Too many characters too confusing for me at present didn't enjoy the narrative. Reminded me of layout of Shakespeare Ian novels something that filled me with dread at school.

This book is an epic tale following the many members of the Romanov family and the aristocracy during the Russian Revolution in 1917. Whilst I found the book interesting to read I was expecting more witchcraft from reading the synopsis. I hadn't realised this book was a sequel so I think I would have been better prepared had I read the first one.
However, I did enjoy the book.

Sadly this wasn't the book for me. I didn't like or connect to the characters and couldn't get into the story.

I’ll start by saying the book wasn’t quite what I expected and I didn’t realise there was a book that came before this but I don’t think it’s necessary to read that as this one can work as a standalone. We follow the Romanov family through around a year or so of WW1, finding them first in Petrograd where trouble begins brewing after a very murderous beginning to the story. As the rebels rise and the city falls, the chaos is overwhelming and it seems wild that all of these citizens remained in such a dangerous city where I would totally have been fleeing as quickly as possible. The family are strangely lucky, or not so strangely, if we think too much about that spell book of Militza’s. I was expecting, especially with the title, that witchcraft would be a far more prominent feature in the book but it was mentioned infrequently and Nedezdha’s involvement was even more minimal. I would have liked to see more of this and felt a little bit deceived, since the book was predominantly on historical politics through the eyes of this family of Romanov women and whilst it was interesting, it was long and also really gory. It’s riddled with violence with very jarring descriptions given and it’s quite startling when this element of the novel begins, so brace yourself! There’s also a whole lot of names to keep track of and though there is a glossary of characters at the beginning, I personally find it distracts from the novel and is also more impractical in a digital copy of the book. Finally, since this was a researched book somewhat based on history I would have expected footnotes, or references, to credit some of the sources and so we have an idea where to find out more if we want to.

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

Imogen Edward-Jones' "The Witch's Daughter" is a captivating mix of history and magic set in the intriguing world of Russian witchcraft. Picture Russia during Rasputin's time and the Romanovs' era – it's a fresh and unique spin on fantasy.

What's cool about this book is the way it brings Russia to life with vivid descriptions. You can practically feel the opulence of the Romanov court and sense the chaos of the revolution. The story moves at a good clip, keeping you turning pages, and Nadezhda's journey of self-discovery adds depth to the plot.

The characters, especially strong females like Princess Militza and Nadezhda, steal the show. They're resourceful and resilient in a world gone crazy, making the story engaging.

Imogen Edward-Jones doesn't bog you down with too many historical facts, which is nice. She smoothly weaves in Russian history and culture, giving you the right dose to enjoy the story without feeling overwhelmed.

In a nutshell, "The Witch's Daughter" is a spellbinding mix of history and magic that's a must-read for anyone into Russian witchcraft and history. It's a journey that's both alluring and perilous, and it's bound to leave you eager for more.

The Witch’s Daughter opens in 1916. Rasputin has just been killed by Princess Militza, famed as one of the 'Witches of St Petersburg', and, coincidentally (or maybe not), Russia descends into chaos and violence as revolution ignites. The ruling Romanov family find themselves fighting for their lives as the citizenry, formerly friendly nations and even their own servants turn against them.

Militza and her daughter Nadezhda (the titular Witch’s Daughter) are just two of the book’s lively characters. It’s great to see so many strong female characters. Whether nobility or revolutionary, they don’t simply just make the most of whatever agency has been given to them by their position, but also proactively manufacture opportunities from whatever situation they find themselves in.

The menfolk of the period are certainly present, but very much in the background. Lenin and Trotsky make an appearance, as do various members of the Romanov family. But the most rounded figure is the seemingly bombproof Bertie Stopford (antiques dealer/diplomatic courier/smuggler of valuables/spy). I would have very much liked to know him, though suspect, sadly, that I would have been far too lowly for his crowd.

Edwards-Jones’s familiarity with all things Russian is woven throughout the book, without hitting you over the head with a sledgehammer. This is a period that is completely new to me, and I didn’t feel like I was drowning in facts, nor all at sea in an unfamiliar historical landscape. Occasionally it feels like there is some telling rather than showing, but it does bring readers up to speed quickly and help move the story along.

And the story does rattle at a pace. I read the book on my kindle and was swiping through the pages quickly wanting to know what happened next.

This book follows on from The Witches of St Petersburg, but I didn’t realise this until I was about halfway through. It is completely not necessary to have read the first book before you tackle this one. Though, if you enjoy this one as much as I did, you might want to go back and read it afterwards!

So, my first introduction to the Russian Revolution came through reading Anastasia, one of the Royal Diaries books when I was in high school, and The Witch's Daughter felt like that book, with this overwhelming cloud of foreboding as to what we know is going to happen to the Russian royalty, but with this mature, adult twist.

Starting with the murder of Rasputin and ending with their rescue in Crimea, the book follows the story of Princess Militza and her daughter, Nadezhda, in the last months before the Russian Revolution. I loved the conflicting perspectives, the thorniness of Militza and the slow radicalisation of Nadezhda, and the Revolution in the background. It was thoroughly immersive and factual — loved learning so much more about Russia and the main characters during this time!

The beauty of this book is that it’s written in such a way that I didn’t realise it was a sequel until I read the author’s acknowledgments! This was a beautifully written story but also so informative, it really expresses the chaos and terror of the revolution. I also loved that the author focuses on so many strong female characters. I have now ordered the first book, The Witches of St Petersburg and look forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you to Netgalley, Imogen Edwards-Jones and Aria for this ARC.

Book Review 📚
The Witches Daughter by Imogen Edward-Jones - 4/5 ⭐

Well this was a breath of fresh air. It's not your typical fantasy set it a magical world with magical people. It's in Russia following the life and death of Rasputin. It was oddly wonderful. And to top it off, it's based off face. So your learning along the way.

There are some wonderful descriptions of Russia throughout the story and it really sets the scene for you. It follows straight from the first book without missing crucial information which I adore. Imogen has such a way with words that opens up the world around you, truly imaginative.

I thoroughly enjoyed the story line and the characters, old and new, were as amazing as they are in the first book. It's a beautiful story to follow and really does open your mind to the history of Russia.

Thank you to NetGalley and Aria and Aries for allowing me to read this ARC - this is an HONEST review from my own personal opinion.

An epic story of love, tragedy and the loss of innocence, set against the background of the Russian Revolution after the murder of Rasputin. It is 1916 and Rasputin has finally been killed by those who have long feared his influence over Tsar Nicholas and Tsarina Alexandra. But for Princess Militza, famed as one of the 'Witches of St Petersburg', and her daughter Nadezhda, life is about to become extremely dangerous. Revolution is bubbling and with it will come the murder of the Romanov imperial family. Now the rest of the court is also on the run, fleeing from the mob. Against this violent and turbulent backdrop, Nadezhda, the witch's daughter, finds in exile and captivity, an extraordinary and unlikely love. They say nothing heals like the heart, but as the Red Army marches south and the remnants of the Russian court finds itself trapped in the Crimea, with their backs to the sea, Nadezhda and her beloved Prince Orlov must take the gamble of their lives.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc. Unfortunately I didn’t enjoy this very much, the story didn’t grab me and I kept finding my mind wandering whilst reading. I wasn’t very keen on the writing style either which didn’t flow too well for me. I think this was personal preference and this may be a book that others enjoy

An enjoyable read about Russia, and Rasputin, who forecast that if his death was caused by the nobility then woe betide Russia. This novel was based on historical fact, so I appreciated learning Russian history as I read the novel, I knew some of it, but not as much as I learned from this book. A good read. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for giving me a copy of the book.

I felt a bit out of my depth with this one, I hadn't read the previous book (unfortunately I hadn't known there was one) so felt I'd missed a lot... this book seems to just continue the story.
I enjoyed the writing style, and the story of Russia at war, with itself and others.
Based on true story apparently , people I've never heard of, so I'll take it as a win I learnt a bit about history whilst reading it.

Enjoyable, but I'd say definitely read the first book.