #ellen alpsten for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Another wonderfully written epic novel by author Ellen Alpsten. Readers should not be intimidated by the over 500 pages. As with almost every story written about the Romanovs the page count is necessary to do it justice. In this book Alpsten tells the story of the evolution of Elizabeth. This is not a tale about her reign but a tale of how she grew into what she was destined to be. It tells the story of a woman who had to come to terms with all of life's tragedies and heartbreaks. Elizabeth - who had to learn to accept both the splendors and riches of favor, and the despair and wariness that came with suspicion, overcame it all. This novel gives us a multifaceted woman who loved and was loved, who understood the need to have a circle of supporters, who embraced what it meant to be Russian. Elizabeth who allows knew what her destiny was, just needed to live through the challenges in order to fulfill the role Russia needed her to. Alpsten's writing is beautiful and she clearly put plenty of research into the lives of the Romanov women.

I received a copy of this title via NetGalley.

I really enjoyed this book. After reading Tsarina by Ellen Alpsten, I was really excited to get my hands on this one, and I wasn't disappointed! The beginning recaps the end of Tsarina, but I would recommend reading Tsarina before starting this one.

I loved the way this story unfolded, and I found myself completely swept away. I alternated between the audio and the physical copy, and I'm glad. The audio was done really well. The narrator did a great job and helped me get through the Russian names that I struggled with at the beginning. This story is filled with adventure and intrigue and is a great one for historical fiction fans!

It sounds like this will be a trilogy which is really exciting! Can't wait!

I read Tsarina, last year, and this is the sequel. The Tsarina's Daughter is just has good as Tsarina. It took me awhile to read, but not to do with anything about the book. When I read historical fiction books, I have a bad habit of stopping, looking things up and reading about them. Therefore, it takes me a little while to read one because one name or place leads to another one.

I enjoyed this book. Alpsten transported me to Russia in the mid 1700's. Her words captivated me. I got a chance to see how things were built, fashion, food, and transpired during that time without leaving my house.

With the Tsarina's Daughter, we get to take a look at Elizabeth Petrovna Romanov. Her life and the struggles she went through. This takes us from Peter the Great's death thru Ivan VI's and what followed after. A book full of all emotions: love, sorrow, pain, scared, mystery and triumph.

If you enjoy Historical Fiction, go get this book. Don't walk, run to your nearest Library or Bookstore on March 15, 2022 and get this book. I don't think you will be disappointed.

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press and Alpsten for the Kindle Version of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Tsarina's Daughter
An excellent historical fiction novel of Russian life, The Tsarina's Daughter by Ellen Alpsten, takes us on a fascinating journey through the 18th century. In a time of political and social chaos, Elizabeth l, daughter of Peter the Great and Catherine l, must learn to navigate through both to fulfill her destiny. Born to all the riches and privileges of royalty and engaged to Louis XV of France, Elizabeth's world falls apart with the death of Peter the Great. Her very survival depends on separating friends from enemies, and prophecies from reality. The richness and details of life are written in such detail you can almost taste the food, feel the softness of the fabric and shiver from the cold.
For any historical fiction fan or those who would like to be, this novel will delight you. Five stars to Ellen Alpsten.

I'm fascinated by Russian history and this book is a great example of historical fiction that teaches you about a different era and cultures. I thoroughly enjoyed Ellen Alpsten's The Tsarina, the story of the poor peasant girl and the man who would transform Russia and drag it kicking and fighting into the modern era, Peter the Great. This book, The Tsarina's Daughter, is the story of the two daughters, Anna and our main character Elizabeth, that survive to both take the throne in an environment very like Game of Thrones, survival of the most ruthless and cunning. What I really liked about this book is the evocative description of the places, the insane partying, the extremes of poverty and privilege, and the suspicion and constant questioning of who can you trust? The violence of life in 17th and 18th century Russia is pretty graphic at times, but it fits with the story and reinforces the sense of peril. So many larger than life characters, based on real people and events vividly portrayed by a master storyteller.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC, I really enjoyed it.

Born into the House of Romanov to the all-powerful Peter the Great and his wife, Catherine, a former serf, beautiful Tsarevna Elizabeth is the envy of the Russian empire. She is insulated by luxury and spoiled by her father, who dreams for her to marry King Louis XV of France and rule in Versailles. But when a woodland creature gives her a Delphic prophecy, her life is turned upside down. Her volatile father suddenly dies, her only brother has been executed and her mother takes the throne of Russia.
As friends turn to foe in the dangerous atmosphere of the Court, the princess must fear for her freedom and her life. Fate deals her blow after blow, and even loving her becomes a crime that warrants cruel torture and capital punishment: Elizabeth matures from suffering victim to strong and savvy survivor. But only her true love and their burning passion finally help her become who she is. When the Imperial Crown is left to an infant Tsarevich, Elizabeth finds herself in mortal danger and must confront a terrible dilemma - seize the reins of power and harm an innocent child, or find herself following in the footsteps of her murdered brother.
Hidden behind a gorgeous, wildly decadent façade, the Russian Imperial Court is a viper’s den of intrigue and ambition. Only a woman possessed of boundless courage and cunning can prove herself worthy to sit on the throne of Peter the Great.
This is an interesting book which makes the power of Elizabeth is not the same thing as it was purported to be.
The gist is that many people who saved their lives and their loves were meant to be.
This story is poignant and true to life.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

Fascinating historical fiction about early Russia. A must read for anyone interested in this time period.

I've read a lot of Romanov fiction but admittedly it all focused on Anastasia. This novel, focused on Tsarevna Elizabeth was a beautiful fictional narrative of one of my favorite time periods, albeit through a new lens. Thoroughly enjoyed!

I have to admit I know very little about Russian history. My first foray was reading Ms. Alpsten's book Tsarina about Catherine I, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Sometimes I find setting my mind up for disappointment when reading a sequel. This is absolutely not the case. The Tsarina's Daughter not only covers the history of that era but is delves into the challenges that Elizabeth faced as a Romanov and the struggle for control and power of the empire by others. The character studies and growth fascinated me especially how non-central personalities are actually key to the historical development such as the court jester, D'Acosta for one. This book stands on its own for those who have not read Tsarina. The Tsarina's Daughter would be a good book club discussion as there are many facets to the story.

Thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advance copy.