An intriguing, well-documented history of the Russian aristocratic family. From the high life in Belle Epoque Paris through the Bolshevik Revolution, the reader is taken on a historic roller coaster as we witness the lavish Parisian lifestyle where money was no object to the whims and desires of the family. Then we turn to Lenin's rule of "appropriating" the assets of the rich and intellectuals forcing them into menial jobs as punishment for their prior existence. The assumptions of espionage divide and lead to arrests, imprisonment, and eventual execution of family members.

The book reads like a suspenseful novel but this is the Romanov's story. An eventful insight into their history and the history of Russian politics which is so relevant today.

3.75 stars

A well-researched and anecdotal look at the White Russian emigres who fled before, during and after the Russian Revolution. This group included those in line for the throne after the Tsar's murder and a few details of some of the nearly-delusional efforts to reinstate the monarchy.

It's quite a mix, everything from the interesting tidbit of the high percentage of the male Russian aristocracy who ended up as Parisian taxi drivers, to the desirability of the countesses and princesses in the world of Parisian fashion. Some had escaped Russian with their jewels or other assets, but many were reduced to poverty. Great stories of the lucky people who built lavish homes and replicated their upper class lifestyle to those who worked in factories or as seamstresses.

Many artists and creative folk fled, including some very famous names of authors, dancers, painters, poets, composers, and opera singers. It all makes for a very interesting, if sad, read. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was exactly the right time to read this book. The first chapter was about Russians living the high-life in Paris right before the Russian Revolution and that was interesting but I wasn't especially hooked. BUT THEN - the book shifted into the story of the Russian refugees who settled in France due to the revolution and I was fascinated. I feel so much more of a connection to the Ukrainian refugees I see on the news today because I read this book.
Tens of thousands of Russians fled to France in the 1910s and they dealt with common immigrant issues - language, prejudice, building a new life. Some of these refugees, though, were Grand Dukes who survived by driving taxis and Princesses who survived by doing piece work for the Paris fashion houses. I had no idea of what they went through - this was all new to me. I enjoyed reading their stories very much and am so glad I read them right now.

After the Romanovs: Russian Exiles in Paris from the Belle Époque Through Revolution and War by Helen Rappaport is the story of Russians in Paris. Paris has always been the city of culture, fine wine and food, and the latest fashions. It also has also been a refuge for those fleeing persecution. For years, Russian aristocrats had enjoyed all that the City of Lights had to offer. Living lavishly Paris was their home away from home. However, with the rise of the Bolshevik Revolution and the fall of the Romanov dynasty, many Russians came to Paris, some with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Suddenly former princes become taxi drivers, their wives sewing for the fashion houses. It is a story of menial jobs, political plots, espionage and assassination with few success stories while many lived in a cycle of poverty. The one thing that joined them all was love of the land that they were forced to leave behind.
After the Romanovs bring the human stories to the historical events. A very detailed account of those who left Russia, afraid for their lives, while hoping for the chance to bring Russia back to her glory. The interesting aspect of After the Romanovs is the cycle in which people can easily become “enemies.” Vladimir Lenin declared the bourgeois, enemies of the revolutions. But the bourgeois weren’t just the monarchy and the wealthy class but intellectuals, writers, and artists who influenced the country’s culture. Many of these individuals would have been considered “have-nots” but because of their professions, they were now enemies of the revolution. I enjoyed reading what happened to those who fled Russia after the revolution and how they fared. Ms. Rappaport does not shy away from the nit and gritty facts of these individuals’ stories, beliefs and attitudes that contributed to their downfall. If you are interested in this area of history, I highly recommend After the Romanovs.

After the Romanovs:
Russian Exiles in Paris from the Belle Époque Through Revolution and War
is available in hardcover, eBook, and audiobook

I don't often read actual history books, but when I do I always try to find a subject that really interests me.

After the Romanovs is a well done piece of Non-Fiction. You can really tell that the author has researched thoroughly the comings and goings of this time, and the people involved.

I think if you're interested in the Romanovs, Paris, and this time period in general, I would say grab this one and give it a read. It was very interesting to me, although I would say for people to be aware that this does read like a history textbook you would find in school.

Some readers can find that daunting and a little off-putting, but I actually found it really easy to read and it was interesting enough that it was hard to put this one down. I especially loved the very beginning, as the author lists the people involved and gives a short breakdown of who they are. That was extremely helpful.

I sincerely appreciate St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with a review copy. All opinions expressed herein are mine and mine alone.

It's a bad time to be speaking about anything Russian at the moment but I sincerely hope that this book doesn't suffer from the timing of the release because it is excellent. Honestly, I had no clue there were so many Russians who were drawn to Paris but Ms. Rappaport shows that there is a rich history from the Belle Epoque to right around World War II of the Russian presence in France. There is a heavy emphasis on the Russian royalty which is understandable because they were the only people who could afford to travel to France, especially in the pre World War I days. The author's description of the extravagance of the royals kind of makes one understand why the Russian Revolution took place with all of that money wasted on things instead of helping their fellow countrymen. The author also gives an excellent description of the desperation of the people trying to leave Russia after the Revolution and the despair they felt trying to find their way in a new country that didn't always treat them well. I learned a lot from this book about an era I had no idea existed and I enjoyed the excellent writing.

The fall of Tsar Nicholas II and the murder of his family is a well known episode in history. Helen Rappaport’s After the Romanovs explores the lives of Russian royalty prior to the revolution, when Paris was a playground for the elite. Russian culture was brought to France by notables like Diaghilev and his creation of the Ballets Russes and the music of Stravinsky. The amount of money that was spent on jewels and entertainment prior to the Russian Revolution was obscene while the Russian people suffered. After the Revolution fortunes were lost and conditions worsened, forcing the elite to flee Russia. Many were evacuated to Constantinople, which became a major transit area but while allies debated their relocation they were often forced to remain for weeks, forcing them to sell their possessions to support themselves. While France welcomed a number of exiles to fill positions in factories and mines that were vacant after the losses in WWI, they often faced hunger and poverty as they struggled to survive.

There was an incredible number of people who fled Russia. By telling some of the individual stories Rappaport brings a human element to her non-fiction. Grand Duke Paul, the Tsar’s uncle, and his wife Olga had been banished by the Tsar after a scandal. After living in Paris for a number of years, they returned to Russia in 1913, where Paul was later executed along with three of his Romanov relatives. This is the story of Marc Chagall, Sandro, a Grand Duke who lived at the Ritz despite having no money until he was forced to move and the writer Gazdanov who became a taxi driver. It is a fascinating look at history and is highly recommended. I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing this book for my review.

Very interesting book of the Russian influence in Paris in dance and fashion and the different people who were the influencers. Those seeking refuge in Paris after seeking asylum from the Revolution in Russia would take what jobs they could find but we’re still capable of influencing the Parisienne society. They still loved the ballet and fashion and the good food so would do what was necessary to continue these interests.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press for an ARC of this nonfiction book on the aussian immigrants to Paris.
#Netgalley #StMartinsPress

This nonfiction book chronicles the lives of Russian émigrés in Paris, France. The author begins near the end of the Belle Époque when grand dukes and other upper-class Russians frequented the city, spending exorbitant amounts of money on Paris establishments like the Hôtel Ritz and Cartier. During the Russian Revolution, several members of the former ruling class fled to cities like Berlin and Paris. Forced to leave most of their wealth in their homeland, many Russian émigrés found themselves in need of paid employment for the first time in their lives. Although they originally believed this to be a temporary situation, the years stretched into decades and the Russian émigré communities remained.

Although I knew little of the Russian Revolution or the Russian émigré community in Paris, I found the book to be well-researched and interesting.

The timing for this book made a big difference for me. While reading it, I kept thinking of the current situation in Ukraine and all the people who have recently become refugees because of it. Due to this perspective, I found myself more interested in the parts about the general Russian community in France than the parts about specific famous Russian émigrés. If I had read this book several months ago, I may have felt the opposite.

As I write this, the world is watching the human crisis in Ukraine and the millions of refugees pouring over the borders due to the invasion by Russia. Just over a hundred years ago, Russians fled their homeland due to the Revolution. How uncanny these two events take place on such a world stage and create such human upheaval and chaos among the Slavic population of Eastern Europe. That being said, the Revolution refugees from the Bolsheviks read like a who's who of the elite of Russian society, not the mass exodus of today of ordinary peoples. Being driven from your homeland and forced into exile creates a historical refugee drama of immense proportions. After the Romanovs by Helen Rappaport tries to capture the essence of forced relocation and settlement in Paris by Russia's monarchial oligarchy and its artistic community.

Rappaport's work begins with a detailed look of a world of glitz, glamour, obscene wealth, and indulgent lifestyles among Russia's elite in the early 20th century Paris. Their world before the revolution created a dream scape that allowed them to escape the dreariness of Russian winters and growing social discontent. Even Lenin found solace in the beauty of Paris prior to the outbreak of the Great War, one of the more fascinating chapters of the book. Once the war begins and the Bolsheviks topple the tsar and his family, Paris becomes the refuge of these homeless elites and the thousands of others escaping the cruelty and barbaric purges of Lenin and Trotsky's bloodletting of the bourgeoisie. Fleeing across the frozen tundra to the East or packed onto trains to the Crimea, the Russians are often caught in the struggle to stay one step in front of their persecutors. Once they find their way to safety and freedom, life in Paris offers them a home but it is one fraught with peril and often poverty. Their world of riches and privilege is left long behind.

Some of the more fascinating aspects of After the Romanovs are the later chapters in the book. The first few chapters almost bog down in the weight of the minutiae Rappaport includes about the artistic community that thrives in Paris. Honestly, I almost stopped reading the book at this point. But then the chapter on Lenin pops up which provided a really interesting insight into a short time in his life on the eve of the revolution. It also shifts the story from the privileged elite to the pogrom refugees who fled Russia years before. Suddenly Rappaport's narrative changed tone and made for much more interesting reading. No longer is the focus just on the Russian royals and artists indulging their pleasures in the City of Lights. It shifts gears to expose the danger and heartbreak of a war and revolution.

One of the most interesting tales revolves around the Bolsheviks attempts to lure the refugees home with the plan to execute them. Using the government in exile and the remnants of the White Army as their ruse, the Bolsheviks created a false organization to work in collusion with these runaway Russians. Kidnapping, subterfuge, and murder of the refugees by Lenin's agents offered an early look at the future of the NKVD and later the KGB as objects of fear and terror. Here Rappaport's attention to detail really pays off as she draws a withering portrait of the evil intent of the Bolsheviks' revolutionary zeal.

Meticulously researched and written, After the Romanovs provides an uneven but interesting view of a world long gone. By looking at the revolution from the lives of those who fled offers a different historical context often not found in the numerous works devoted to one of the most important events of the 20th century. Theirs is not the view of outsiders looking in at the "evils" of a Communist overthrow but one of those who lost everything to a revolution that stole their lives and homeland forever.

After the Romanovs: Russian Exiles in Paris from the Belle Époque Through Revolution and War written by Helen Rappaport is Historical Non Fiction.
Helen Rappaport has written a history of Russian Aristocrats and others in Paris before and after the socialist takeover and how they lived and survived even in poverty and exile. This book is an interesting history of wealthy and poor Russians' enchanting love affair with Paris, France, and all things French.
The author supplies a list of characters that play important roles in her book and a bibliography for more in depth study. Excellent reference book of European Historical Non Fiction.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I appreciate the opportunity and thank the author and publisher for allowing me to read, enjoy and review this book. 5 Stars

After the Romanovs is a compelling and timely in-depth look at aristocrats and nobility before, during and after the Russian Revolution in 1917. Author Helen Rappaport explains the Russian fascination with France which started in 1717. In the late 19th century obscenely wealthy Russians flocked to Paris and were lauded by awed locals. Also described are those in the arts who became part of the inner circle such as Pablo Picasso and Marcel Proust. Russian concerts and opera as well as philosophy were de rigueur. But the Revolution changed everything...material things became worthless and nobility found themselves in exile. Tsar Nicholas II and his family were barbarically assassinated and others were imprisoned and reduced to extreme poverty. Bolshevik Lenin's goal was to liquidate the Romanovs and therefore in 1918 required all bourgeoise to work, mostly at menial jobs. A few became philanthropists such as Mother Maria Skobtsova who suffered horrors as well.

Travel back home to Russia became impossibly risky for many and the suicide rate in Paris skyrocketed due to desperate homesickness and extreme poverty. A few were welcomed back such as Leo Tolstoy. But others in desperation sold precious jewels and clothing for figs, fresh water or a loaf of bread. The book continues through WWII and after. So much sadness.

The list of characters at the front of the book is a very handy reference. Stories are harrowing and heartbreaking. I was able to connect many dots after reading this and had many aha moments. If you are at all intrigued by the Romanovs or life during that era, do pick this up.

My sincere thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this gripping book.

3.5 stars, rounded down to 3.

This is one of those books one does not simply read straight through on a rainy afternoon It's a bit textbookish, but reads surprisingly easily at the same time--it's just _dense_, with a ton of characters! LOL!

I have long been fascinated by Russia and its history, and this overall is a welcome addition to the genre. It provides a fresh take on an aspect of Russian history I really wasn't familiar with, and enjoyed learning about--to a point, heh. The downside for me was just the, shall we say, colorful relations that many historical figures partook in. Passing reference is one thing, but after a while I just personally got to the point of saying "enough!"

Rappaport is evidently well versed in the topic and a talented researcher and historian. (I geekily appreciate her use of the "ts" spelling in "tsar" and "tsaritsa," rather than "cz"--a preference I developed while taking Russian-language classes in college.)

Certainly a helpful read when needed; probably not one I'd pick up, as mentioned, on a lazy afternoon, but sheds light on both the good and the bad of the time. I learned a lot!

I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Paris has been a place of great culture and wine for many centuries. Not as well known is that fact that many people have found refuge from their countries that have exiled them. or where they are in danger. Many Russian exiles spent time and LOTS of money there. They lived and worked there, some thrived, some did not. This is the story of those people and that time.

After years of upheaval, with the Bolsheviks taking power, over a million people fled Russia. It was daunting and, for many, harrowing. Large numbers of these refugees ended up in Paris. Helen Rappaport examines how they dealt with life economically, politically, philosophically. The book mainly concerns aristocrats, artists and writers. More than once Rappaport points to a lack of sources for individual histories of the working class immigrants, but does not ignore them. The resulting account highlights how every large scale refugee event is both unique and universal. Immigrants cluster together. They find work in specific occupations. They work to both fit in and uphold their own traditions and culture. And they endure discrimination and hostility. This book is very well researched and well written. I found it fascinating.

One reason this book sparked my interest was my Russian history professor who, as a child, had left Russia through the Caucasus as one of the million. Awareness of the connection with the wider history of refugees was the memory of my parents sponsoring two of my grandmother's brothers as Displaced Persons from Lithuania after WWII.(No, I'm not young.) I finished reading the book about two days before Russia invaded Ukraine, sending another million to uneasy lives.

Some would say that I am a bit too obsessed with the Romanov family so when this was offered to my by the publisher, I knew I wanted to read it. And I am so glad I did! So many books are focused on Tsar Nicholas II but rarely are the other players are court discussed (at least what I have read!). I thought this was a really well researched detailed account about their time in Paris and I really enjoyed reading how each person came to call that area their home. I have always wondered what happened to the other people are royal court when the assassination happened so I am grateful that Helen Rappaport made me not have to look any further! Thank you for a terrific read.

I have read her three pervious books about the Romanovs and knew that I had to read this one, as well. I wasn't disappointed. To go from a gilded life to poverty overnight, escaping Russia with just the shirt on your back and to arrive in Paris which, in your past life, had been a favorite vacation spot, and to have to find work of any kind just to survive. Such culture shock for so many and it took a heavy toll on them. The contrast of Paris in the 1920's through the 1930's with the Belle Epoque and Jazz Age set against their sudden poverty is heartbreaking. Helen Rappaport brings this period alive in a very readable style and I can easily recommend it to anybody who enjoys reading history. It's a must read.
My thanks to the publisher, St. Martin's Press and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I struggled with this book. There was too many facts too close together for me to feel that there was a comprehensive story. I felt overwhelmed. And I often got lost. The facts were interesting, and I learned about post Bolshevik Revolution Russians. Possibly for a Russian scholar this will be a great book that as a newcomer I felt completely overwhelmed and lost and I had a hard time with it.

DNF @ 25%. There's a plethora of solid information in here, but it felt like I was reading a history textbook. Russian history buffs will certainly enjoy this.

I admit that I didn't fully understand what this book was when I requested it. For that reason I will keep my review local as I wouldn't want to affect the ratings on Goodreads. Having said that, if I loved the Romanovs, I would love this book. It is clearly well-researched and the amount of information available is extremely impressive. It was very interesting and there was a lot I had no idea about- especially about the link with Paris. Honestly, my only complaint is that it felt dry... but I feel that way about most nonfiction books :)

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.