Rasputin: The Downfall of the Romanovs

by Antony Beevor

"A beautifully written, clear-eyed biography of a very Russian tragedy.”—Dan Jones, The Sunday Times

From one of our most acclaimed historians, a major new biography of one of history’s most disturbing, dubious masterminds, showing how a Siberian peasant, through his seduction of the imperial household, contributed to the collapse of the greatest autocracy in the world

When Russia's Dowager Empress was pregnant with the future Tsar, she dreamed that a peasant would one day kill her son. The idea terrified her, and for the rest of her days she 'lived under the pressure of the prophecy'. Did the prophecy come true with the arrival at court of a mysterious, barely literate moujhik from Siberia, Grigori Rasputin?

In this extraordinary portrait of an enigmatic character, Antony Beevor brings readers closer than ever before to Rasputin’s scandalous life and death. Though he had no official position at court, Rasputin’s hold over the Romanovs became the stuff of legend. Exaggerated accounts of political and financial corruption swirled around him, to say nothing of the stories of his debauchery with the Empress and even her daughters. The consequences of the rumor and conspiracy theories were devastating—when the February revolution broke out in 1917, hardly a sword was raised in the Tsar’s defense.

Through extensive use of previously unpublished reports, interviews, and interrogations, Beevor shows the truth of Rasputin’s rampant lust and opportunism, victimization of poor and vulnerable women, and deep hypocrisy and corruption. Part political thriller, part gothic mystery, Rasputin is a fascinating story of human perversity.

*Includes a downloadable PDF featuring a map of the Russian Empire and a selection of historical photographs and illustrations

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography, Russia, Audiobook, Russian History, European History

Audible Audio

First published April 14, 2026

About the author

Sir Antony James Beevor is a British military historian. He has published several popular historical works, mainly on the Second World War, the Spanish Civil War, and most recently the Russian Revolution and Civil War.
Educated at Abberley Hall School, Winchester College, and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Beevor commanded a troop of tanks in the 11th Hussars in Germany before deciding in 1970 to leave the army and become a writer. He was a visiting professor at Birkbeck, University of London, and the University of Kent. His best-selling books, Stalingrad (1998) and Berlin: The Downfall 1945 (2002), have been acclaimed for their detailed coverage of the battles between the Soviet Union and Germany, and their focus on the experiences of ordinary people. Berlin proved very controversial in Russia because of the information it contained from former Soviet archives about the mass rapes carried out by the Red Army in 1945.
Beevor's works have been translated into many languages and have sold millions of copies. He has lectured at numerous military headquarters, staff colleges and establishments in Britain, the US, Europe, and Australia. He has also written for many major newspapers.

Reviews

[Janine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a bit of a history nerd and am particularly interested in the period of the last Russian tsar, Nicholas II - Robert Massie’s dual biography, Nicholas and Alexandria, remains a top favorite read. The author of this book is a distinguished historian so I was thrilled to gain access to this ARC (thank you NetGalley and Viking Penguin Press - my thanks).

As Beevor writes in his Introduction, this is “not a conventional biography” but rather serves to focus on “the no-man’s land between truth and myth, [and] between fact and fiction.” As the book details there is so much misinformation and disinformation, it’s often impossible for the real Rasputin to emerge. Beevor has drawn from Russian archives “previously unpublished reports, interviews, and interrogations.” As you read, indeed, this is less about the man but about others thoughts of the man and how that impacted a diseased and morally corrupt nation.

The family under the influence of Alexandra was isolated and her influence was more extensive than I realized from previous books. Nicholas was just not tsar material - I kept thinking of Louis XVI who too just wanted a simple life. Then all the sycophants in the background didn’t help much. Rasputin was a disgusting human and he milked every advantage he had but that Alexandra could not lose him for the life her child is perhaps understandable, but it brought with it the conspiracy theories that feasted on a family’s suffering. I did learn a lot of new things in this book that I think helped me see the Romanovs more clearly.

Beevor is a wonderful writer - this is the first book I read by him. He brings history to life in his writing. I couldn’t put the book down. I will definitely be adding this to my history book collection so I can re-read it.

Highly recommend.

[Chloe · Rating 4 out of 5]

May he rest in pieces

[Costantino Andrea De Luca · Rating 4 out of 5]

È difficile scrivere una biografia di Rasputin, perché quasi tutto ciò che sappiamo sul celebre mistico siberiano è un groviglio di storia e leggenda.

Beevor ha fatto un buon lavoro, realizzando un'opera piacevole da leggere e supportata da una valida bibliografia.

L'unica pecca rilevante del libro è la sua eccessiva brevità. Alcuni capitoli sono troppo riassuntivi e non permettono di immergersi completamente nella corte imperiale russa.

Inoltre non ho compreso la decisione di fermarsi alla rivoluzione di febbraio, menzionando solo di sfuggita l'assassinio dei Romanov. Ho trovato il finale un po' frettoloso.

Nel complesso risulta comunque un saggio godibile e istruttivo.

[Robert Lambregts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ik ben echt super enthousiast over dit boek. Antony Beevor heeft al eerder prachtig werk afgeleverd, maar Raspoetin is weer echt een meesterwerk. Het is een biografie, maar hij schrijft zelf al dat het een niemandsland is tussen waarheid en mythe en feit en fictie. Vaak bij het schrijven van een biografie is dat het geval, maar in het geval van Raspoetin doen er zoveel verhalen en geruchtende ronde, dat er eigenlijk geen duidelijk overzicht is te maken van de echte waarheid. Foto's en diverse bronnen hebben Beevor in ieder geval in staat gesteld dit overzicht te schrijven.
En die disclaimer is dan wel terecht, maar doet het boek zeker niet af, want wat een verhaal, dat verweven is met het leven van de laatste tsaar van het Russische rijk, maar zeker niet alleen daarover gaat. De rol van Raspoeting, die van echtgenote Alexandra en anderen was behoorlijk intens, maar het mag wel duidelijk zijn dat de titeldrager van dit boek zeker geen lieverdje was. Als hij ergens zijn gram kon halen deed hij dat wel en dat maakt het boek ook wel pittig leesvoer, want wat kan een mens toch naar zijn.
Dit is een boek wat me lang zal bijblijven, wat me zeker meer informatie heeft gegeven over de Romanov's die ik nog verder hoop uit te diepen en ik vind de toevoeging van de foto's en de bronnenlijst erg prettig omdat ik nu weer nieuw leesvoer heb ontdekt.
Dit boek is 5 dikke sterren voor mij. Ik had hoge verwachtingen, maar die zijn ook allemaal waargemaakt.

[F.R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Manages to capture the shambling, chaotic and disturbing presence of Rasputin, while also showing just how mesmeric he was to some people - particularly, and most damagingly, the Romanovs. Given the vast disparities in Russian society, a revolution was probably inevitable. But timing is everything, and Rasputin's presence and his advice helped ensure the revolution took place then, with massive consequences for us thereafter.

[Adii (adiiturnsapage) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was giddy and jumping with joy when I received this book, the history geek that I am 😀 I had watched a lot of documentaries about the Russian revolution and Rasputin, but reading a narration by an expert was a different experience altogether.

Grigory Rasputin was arguably the ultimate wild card of history. He wasn’t a politician, a general, or even a nobleman. In fact, he was a barely literate peasant from the Siberian wilderness with zero official power. He wasn’t trying to start a revolution, either - he was actually a die-hard fan of Tsar Nicholas II, and a monarchist.

Yet, despite having no "real" authority, he managed to charm and manipulate his way into the heart of the Russian royal family. This strange, hypnotic influence did more to topple the mighty Russian Empire than any rebel army ever could. This man was unique', observed one writer. 'Like a character out of a novel, he lived in legend, he died in legend, and his memory is cloaked in legend.'

Antony Beevor is a wonderful writer, and writes with great confidence and authority. He made this history book extremely interesting and unputdownable, bringing the past to life. Indeed a rewarding piece of work. This is a must read for history lovers but I would caution others...this can be a rather heavy read.

Rated: 4.5/5

[Matti Sjöstedt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Antony Antony Beevor’s Rasputin: The Downfall of the Romanovs is undoubtedly a rewarding work for readers with a strong interest in history, yet for the general audience it may prove rather heavy going.

Beevor introduces a continuous stream of secondary characters, many of whom appear only briefly and whose names are difficult to retain, especially as not all of them are easy to trace within the book’s structure. A more selective approach might have allowed greater space for deeper characterisation of the central figures, while improving the overall readability.

For that reason, I would hesitate to recommend Rasputin as a first choice for readers who lack prior familiarity with Russian history and the complex events of the late imperial period.

[Kieran · Rating 5 out of 5]

First history book I've read which is both interesting but also reads like a story. While this book doesn't bring anything new or surprising in showing this was a seriously messed up guy, it goes into great detail to show just how deeply embedded he managed to burrow himself in the autocracy.

Despite hatred of Rasputin being endemic from the swathes of Empire to those close to the tsar in the upper echelons of government, the tsar refused to rid himself of this parasite. Saw a lot of parallels with certain figures in today's politics, where despite the majority hating these rogue characters influencing the ruling class, they are backed up until it is too late

[Phil Brett · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have enjoyed Anthony Beevor’s Second World War histories - especially ‘Stalingrad’ but this wasn’t in the same league.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every historical subject Anthony Beevor takes on he exceeds expectations. His novel on Rasputin and the downfall of the Romanov’s in my opinion is one of his best writings. Rasputin has always been a huge mystery of a figure in the history of Russia. It’s hard to believe a simple peasant could become such a legend in the Romanov court with the ability to influence the Tsar and Tsaritsa decision making on many matters. Beevor’s storytelling is able to bring to life how dependent the Romanov’s were on Rasputin’s seemingly holy ordained ability to keep their son Nicholas who was afflicted with hemophilia alive. It is amazing what a mother will be able to accept and not question for the wellbeing of their children.
I have to admit, Beevor had me laughing at times with the wild behavior of Rasputin and the attempts of those who tried to remove Rasputin from his proximity to the power he held over Russia. Ultimately Rasputin’s fate came to be and so too the Romanov dynasty.
Thank you, to NetGalley, Anthony Beevor and Viking an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC for providing this ARC for review.

[Margo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC - I've read a fair few books on the Russian Revolution, and took some coursework for my undergrad on the subject, and while Rasputin's influence has been touched on, it's never been to as much depth and detail as this book. I liked the switch between Rasputin chapters and wider Russian history, policy, and society as the book progressed, particularly in relation to Nicholas II and Alexandra's delusions, beliefs in divine right and supreme monarchy, and their foibles in failing to relate to the Russian people (peasants, workers, soldiers, and nobility) in both peacetime and in the Russo-Japanese War and World War I. While the book ends with Rasputin's assassination and the immediate aftermath, including the February Revolution and the Tsar's family's initial imprisonment in their palace, it leaves off before the full revolution and their ultimate demise. That said, I particularly enjoyed the insight into the widespread hatred of Rasputin and his effects on Alexandra and Nicholas II, and how this hatred drove the assassination plot as well as increased the dissatisfaction and disillusionment that led to the Russian Revolution. Very solid reading for those interested in the period.

[Jill Crosby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly-researched presentation of the contributions made by the Mad Monk of Russia, Grigory Rasputin, on the fall of the 300-year-old Romanov dynasty and the rise of communism in Russia.

[Rosalie Tengey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not knowing much about this part of history, it is a very interesting read. I particularly appreciated that Beevor often mentioned different recorded accounts and why one was a more plausible truth over others.

With any such history book, the amount of people mentioned in the book is immense and sometimes confusing. However, overall it was very well put together.

[Desirae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading Rasputin: The Downfall of the Romanovs felt less like reading a conventional biography and more like watching an empire rot from the inside. Antony Beevor does not simply tell the story of Grigori Rasputin; he reconstructs the atmosphere of paranoia, desperation, superstition, and decay that consumed the final years of the Romanov dynasty. What makes the book so compelling is that Beevor never treats Rasputin as a cartoon villain or mystical sorcerer. Instead, he presents him as a deeply contradictory man whose presence exposed all the weaknesses already festering within imperial Russia. By the end of the book, Rasputin almost feels less like a man and more like a symptom of a dying monarchy.

One of the strongest aspects of the book is Beevor’s portrayal of the relationship between Rasputin, Tsar Nicholas II, Tsarina Alexandra, and their children. Alexandra emerges as perhaps the most tragic figure in the entire narrative. Beevor makes it painfully clear that her attachment to Rasputin came from terror and maternal desperation more than political calculation. The Romanovs’ only son, Alexei, suffered from hemophilia, and every injury threatened his life. Rasputin’s apparent ability to calm the boy during his bleeding episodes transformed him into something sacred in Alexandra’s eyes. Whether his healing powers were psychological, spiritual, or simply coincidence mattered less than the fact that he seemed to help when doctors could not.

Beevor does an excellent job showing how this emotional dependency became politically catastrophic. Alexandra’s faith in Rasputin evolved into absolute trust. She believed he had been sent by God to protect both her son and the dynasty itself. That belief poisoned the monarchy from within because anyone who criticized Rasputin automatically became an enemy in Alexandra’s eyes. Nicholas II appears weak throughout the book, not cruel or unintelligent, but indecisive and incapable of understanding how badly Rasputin’s presence damaged public confidence in the throne. The tragedy is that Nicholas genuinely loved his family and wanted to protect them, yet his inability to separate private loyalty from public duty accelerated the collapse of his empire.

The sections involving the Romanov children are especially haunting because Beevor emphasizes how insulated and emotionally fragile their world had become. Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia, and Alexei are not treated as distant historical symbols but as children trapped inside a political nightmare they barely understood. Rumors spread through Russian society that Rasputin had seduced Alexandra and even the daughters, allegations that Beevor repeatedly stresses were unfounded but devastating nonetheless. In an autocracy built on mystique and divine authority, scandal could be fatal. The more salacious the rumors became, the weaker the monarchy appeared.

What struck me most while reading the book was Beevor’s argument that perception ultimately mattered more than reality. Rasputin did not personally destroy Russia, but the myths surrounding him destroyed trust in the Romanovs. Even those who never met him became convinced that the empire was being controlled by a drunken peasant mystic and a hysterical empress. Beevor repeatedly returns to the idea that conspiracy theories and gossip can reshape history as powerfully as armies or revolutions. That theme gives the book a disturbingly modern feeling.

The account of Rasputin’s murder is the centerpiece of the book and reads like gothic horror. Beevor strips away some of the mythology while preserving the sheer madness of the event itself. Prince Felix Yusupov and his fellow conspirators believed they were saving Russia by eliminating Rasputin. Their plot was born from panic. By late 1916, many aristocrats and politicians had become convinced that Rasputin’s influence over Alexandra was destroying the government and sabotaging the war effort. Ministers were constantly dismissed and replaced in what became known as “ministerial leapfrog,” leaving the state paralyzed.

The murder sequence unfolds with incredible tension. Rasputin is lured to Yusupov’s palace, poisoned, shot, beaten, and ultimately dumped into the freezing river. Beevor carefully distinguishes between legend and documented fact, but he also understands why the story became mythologized almost instantly. Rasputin’s apparent refusal to die transformed him into something supernatural in the public imagination. The conspirators believed they had removed the source of Russia’s sickness, yet the assassination accomplished almost nothing politically. Instead of stabilizing the monarchy, it revealed just how desperate and fractured the ruling elite had become.

The most devastating part of the book is the sense of inevitability that follows Rasputin’s death. His murder came too late. Beevor argues convincingly that the monarchy had already lost the confidence of the military, the aristocracy, and the public. The rot had spread too far. Rasputin became the lightning rod for every fear and grievance consuming wartime Russia, but removing him could not restore faith in Nicholas and Alexandra.

What follows is tragic in the purest sense because the Romanovs never seem to grasp the danger until it is unavoidable. Nicholas abdicates. The family is placed under house arrest. The daughters sew jewels into their clothing in hopes of preserving something for the future. Alexei remains frail and sick. Through all of it, there is still a strange innocence surrounding them. Beevor portrays them not as monsters but as profoundly unequipped rulers trapped by their own blindness and privilege.

Knowing the family’s fate makes these final chapters almost unbearable. The execution of the Romanovs in 1918 feels like the final echo of Rasputin’s murder. Violence, conspiracy, fear, and fanaticism consume everyone involved. The same atmosphere of hysteria and distrust that elevated Rasputin eventually destroys the monarchy itself. The old imperial Russia dies alongside the family in that cellar in Ekaterinburg, and the Bolshevik future rises from the ruins.

What I admired most about Beevor’s writing is that he never reduces history to inevitability. He constantly reminds the reader that individual choices mattered. Nicholas could have distanced himself from Rasputin. Alexandra could have recognized the damage being done. The aristocracy could have reformed the system before revolution became unavoidable. Instead, everyone clung to illusions until the entire structure collapsed.

In the end, Rasputin: The Downfall of the Romanovs is not just about one infamous mystic. It is about how empires collapse when rulers lose the trust of their people, when rumor becomes more powerful than truth, and when private desperation overtakes public responsibility. Beevor captures both the humanity and the horror of the Romanovs’ final years with remarkable clarity. The result is a fascinating, disturbing, and deeply sad portrait of a family — and a nation — walking blindly toward catastrophe.

[Ken Sampson · Rating 4 out of 5]

[17 May 2026] This is a meticulously researched history of a fascinating period in Russian history - it is well written and overall a very easy read. We have all heard the story of the relationship between Rasputin - the mad monk and the Russian Royal family, but this book brings alive the complex dynamic in such a clear and well explained way. The author interweaves the domineering Tsarina, the fascinating and weak Tsar, both overwhelmed by World events bigger than themselves. Then there was the sadness of the failure to produce a healthy heir with their associated guilt and shame for their perceived failure. Rasputin grasped his opportunity and Inveigled his way into the mind of the Tsarina and to a lesser extent the Tsar. This distorted the process of government and led to disastrous consequences.

Rasputin's life is pieced together from a wide range of sources and various theories are explored. His degenerate nature, his alcohol use, his indiscriminate sexual activity and his need for control of others are well set out. For the first time, how the Russian revolution emerges is described in such a different way. It is interesting and informative. The chapters are short and the narrative pace is good. The Russian names are difficult at times and with no family tree the multiple Grand Dukes got confusing. If you are interested in how Russia slide into revolution this is a good place to start, it is just so incredibly sad that over a hundred years later this wonderful country is still ruled by a dictator.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anthony Beevor’s Rasputin: The Downfall of the Romanovs doesn't just retell the legend of Rasputin. Instead, it reframes him within the larger unraveling of imperial Russia. What emerges isn’t the exaggerated “mad monk” of popular imagination, but a far more complicated figure: charismatic, erratic, opportunistic, and ultimately shaped by the instability around him as much as he shaped it.

What makes this book stand out is its perspective. Beevor doesn’t treat Rasputin as the singular cause of the Romanovs’ collapse. Instead, he situates him within a court already riddled with dysfunction, paranoia, and poor leadership. Rasputin’s influence feels less like an anomaly and more like an inevitability: someone was bound to fill that vacuum.

The narrative carries a sense of inevitability throughout, as if the empire is quietly cracking long before it finally breaks. Rasputin’s presence intensifies the drama, but it also highlights just how fragile the system had become. The result is less a character study and more an autopsy of a dying regime, with Rasputin as both participant and symbol of its decline.

In the end, the book leaves you with a clear impression: Rasputin didn’t bring down the Romanovs on his own. The man simply revealed how little was holding them up in the first place.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Adii (adiiturnsapage) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was giddy and jumping with joy when I received this book, the history geek that I am 😀 I had watched a lot of documentaries about the Russian revolution and Rasputin, but reading a narration by an expert was a different experience altogether.

Grigory Rasputin was arguably the ultimate wild card of history. He wasn’t a politician, a general, or even a nobleman. In fact, he was a barely literate peasant from the Siberian wilderness with zero official power. He wasn’t trying to start a revolution, either - he was actually a die-hard fan of Tsar Nicholas II, and a monarchist.

Yet, despite having no "real" authority, he managed to charm and manipulate his way into the heart of the Russian royal family. This strange, hypnotic influence did more to topple the mighty Russian Empire than any rebel army ever could. This man was unique', observed one writer. 'Like a character out of a novel, he lived in legend, he died in legend, and his memory is cloaked in legend.'

Antony Beevor is a wonderful writer, and writes with great confidence and authority. He made this history book extremely interesting and unputdownable, bringing the past to life. Indeed a rewarding piece of work. This is a must read for history lovers but I would caution others...this can be a rather heavy read.

Rated: 4.5/5

[Matias Myllyrinne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beevor does what good historians do and too few popular ones manage: he separates what actually happened from what was merely whispered, while still letting you hear the whispers. The orgies with the Empress, the bedroom hold over the daughters, the German-spy theories — he lays out the rumours clearly enough that you understand why a country lost its mind, then methodically shows which were inventions, which were exaggerations of something real, and which were the work of Rasputin’s own boasting. His argument, in the end, is that the myth mattered more than the man. Fake news, a century early, with a body count.


The harder part of the book is not Rasputin. It is the Romanovs. Page after page, chapter after chapter of superstition, snobbery, and serene incompetence. Nicholas was out of his depth on day one and never climbed out. Alexandra’s grip on reality was tenuous well before Rasputin arrived to make it worse. They surrounded themselves with mystics, ignored ministers who told them anything inconvenient, and treated the war and their own people with the same vague disdain. Superstitious, superficial, arrogant, and genuinely dim — a combination that historically does not end with the family keeping its heads, and didn’t here either. They shot themselves, their dynasty, and their country in the foot, repeatedly, and looked surprised each time.


What is striking, reading it now, is that there is almost no one in the entire cast you would want to sit next to at dinner, let alone follow. The court is venal, the would-be reformers are weak, the assassins are buffoons, the revolutionaries waiting in the wings are worse. Beevor doesn’t editorialise, which makes the effect stronger. You close the book understanding exactly how an empire of that size collapsed without a sword raised in its defence — because by 1917 there was nobody left worth defending.

A clear-eyed, well-sourced, often grimly funny book. Recommended, with the caveat that you will not emerge admiring anyone.

[Ravi Mahajan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice, succinct review of the highly controversial Rasputin. Like his other books Antony Beevor manages to distill events into neat sequences and the best part is that he reduces the myths, especially those surrounding Rasputin's death into practical and explainable facts. Good book for those who want history without the hysteria though I suspect understanding the atmosphere of that time is not easy and you often question why people behaved the way they did. Books like this act like a clear window, they show what happened and partially explain facts but don't fully capture the mood or the emotions.

[Alexandra - Alexs books and socks]

What can I say, die Raspoetin. Wat was me dat allemaal, en dan dat hof… niet moeilijk dat menig mens er niet over uitgeschreven geraakt. Antony Beevor schreef met dit boek een heel makkelijk en vlot leesbaar boek dat je regelmatig zal laten fronsen.

Eén boek voor eender wie zich al eens interesseert in de geschiedenis en nu eindelijk eens klaar en duidelijk wil weten hoe het toch kan dat de tsaar en de tsarina zó geloofden in Raspoetin. Korte review maar met de duidelijke boodschap om dit boek te lezen.

[Revy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating look at the man who shook Tsarist Russia to its core, exposing the weaknesses of the aristocracy and, arguably, beginning its downfall. Told with great enthusiasm - history like this always kind of feels like watching a bad sitcom and I kind of live for that.

Overall an excellent history book.

[Diana Willemsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tja. Wat kan ik zeggen. Deze biografie kwam niet overeen met de wikipediapagina van Raspoetin. Of de boeken ik eerder heb gelezen. Dat kan natuurlijk het gevolg zijn van onderzoek en nieuwe feiten. Helaas heb ik het boek geluisterd en heb geen kijk op de eventueel gebruikte bronnen.

De auteur is militair historicus, maar hij richt is vooral op relaties en heeft de gewoonte om vrouwen in bepaald daglicht te zetten: Lichamelijke aantrekkelijk is blijkbaar heel belangrijk. En het niet hebben (of niet meer) ervan is een teken aan de wand. Gezien de achtergrond van de auteur had ik liever gehad dat hij zich meer had gericht op de oorlogen waarop Raspoetin blijkbaar zijn stempel heeft weten te drukken. Hoe zat dat precies? Hoe werkte het tsaristische leger? Etc.

2,5 ster.

[Susan Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rounding up from 3.5 stars. Russian history fascinates me since the days of Professor Cecil’s classes at W & L. Perhaps because there are many unknowns on Rasputin, the subtitle, Downfall of the Romanovs, is more accurate than the title, Rasputin.

[Robert Kingston · Rating 3 out of 5]

Weird guy!

[David Wasley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tsar Nicholas ll and his wife Alexandra were certainly besotted with Rasputin. This had disastrous consequences. Yet the book does not delve deeply into why they were so obsessed.

[Dag Erik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Legende

[Doug Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

You can tell Beevor wrote this one while he was writing his 2022 account of the Russian Civil War and it’s a nice compliment. But it’s more like his History of the Spanish Civil War - a somewhat dry series of facts, anecdotes, and re-constructed events - than his WWII books which have more analysis and insight. It would have been cool to get the author’s perspective on the role the main characters played - The Empress, The Tsar - and which could have been different if they’d made better choices. Instead we get just a litany of facts, which is not uninteresting but leaves something to be desired.

[Christine Sampson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well known story encompassing intrigue, idiocy and the fall of the Romanov dynasty ably aided and abetted by one Rasputin. Although the history is well known the reader can’t but help silently shout ‘ oh for god’s sake Nicholas get a grip’. A good insight into the psychology of the Russian people and why history keeps repeating itself there.

[Richard Ströberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Som i en rysk 1800-talsroman förvirras jag av att egennamn, släktnamn, titlar och smeknamn blandas huller om buller men annars är det en intressant bok som ger Rasputin åtminstone lite återupprättelse.

[Shannon Cilento · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

Another hit from prolific historian Antony Beevor! In Rasputin: The Downfall of the Romanovs, historian Antony Beevor once again proves why he is one of the most compelling narrative historians writing today. Rather than leaning into the mythology that has long surrounded Grigori Rasputin, Beevor grounds the story in political instability, family dysfunction and the very human vulnerabilities that allowed Rasputin to gain such extraordinary influence over the Romanov family.

One of the most striking themes in this book is how the lack of medical knowledge at the time left even the most powerful people in the world searching for answers in mysticism and spiritualism. Reading about the desperation surrounding the illness of Tsarevich Alexei, I was reminded of the storyline involving King George in Bridgerton’s Queen Charlotte arc (a very millennial take, I know)…the sense that when science fails, people will turn to anyone who promises hope. Alexandra’s guilt over passing hemophilia to her son made her especially vulnerable, and Beevor shows how figures like Rasputin, and earlier advisers such as Philippe, were able to step into that void.

Beevor also does an excellent job providing the broader historical context of the early 1900s, showing that the Romanov dynasty was already under immense strain from political unrest, war, and internal dysfunction long before Rasputin entered the picture. In many ways, the family did not become unstable because of Rasputin. Rather, their instability made them susceptible to him. His presence exposed and deepened cracks that were already there.

What I appreciated most is that Beevor avoids portraying Rasputin as a supernatural figure or prophetic legend. Instead, he presents him as a man who became “cloaked in legend,” a phrase that feels especially relevant in modern times. It brought to mind the way contemporary figures (cough cough Epstein) can become mythologized in the public imagination, when in reality they are simply human beings making conscious choices, sometimes harmful ones, that affect others in very real ways.

This book is a fascinating and unsettling, look at the final years of the Romanovs, and another excellent work from one of the most reliable historians writing today. Highly recommended for readers interested in Russian history, royal biography, and the psychology of power.

Thank you to NetGalley and Viking Penguin for the advance copy of this book in exchange for honest review.