Tsarina's Daughter

I absolutely adored this book and I would definitely say I love this book as much as the first book about Catherine 1st. I really hope the author writes more books about Russian history because I am gripped and obsessed and I want more!!

Addictive! Cannot put it down. The atmosphere of the age very well recreated

I finished this book to the end as there was something compelling about it. As with the first book by Ellen Alpsten "Tsarina" it has a story line that is richly packed with incidents that seem impossible but a lot of them prove to be true! As I read the book, I kept finding phrases that jarred because they are very modern and to me have no place in a historical novel written in the first person. I wish I had made a note of them at the time because I found some truly shocking. On a quick glance through I re found a few..."bank rolled"-very modern phrase "pawn or player", "for a heartbeat" "in style" and old but not at all Russian "frying pan into the fire!" At every possible opportunity, the Princess points out how sexy her clothing is. Here is an example from the end of the book.........." I stood in the doorway, my cheeks were flushed and the green regimental jacket moulded my body, showing my rosy skin where i had opened it so I could breath more easily" This is someone leading a coup! Having aired these criticisms, I did enjoy the book and look forward to the authors next work.

Having loved the first book in the House of Romanov series Tsarina, The Tsarina's Daughter had a lot to live up to for me, but oh boy, it manages to not only fulfil the promise of book one, but goes leaps and bounds beyond in every regard. This is the story of Tsarevna Elizabeth Petrovna Romanova, daughter of Catherine I and Peter the Great, who only really appears in the first instalment as a child, except for a very late appearance as a wild and wayward character when the succession of Catherine to Tsarina is decided at the end of the book. As in the previous book, this story begins with a pivotal moment for our main character, where the line of succession is being decided, and before we know the outcome Ellen Alpsten weaves her magic by going back to tell us all about the path that has brought Elizabeth to this point in time. What follows in the pages of The Tsarina's Daughter allows us to get to know who she really is and what she must do to survive after the death of her mother, when her destiny as Crown Princess of all the Russias is brutally brought to an end. And so the game of thrones begins once more, as those who should owe her family allegiance take the opportunity to seek to be the power behind the throne, and by throwing the old story of Elizabeth's illegitimacy in her face, manage to engineer the succession of others who promise to be more tractable. If you thought the intrigue and manipulation laid out in Tsarina were spellbinding enough, then hold onto your cossack hats, because this is a book that does not let up for a minute - and there is quite a stream of crafty candidates vying to take the Imperial throne before the wheel of fortune finishes revolving. Being born on the right side of the blanket is the name of the game here, and is much more important that the ability to rule an empire, which after all those who wish to hold the real power will do for themselves, even if madness lies in your inbred bloodline - and anyone with a claim to the throne that rivals their own, has to be very wary indeed. Elizabeth carries the blood of her mother and father in her veins, and as a true Romanov she will do whatever it take to regain her birth right, but her attempts to garner advantage often bring her pain as her air-punching successes are followed by episodes of brutal retaliation and heartache. As those who have left her penniless and at the mercy of their whims empty Russia's coffers in pursuit of vanity projects that will never be completed, amuse themselves with callous acts of folly, and allow their enemies to prowl the borders of the Empire, Elizabeth is forced to watch her country burn, and her people starve. Time and time again, my heart bled for her, and an icy feeling gripped my gut as events played out, as she seemed forever doomed to be friendless and alone - but she knew how to play th...