This is a meticulously researched and well written book about the Russian aristocracy exiled in Paris during the Belle Epoque. I was interested in the book because of the time and the city in that era.
Rappaport’s knowledge of Russian history is phenomenal. I would have been better served if I had read some of her previous works so the I was familiar with some of the exiles. I put this book aside to read one required for my book club and unfortunately have not returned to it. I feel sure that this is my loss, as I enjoyed the part that I read. I need to pick this up again.
My thanks to Netgalley and St Martin’s Press for an advanced readers copy.

AFTER THE ROMANOVS: Russian Exiles in Paris from the Belle Epoque Through Revolution and War by Helen Rappaport is a nonfiction novel about the Russian emigres specifically in Paris from the 1870’s to the early 1930’s. While most people are interested in the history happening in Russia during this time, this is an interesting look at many who fled.

Paris is a city of cultural excellence, fine wine and food, and the latest fashions, but it is also a place of refuge for those fleeing persecution before and after the Russian Revolution and the fall of the Romanov dynasty. For years, Russian aristocrats had enjoyed all that Paris had to offer, spending lavishly when they visited, but the brutality of the Bolshevik takeover forced Russians of all social backgrounds to flee their homeland, sometimes leaving with only the clothes on their backs.

Many former soldiers worked in the manufacturing plants and former princes learned to drive taxicabs and waite tables, while their wives who could sew worked for the fashion houses or set up their own. Talented intellectuals, artists, poets, philosophers, and writers struggled in exile, eking out a living at menial jobs. Some encountered success over time, but it was not always lasting. Political activists sought to overthrow the Bolshevik regime from afar and reestablish the monarchy while double agents on both sides plotted espionage and assassination. Many could not cope and became trapped in a cycle of poverty, depression, and an all-consuming homesickness for the Russian homeland they felt forced to leave.

I found this novel very interesting because I always read about the history in Russia itself and never really considered the refugees other than the few who left and then made names for themselves worldwide after the Revolution. I felt the plight of the refugees is described without bias. Not only did they have to deal with their losses, but the world was dealing with an economic depression at the same time which always makes the acceptance of refugees in another country difficult. The story of the first generation of refugees was depressing and sad, whether you agree with the Revolution or monarchy, due to the human suffering and lost dreams.

This nonfiction book can easily be the stories of refugees anywhere at any time which makes it an important read.

Thank you to the author Helen Rappaport, the publisher NetGalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for my candid review.

I thought that this book had potential to be more interesting than it was. The writing was very reminiscent of a school report on the Romanov family and failed to compel. Perhaps it was the writing or perhaps it was the subject matter.

An interesting look into Russian history done in a way that kept me engrossed in the book! I did find that there were parts of this that were very dry but overall this was well done.

What a story about which I knew basically nothing. I have read much about Tsar Nicholas and the horrible death of his family but knew nothing of the lives of the rest of Russia who were not only relatives to the Romanov family but also those loyal to them and against the incoming communist regime. It was heartbreaking to learn of their desire to return to a land and life that no longer existed. So many of the emigree stories are of sadness and despair. It truly was an era of lost people, culture and lives.

Investigative work at its best. The historical background, new realities, very human feelings, and desires are explored in this masterfully done investigative work! I truly enjoyed the perspective the author provided and the very serious work that went into building the backdrop and moving forward with all the secrecy and the endeavors that time was dictating.

A good historical view of the Russian aristocracy after the Bolshevik revolution and their enjoyment of Belle Époque Paris. Some had great success but others could be found among the working class driving taxis, or working in the fashion houses. Informative and a great read by Helen Rappaport.

I was not expecting this one to be as incredibly dense with information and very complicated-to-remember names, but I'm glad I stuck with it because it's amazing to find out just how far the lives of almost all the upper classes of Russia fell.
Rappaport starts by giving a glimpse of the ridiculously extravagant and mostly wastrel lifestyles that those with power and the right connections lived before the Russian revolution of 1917. I admire her restraint in remaining objective and not straight up declaring that they kind of brought everything upon themselves with the way they wasted riches while letting the majority of Russia starve.
It makes for fascinating reading to follow an entire group of people from the highest level trying to survive after falling to the lowest of the low while remaining somewhat naively hopeful of their inevitable return to power.
Rappaport mentions and almost apologizes several times for the fact that it's almost impossible to know how the lower classes that also escaped the red wave of communism fared after their exile and that's why this book focuses almost entirely on the family of the Tsar and the intelligentsia who managed to escape to Paris to scrape out a living in Paris. Honestly, I found the fact that this book focuses on the massive fall and fight for survival so interesting that I see no problem with focusing just on the group she focuses on. Also, the book is dense enough as it is that adding more chapters for a more varied population would have made it too much for my poor brain to handle.
This is not a book of light reading to get some more info for trivia or just to know. This is a well-written and researched study that delves deep into people and their lives. Great for those who enjoy deep studies and having all the information, but definitely not for the just curious.

Happy thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the very informative and eye-opening read!

The Romanov dynasty is not limited to just the last Romanovs - through Rappaport's work, the history of this family and their lives after their family fell from grace is recorded for future readers. This book was very interesting for history buffs, but be aware it is very dry.

Having a penchant for Russian history and real-life mysteries, I have read widely about the Romanov family over the years, including Rappaport's book "The Romanov Sisters" so I was excited to read more. This book was an eye-opener about those who were forced to leave Russia after the fall of the tsar, and to work like the rest of us to survive in exile in Paris. The author provides in-depth details about the trials and tribulations that these formerly wealthy individuals faced, including backlash from Parisians who were bitter about them being there and taking their jobs. There is quite the list of names to keep up with, so the index of people was extremely useful. Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for access to this book. I look forward to recommending it and to where Rappaport goes with her next book.

I'm giving this four stars out of gratitude to Helen Rappaport for some great leads for my own work. "After the Romanovs" traces the story of the Russian elite in Paris at the turn of the century--first seeing Paris as a pleasure palace beyond their national borders, later seeing Paris as a friendly refuge in the emigrees' flight from the Bolsheviks. Rappaport breaks down many types of emigre here, I'm happy to say, and speaks to the specific location issues they had (especially the politics of interwar France, the new USSR, and the emigres.)

What's iffier: I thought the book ended a bit abruptly but that's a minor criticism.

With gratitude to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

#After the Romanovs is a wonderful non-fiction and history novel by # Helen Rappaport. She is the New York Times bestselling author of The Romanovs Sisters. This novel is after the Russian Revolution and the fall of the Romanov dynasty.
After arriving in Paris former prince's could be seen driving taxi cabs, while their wives if they could sew worked in the fashion house's. Artists, intellectuals, and writers struggling in exile. Political activists sought to overthrow the government from afar, espionage and assassination was being plotted by double agents from both sides....
Thank you for the advance copy,
# Netgalley and # St. Martin's Press💜🐾🐾

After the Romanovs: Russian Exiles in Paris from the Belle Époque Through Revolution and War
Author: Helen Rappaport
(This review is from an ARC provided to me by Net Galley)

This is a well-researched book and makes fascinating reading about the refugees fleeing persecution before the Russian revolution and the fall of the Romanov dynasty.
Paris has always been a city of cultural excellence and before the onslaught of the revolution, Paris was a playground for the Russian aristocrats. Now stripped of much or all their wealth— they emigrated to Paris.
Thousands of middle- and upper-middle-class Russians also fled Russia, and many became taxi drivers and the women who could sew managed to get employed at fashion houses. Some, like Bunin, Chagall, and Stravinsky, encountered remarkable success in the same Paris that welcomed Americans like Fitzgerald and Hemingway. (“After the Romanovs: Russian Exiles in Paris from the Belle Époque ...”) Many were political exiles, dissidents or revolutionaries who were forced out of their homeland and who lived in crowded impoverishments in the poorest Parisian districts. Many, like Vladimir Ilyich Lenin and his wife, survived their Parisian exile and returned to Russia to fight for and seize power.
The detail of the characters is quite overwhelming at times. But the author through her narrative makes this book effortless reading. I learnt so much about the various classes that fled Russia to Paris..
Whatever their religious or political loyalties the émigré Russians had one commonality, the church which remained an important symbol as a spiritual home.
Russian emigration to Paris left me with the impression of so many stinted careers with intense hardship.
This book is enlightening and well worth the read.

Reading this book now while Russia is waging war against the Ukraine brings particularly relevancy and poignancy to this book. An underlying theme is for anyone who has had to flee their homes and live in exile, you do the best you can and try to find community with other expats who understand your language and culture. This book starts with a detailed list of people we will read about in the book but even if all of the relationships and names are overwhelming at first, the author does a great job connecting people throughout the book so I did not have to refer back constantly to the beginning list. The Russian Revolution happened in 1917 but we also learn about expats and artists who lived in Paris prior to the revolution (such as Ballet Russe and Diaghilev who worked with Stravinsky, Nijinsky and other great artists) prior to 1917. Picasso did the costumes for “Parade” for the Ballet Russes in 1917. We then get insight into after 1917 in exile, where many Russians fled to Constantinople and Paris. France offered protections because they desperately needed workers after WWI. But this came to a crashing end when the President was assassinated by a Russian émigré. France also began to recognize the new Soviet state under Lenin and Stalin. Some other interesting facts were that 27 fashion houses were established in Paris by Russian Emigres between 1922-1935. 34% of Russian Emigres worked in the automotive industry – and formed a community at Billancourt. Billancourt Renault is infamous now for the massive strikes and the shut down in 1992. As with any groups living in exile, there is a perpetual longing to return home (which Tolstoy finally does). What is also incredible is because of Covid-19, the author could not travel to Paris for her research but through a vast network of generous people, was able to access detailed and obscure research in order to write this compelling book. I highly recommend it.

I'm not a historian or a huge non-fiction fan, which probably impacted my enjoyment of this book. That said, it feels like a very thorough exploration of the lives of the upper class Russians who fled the country at the fall of the Romanov Dynasty.
There were a LOT of names mentioned, and some events were interesting. I spent some time as I read the book thinking about some ancestors who fled Odessa in the early 1900s and wishing I knew more about their stories. I suspect while there were some similarities to those in this book, their experiences were very different, as they were not aristocrats or artists. And I think I'm personally more interested in that type of life - I feel kind of sorry for these ultra-rich who had to change, but not as sorry as I do for those who were never given a chance.
My rating is for my personal enjoyment - not for the merit of the book (which I'm not equipped to judge but I think has a lot of information). Thanks to Netgalley and the author for the chance to check it out!

After the Romanovs tells the tory of Russians in Paris. The book begins with pre-revolution Russians in Paris before focusing on the thousands of Russians seeking refuge from the Bolsheviks. Rappaport acknowledges the lack of ordinary Russian voices from this era, but includes them when she can. The bulk of the focus is on writers, artists, soldiers, and the aristocracy.
I am familiar with the Russian Revolution, both from Rappaports other books and my own family’s history. Despite this, I never stopped to think about what happened to those who opposed the Bolsheviks. Many were murdered, like the Tsar and his family, but many survived and escaped. Reading about their desperate journey, leaving behind the only home they had ever known, being separated from the people and places they loved was heart rendering. This was my family’s story too! They were by no means nobles, but like their fellow countrymen, they were determined to survive. I was awed by the Romanov women turning their family needlework into a livelihood that supported their families.
After the Romanovs is well researched and well put together. I did struggle keeping the exiles straight in my mind and remembering who was related to who. The book was engaging, with an air of sadness. Even knowing how things ended, I found myself wishing a happy return to Russia for the people I was reading about.

This is a great book written by an excellent writer. I loved learning about this event especially since it's a topic I didn't know about until Downton Abbey covered it in a season.

I got this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I am thankful I was given a copy of After the Romanovs: Russian Exiles in Paris from the Belle Époque through the Revolution and War.. by Helen Rappaport.. I am a total history buff and I really enjoyed this book. While Russia had its ups and downs, most Russian Royalty, exiles and artists loved Paris. It afforded them all the things Russia didn’t. Some hid, some indulged and some just never went home. Some held on to their wealth and some couldn’t get out of poverty. I felt like Helen did an excellent job telling the story of all of them. I liked how she touched on the positive and the negative affects Paris had on some. Paris welcomed them and they were grateful but all seemed to miss there homeland, Russia. This was a four star read for me. Thank you to Netgalley & the author for my copy for an honest review. It was my pleasure to read & review. I look forward to reading more books by Rappaport in the future.

In early 1900, Paris became a safe haven for the Russian aristocracy to escape the threat of revolution in their country. With so many wealthy Russians in France, the French took an interest in Russian culture. Their extreme wealth in some cases was to the point of being vulgar. They brought incredible amount of money and jewels and demanded the best.

This book is a non-fiction depiction of the lives of people who fled Russia during their Revolution. I had hoped to find it interesting but, quite frankly, it seemed to be the same chapter after chapter.

I can honestly say that I have never had any real interest in Russia or its history, but when the publisher invited me to read and review this book, I reluctantly agreed hoping that I might increase my knowledge about Russia.

Major surgery put me behind in getting to read this book, but I still just could not get into the dryness of it. I’m sure that those who have read more about the Russian revolution will find a greater interest in the book. But for me, I’m sorry to say I didn’t care for it.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

My review of this book appeared on Ricochet.com. It is appended below.

Paris of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries was a second home to Russia’s nobility. Until the start of the First World War, they retreated to Paris to have fun. Some liked it so much that until the war started they abandoned Russia almost entirely, remaining in Paris year-round.

“After the Romanovs: Russian Exiles in Paris from the Belle Epoque through revolution and war,” by Helen Rappaport, tells their story, following the Russians in France both before and after the Russian Revolution. It is a tale of the wheel of fortune taking those at the pinnacle of life to its nadir. The Revolution reduced Russian princes who lived in luxury to men driving taxis with their wives worked at\ fashion houses to make ends meet.

Rappaport emphasizes the before and after contrasts by opening the book during the Belle Epoque. She shows Russian aristocrats using Paris as a playground, with every want or need provided by their wealth. Republican Paris became a Russian colony, an escape from an uncultured Imperial Russia. One of Tsar Nicholas II’s brothers even moved to Paris, transferring his wealth there.

Then the Great War came, followed by the Russian Revolution. Rappaport shows how the Russian nobility, as brave and patriotic as they were indolent, rushed home to Mother Russia to defend her from Germany. Many carried their wealth home to help the state. Battlefield reverses led to military collapse followed by the Revolution. Bolshevik brutality forced aristocrats to flee or die.

Rappaport traces their lives in Revolutionary Russia. Many fled with just the clothes on their backs. Some carried jewels concealed in clothing, yet even these resources provided little relief. Jewelry prices plummeted due to diminished demand and increased supply.

Many retreated to France, where Rappaport explores their lives. Some thrived. Bunin, Chagall, and Stravinsky experienced great success. Others struggled, eking out a precarious exile existence at menial jobs – if they found jobs. Most suffered homesickness, wishing to return home. Many believed their stay in France would be short. All expected Soviet Russia to collapse; some worked towards that goal. No one expected the collapse would not occur until 1991.

“After the Romanovs” is fascinating. Rappaport creates a series of finely detailed portraits of the Russian expatriates. She takes readers into their lives, showing how they carved out new lives in a strange land. It provides a moving account of a people displaced by revolution.

“After the Romanovs: Russian Exiles in Paris from the Belle Epoque through revolution and war,” by Helen Rappaport, St. Martin’s Press, March , 2022, 336 pages.