I love stories about royalty and this one fit the bill. I thought the writing was engaging and it kept me interested. While the dual time line is t always my first choice of narration, it works for this novel. I enjoy historical fiction and this was a good read.

I found this to be quite heavy going but was determined to finish it. It was interesting but not a subject for me I think more so rather than the book.

Thank you for the chance to review this book, however, unfortunately, I was unable to download this title before it was archived

I liked this one, and it was a time period that I haven't read much of.

However, the ending didn't really wrap things up for me as much as I would have liked.

Reyn clumsily parallels two storylines--a contemporary story of a woman Russian art expert preparing what could be a precious Catherine II decoration for auction, while dealing with her whiny, upper-class novelist husband, and the rise of Catherine II herself. It is never clear if the Catherine II chapters are excerpts from the husband's poorly-selling book on her, and to look for congruence about ambitious women in these two narratives is forced and obnoxious.