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Alexandra: The Last Tsarina
Tsarina Alexandra-hauntingly beautiful, melancholy, obsessed with the occult-was blamed by her contemporaries for the downfall of the Romanovs. But her true nature has eluded previous biographers. Using archival material unavailable before the fall of the Soviet Union, acclaimed historian Carolly Erickson's masterful study brings to life the full dimensions of the Empress's singular psychology: her childhood bereavement, her long struggle to marry Nicholas, the anguish of her pathological shyness, and her increasing dependence on a series of occult mentors, the most notorious of whom was Rasputin. With meticulous care, Erickson has crafted an intimate and richly detailed portrait of an enigmatic historical figure. Unfolding against the turbulent backdrop of Russian history in the last decades before the Revolution of 1917, this engrossing biography draws the reader in to Alexandra's isolated, increasingly troubled interior world. In these pages, the tsarina ceases to be a remote historical figure and becomes a character who lives and breathes.
Intimate, rich in detail, carefully researched and informed by a generous imagination, Erickson's page-turning account of Alexandra and her times is a gem of biographical storytelling, as vivid and hard to put down as an enthralling novel.
Intimate, rich in detail, carefully researched and informed by a generous imagination, Erickson's page-turning account of Alexandra and her times is a gem of biographical storytelling, as vivid and hard to put down as an enthralling novel.
384 pages, Paperback
First published September 5, 2000
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About the author
Carolly Erickson
32 books708 followersDistinguished historian Carolly Erickson is the author of The Hidden Diary of Marie Antoinette, The First Elizabeth, Great Catherine, Alexandra and many other prize-winning works of fiction and nonfiction. She lives in Hawaii.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/caroll...
http://us.macmillan.com/author/caroll...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 114 reviews
July 11, 2013
When it comes to Russian history, my knowledge base is not so much "spotty" as it is "basically nonexistent." I read a biography of Catherine the Great last year, which was the first non-fiction Russian history book I had ever read. Alexandra: The Last Tsarina was the second, and before that my only source for information about the Romanovs came from the Royal Diaries series (the Anastasia one was really good, though) and one historic fiction book about them that I read in middle school. Add to that a National Geographic article that I read back when the Romanov remains had been found and identified, and there you have the entire breadth of my Romanov knowledge prior to reading this book.
So in that sense, I appreciated this book because just about every piece of information presented was new to me, and I was glad to finally learn something real about this doomed family. As the title suggests, Alexandra is the focus of the book - it begins with her childhood when she lost her parents at a young age, then we get a bit about her education and some of her family drama (including her grandmother, Queen Victoria), and then her extended courtship with Nicholas and how she became the empress of Russia. Throughout the book, Erickson describes Nicholas's attempts to rule effectively, Alexandra's increasing unpopularity with the Russian people, the wars and growing discontent, and Alexandra's attempts to control her husband's policies (with the assistance of Rasputin, of course). It's all good information, and the story was able to keep me interested throughout - the last few chapters are especially engrossing, just because of how goddamn sad they are. You're reading about the imperial family being held under house arrest, constantly being threatened by their own guards and thinking they'll be killed any second, and then England is like, "Yeah, you guys can totally have asylum here! We're sending a ship next week!" and then the next second the English prime minister realizes that that's actually a really bad idea and that he won't send a ship to rescue the family, but no one tells them that, and then their guards are all, "We're going to Siberia now, where you'll be safe!" and you're just staring at the pages thinking oh god, oh god, oh god because you know how this story ends. So, to the uniformed eye, this seems like a really good, solid biography of a much-maligned woman.
Here's the problem: Carolly Erikson is a terrible historian. One of her sources used in this book is the memoirs of Martha Mouchanov, a former lady-in-waiting of Alexandra. She provides a lot of personal details about the empress's state of mind and the inner workings of the palace, and it seems like a great primary source. Unfortunately, as other reviews have informed me, not only are Mouchanov's memoirs completely fabricated, but this was known before this book was written. So Erikson took an unreliable source and presented it as reliable, because it helped her case of presenting Alexandra as a more sympathetic figure.
Similarly, Erikson will frequently make a statement about Alexandra's thought process or emotions at a certain time, with no actual evidence to back it up, and you get the sense that she's just projecting her own emotions onto Alexandra. There's no in-depth examination of why Alexandra thought that she was the most qualified person to rule Russia, Erikson merely tells us that Alexandra thought she could rule better than her husband and moves on. There's really no critical analysis of anyone here - Rasputin, clearly the most enigmatic and fascinating figure in this whole fiasco, is examined only at surface level. Was he playing a long con on Alexandra, trying to manipulate her into destroying the country? Why did he begin by refusing large gifts of money and titles and later get greedier and more demanding? Did he really believe that he was a holy man and a healer, or was he an imposter all along? And most importantly, how was he able to miraculously heal Alexei when no one else could? I realize that these questions haven't been given definite answers, but a little acknowledgement of them would have been nice.
There's no definite closure to the story - it ends with the Romanov's execution (spoiler alert!) and then a stupid epilogue about Alexandra's body being properly interred in 1998. Between those two events, there's nothing: how the Romanov's bodies were disposed of and hidden, how they were discovered, who was identified and who's still missing and why, not even any information about what happened to the rest of the extended family. It felt unfinished and unsatisfying.
This book shouldn't have been nonfiction. Erikson should have just admitted defeat and written a historic fiction novel about Alexandra, because that's basically what she's done anyway - even the writing feels like overwrought fiction, like this passage: "The warm June sun continued to shine down over the domes and rooftops of Moscow, but now it was a city in mourning, and the crows, bloated and sated, floated like dark wraiths in the cloudless blue sky." And this line, which was so ridiculous that it's the only passage in the entire book that I made sure to mark so I could quote it later: "A new order was coming slowly and painfully to birth, forced into the light by the harsh midwife of revolution."
By the way, "Harsh Midwife of Revolution" is the name of my new metal band. We're not very good.
One last thing, and then I'll put this book out of its misery: Erikson, for some god-unknown reason, insists on calling Alexandra and Nicholas "Alix" and "Nicky" throughout the book. Maybe this is acceptable among Romanov biographers, but it felt jarringly personal to me - imagine reading a Tudor biography that referred to Henry VIII as "Harry."
Maybe this book would have succeeded as a historical novel, but as straightforward history, it's a disaster.
So in that sense, I appreciated this book because just about every piece of information presented was new to me, and I was glad to finally learn something real about this doomed family. As the title suggests, Alexandra is the focus of the book - it begins with her childhood when she lost her parents at a young age, then we get a bit about her education and some of her family drama (including her grandmother, Queen Victoria), and then her extended courtship with Nicholas and how she became the empress of Russia. Throughout the book, Erickson describes Nicholas's attempts to rule effectively, Alexandra's increasing unpopularity with the Russian people, the wars and growing discontent, and Alexandra's attempts to control her husband's policies (with the assistance of Rasputin, of course). It's all good information, and the story was able to keep me interested throughout - the last few chapters are especially engrossing, just because of how goddamn sad they are. You're reading about the imperial family being held under house arrest, constantly being threatened by their own guards and thinking they'll be killed any second, and then England is like, "Yeah, you guys can totally have asylum here! We're sending a ship next week!" and then the next second the English prime minister realizes that that's actually a really bad idea and that he won't send a ship to rescue the family, but no one tells them that, and then their guards are all, "We're going to Siberia now, where you'll be safe!" and you're just staring at the pages thinking oh god, oh god, oh god because you know how this story ends. So, to the uniformed eye, this seems like a really good, solid biography of a much-maligned woman.
Here's the problem: Carolly Erikson is a terrible historian. One of her sources used in this book is the memoirs of Martha Mouchanov, a former lady-in-waiting of Alexandra. She provides a lot of personal details about the empress's state of mind and the inner workings of the palace, and it seems like a great primary source. Unfortunately, as other reviews have informed me, not only are Mouchanov's memoirs completely fabricated, but this was known before this book was written. So Erikson took an unreliable source and presented it as reliable, because it helped her case of presenting Alexandra as a more sympathetic figure.
Similarly, Erikson will frequently make a statement about Alexandra's thought process or emotions at a certain time, with no actual evidence to back it up, and you get the sense that she's just projecting her own emotions onto Alexandra. There's no in-depth examination of why Alexandra thought that she was the most qualified person to rule Russia, Erikson merely tells us that Alexandra thought she could rule better than her husband and moves on. There's really no critical analysis of anyone here - Rasputin, clearly the most enigmatic and fascinating figure in this whole fiasco, is examined only at surface level. Was he playing a long con on Alexandra, trying to manipulate her into destroying the country? Why did he begin by refusing large gifts of money and titles and later get greedier and more demanding? Did he really believe that he was a holy man and a healer, or was he an imposter all along? And most importantly, how was he able to miraculously heal Alexei when no one else could? I realize that these questions haven't been given definite answers, but a little acknowledgement of them would have been nice.
There's no definite closure to the story - it ends with the Romanov's execution (spoiler alert!) and then a stupid epilogue about Alexandra's body being properly interred in 1998. Between those two events, there's nothing: how the Romanov's bodies were disposed of and hidden, how they were discovered, who was identified and who's still missing and why, not even any information about what happened to the rest of the extended family. It felt unfinished and unsatisfying.
This book shouldn't have been nonfiction. Erikson should have just admitted defeat and written a historic fiction novel about Alexandra, because that's basically what she's done anyway - even the writing feels like overwrought fiction, like this passage: "The warm June sun continued to shine down over the domes and rooftops of Moscow, but now it was a city in mourning, and the crows, bloated and sated, floated like dark wraiths in the cloudless blue sky." And this line, which was so ridiculous that it's the only passage in the entire book that I made sure to mark so I could quote it later: "A new order was coming slowly and painfully to birth, forced into the light by the harsh midwife of revolution."
By the way, "Harsh Midwife of Revolution" is the name of my new metal band. We're not very good.
One last thing, and then I'll put this book out of its misery: Erikson, for some god-unknown reason, insists on calling Alexandra and Nicholas "Alix" and "Nicky" throughout the book. Maybe this is acceptable among Romanov biographers, but it felt jarringly personal to me - imagine reading a Tudor biography that referred to Henry VIII as "Harry."
Maybe this book would have succeeded as a historical novel, but as straightforward history, it's a disaster.
May 5, 2023
Having recently read Alix and Nicky: The Passion of the Last Tsar and Tsarina, I found this work particularly fascinating in that it focuses on Alix - her childhood and relationship with her grandmother Queen Victoria, her all-encompassing love for Nicky, her religion and belief in the power of mystical "friends" and her family.
Again, I am amazed how closely connected all the royal families in Europe were - when the world erupted in World War I, it was truly cousins against cousins. And the wildcard of hemophilia (from Queen Victoria), wrought such sadness and devastation and changed the course of history.
Alix found herself in a situation where she loved Nicky, but knew he didn't want to be tsar, had no interest in politics, was indecisive and passive. And as a result, Alix became what outsiders characterized as that awful German woman who harangued her husband all the time, told him what to do, told him to fire advisors, etc.
Where Alix really shone was in the humanitarian aid she provided by setting up hospitals, relief efforts, etc. and in a crisis she was remarkably steady and resourceful. But dealing with a passive husband, a sickly son on whose shoulders the entire Romanov dynasty rested, and health problems, was a heavy load.
It's a heartbreaking account and while it's easy to see how both Nicholas and Alexandra completely messed up, misread the situation, refused to listen to reason and alienated everyone, they and their family paid a heavy price. 4 stars.
Again, I am amazed how closely connected all the royal families in Europe were - when the world erupted in World War I, it was truly cousins against cousins. And the wildcard of hemophilia (from Queen Victoria), wrought such sadness and devastation and changed the course of history.
Alix found herself in a situation where she loved Nicky, but knew he didn't want to be tsar, had no interest in politics, was indecisive and passive. And as a result, Alix became what outsiders characterized as that awful German woman who harangued her husband all the time, told him what to do, told him to fire advisors, etc.
Where Alix really shone was in the humanitarian aid she provided by setting up hospitals, relief efforts, etc. and in a crisis she was remarkably steady and resourceful. But dealing with a passive husband, a sickly son on whose shoulders the entire Romanov dynasty rested, and health problems, was a heavy load.
It's a heartbreaking account and while it's easy to see how both Nicholas and Alexandra completely messed up, misread the situation, refused to listen to reason and alienated everyone, they and their family paid a heavy price. 4 stars.
June 1, 2021
Just as heartbreaking as it is compelling, Erickson unfolds the mystery of the last tsarina's life with tender grace.
I knew the history, I knew the unhappily ever after, but I was still devastated when I finished this book. I learned so much reading this.
Starting off, I'd heard a little bit about Queen Victoria's relation to the Romanovs, but not the specifics. The fact that Alexandra was Queen Victoria's granddaughter somehow made her so much cooler. Victoria often referred to Alix as a "dear little thing" and her grandchildren called her "Gangan" which - I mean...Legend.
It was also extremely eerie the number of times Alix or Nicholas foreshadowed their own fates in private conversations with various family members, friends, and household staff; oftentimes, even in their own letters and diaries.
Heartbreaking, to say the least, right? Also, I will never personally get over the fact that Nicholas and his entire family, would end up being killed because of the very burden Nicky never wished for in the first place. The man who fell in love with Alix and only wanted to be a farmer.
The more I read on, the more I could see the gradual domino effect of unrest and revolution. The more I wanted to shake Alix and Nicky and yet hug them. They were made blind by their privileged upbringings, and Alix naive, by her good nature and sorrowful disposition. The petty disrespect and mistreatment the entire family suffered in their last days were brutal. Inhumane.
Erickson was so good at weaving the facts into a linear, comprehensive narrative. I loved her writing style, and she made history so easy to digest!
I think it's easy to look upon the past with a kind of superiority. You are able to look back at each domino that led to every collapse, and add up tragedies like some sort of mathematician. But living is much more complex than that. I fell in love with Alexandra over the course of this book. And in the end, she finally did obtain the respect and reverence she so long vied for in life. Today, she's no longer looked upon as the "German Bitch" or "Rasputin's lover" or even "the tyrant's wife".
Today, she is martyr Empress Alexandra, the Last Tsarina, and Saint of the Russian Orthodox Church.
*whispers* And I think that's beautiful.
P.S. The fact that the Empress of all Russia and her older daughters, were certified Red Cross nurses during World War I and spent practically every day nursing dying soldiers and NO ONE TALKS ABOUT IT.
🎵 Songs I Listened to While Reading: The Last of the Romanov's on Spotify 🎵
Writing Quality: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Plot: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Pacing: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Enjoyment Level: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
「 Overall: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 」
I knew the history, I knew the unhappily ever after, but I was still devastated when I finished this book. I learned so much reading this.
Starting off, I'd heard a little bit about Queen Victoria's relation to the Romanovs, but not the specifics. The fact that Alexandra was Queen Victoria's granddaughter somehow made her so much cooler. Victoria often referred to Alix as a "dear little thing" and her grandchildren called her "Gangan" which - I mean...Legend.
It was also extremely eerie the number of times Alix or Nicholas foreshadowed their own fates in private conversations with various family members, friends, and household staff; oftentimes, even in their own letters and diaries.
[Alix's] childhood friend Marie-Louise, described her as a "most wonderful person" with "a curious atmosphere of fatality" about her. "I once said in the way that cousins can be very rude and outspoken to each other: 'Alix, you always play at being sorrowful; one day the Almighty will send you some real crushing sorrows, and then what are you going to do?" The response was no recorded.
***
Many times solitude was what she [Alix] claimed. She stayed alone in her boudoir, her head throbbing, worrying...She had once referred to herself as the Pechvogel, the bird of ill omen, which brought bad luck and catastrophe. Now, nearly everyone saw her that way, as the carrier of misfortune into the Romanov family.
***
"Perhaps a victim is needed to save Russia," he [Nicholas] had declared in the summer of 1915. "I will be that victim."
***
The starets held out her thin hand in blessing. "Be joyous uncrowned bride," she said softly. "Here is the martyr Empress Alexandra."
Heartbreaking, to say the least, right? Also, I will never personally get over the fact that Nicholas and his entire family, would end up being killed because of the very burden Nicky never wished for in the first place. The man who fell in love with Alix and only wanted to be a farmer.
He [Nicky] took Sandro to his room and collapsed in grief, his raw suffering painful to see.
"What am I going to do?" he cried out. "What is going to happen to me, to you, to Xenia, to Alix, to mother, to all of Russia? I am not prepared to be a tsar. I never wanted to become one."
The more I read on, the more I could see the gradual domino effect of unrest and revolution. The more I wanted to shake Alix and Nicky and yet hug them. They were made blind by their privileged upbringings, and Alix naive, by her good nature and sorrowful disposition. The petty disrespect and mistreatment the entire family suffered in their last days were brutal. Inhumane.
Erickson was so good at weaving the facts into a linear, comprehensive narrative. I loved her writing style, and she made history so easy to digest!
I think it's easy to look upon the past with a kind of superiority. You are able to look back at each domino that led to every collapse, and add up tragedies like some sort of mathematician. But living is much more complex than that. I fell in love with Alexandra over the course of this book. And in the end, she finally did obtain the respect and reverence she so long vied for in life. Today, she's no longer looked upon as the "German Bitch" or "Rasputin's lover" or even "the tyrant's wife".
Today, she is martyr Empress Alexandra, the Last Tsarina, and Saint of the Russian Orthodox Church.
*whispers* And I think that's beautiful.
P.S. The fact that the Empress of all Russia and her older daughters, were certified Red Cross nurses during World War I and spent practically every day nursing dying soldiers and NO ONE TALKS ABOUT IT.
🎵 Songs I Listened to While Reading: The Last of the Romanov's on Spotify 🎵
Writing Quality: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Plot: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Pacing: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Enjoyment Level: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
「 Overall: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 」
November 28, 2009
I disliked the writing immensily, it reads too much like historical fiction and at times Erickson cites sources that have been for years known as dubious, if not completely fake, namely Marfa Mouchanow's memoirs. And apparently Erickson knew they were unreliable, and used them anyways - but of course these fabricated memoirs are where the fun and shocking comments come from... It can be amusing and it's an easy read, but absolutely not a good source for true, reliable information on the last Tsarina of Russia. I really regret spending money on it.
January 24, 2024
Second reread: still amazed by Erickson’s writing, how she brought these people and the Russia of this time to life. Depressing read, but also captivating, moving, and important.
A devastating story, but completely mesmerizing. Erickson weaves so much of Russian history and culture as she shapes the character of Empress Alexandra. Alexandra herself is complex and tragic, as is the story of her family's fate. An excellent biography.
A devastating story, but completely mesmerizing. Erickson weaves so much of Russian history and culture as she shapes the character of Empress Alexandra. Alexandra herself is complex and tragic, as is the story of her family's fate. An excellent biography.
July 31, 2012
This is a text that I would certainly call readable, but it veers slightly into the realm of historical fiction. Why? Because there are several fatal errors that this text makes.
1. The issue of Martha Mouchanow. Her memoirs have been CONTINUOUSLY discredited. The fact that Erickson uses them at all is solely to make the novel juicier to modern audiences and those not interested in reading a fact-based text.
2. Alexei's hemophilia. I'm sorry, but it was this that nearly made me put the book down. The Russian populace did not know that Alexei suffered from hemophilia. They didn't find this out until much later. The Romanovs tried very hard to cover this over.
Now, this is a fun read, it makes Alexandra sympathetic, even though there are points in history where Alexandra isn't as sympathetic as the text makes her.
2 stars for strong inaccuracies.
1. The issue of Martha Mouchanow. Her memoirs have been CONTINUOUSLY discredited. The fact that Erickson uses them at all is solely to make the novel juicier to modern audiences and those not interested in reading a fact-based text.
2. Alexei's hemophilia. I'm sorry, but it was this that nearly made me put the book down. The Russian populace did not know that Alexei suffered from hemophilia. They didn't find this out until much later. The Romanovs tried very hard to cover this over.
Now, this is a fun read, it makes Alexandra sympathetic, even though there are points in history where Alexandra isn't as sympathetic as the text makes her.
2 stars for strong inaccuracies.
July 16, 2013
La storia si ripete: quello della zarina Alessandra è un trascorso tragicamente molto simile a quello di un'altra regina del passato, Maria Antonietta di Francia. Entrambe spose straniere (una tedesca e l'altra austriaca), fraintese dai loro sudditi e malvolute dai parenti acquisiti, devote alla propria famiglia e alla corona, accusate di connivenza col nemico, prigioniere e vittime di una rivoluzione. Ed entrambe martirizzate dai rispettivi Paesi molto tempo dopo la loro morte.
Non sono trascorsi nemmeno 100 anni dall'omicidio dei Romanov e la storia che la Erickson racconta si divora: le descrizioni degli stati d'animo e della sofferenza dell'imperatrice sono resi in modo molto efficace dalla scrittrice, così come le sue manie e il rapporto con le persone che la circondavano.
Ma più di ogni altra cosa questa è una storia d'amore vero. Di quello di Alessandra e Nicola, nonostante l'opposizione delle famiglie, i difetti di entrambi e l'incedere della storia. Nonostante tutto e fino alla fine.
Non sono trascorsi nemmeno 100 anni dall'omicidio dei Romanov e la storia che la Erickson racconta si divora: le descrizioni degli stati d'animo e della sofferenza dell'imperatrice sono resi in modo molto efficace dalla scrittrice, così come le sue manie e il rapporto con le persone che la circondavano.
Ma più di ogni altra cosa questa è una storia d'amore vero. Di quello di Alessandra e Nicola, nonostante l'opposizione delle famiglie, i difetti di entrambi e l'incedere della storia. Nonostante tutto e fino alla fine.
May 2, 2007
At the tender age of 13 I fell in love with Nicholas and Alexandra and their children reading Readers Digest while baby sitting. This is the best account of Alex's life I have read. Carrolly Erickson's ability to write a biography that reads like fiction is amazing.
October 16, 2024
I would have preferred a more definitive and analytical conclusion...this feels as if it just stops, and then offers a perfunctory afterwards. Considering the first rate scholarship in the rest of this excellent book, it deserves a more satisfying ending...but at least the journey to that ending makes for a detailed and emotionally exhausting-but-satisfying experience.
January 26, 2024
Well written, but so painful to read. This book made me feel a lot like I did while watching Gilmore Girls. Aka I just wanted to yell at them "why must you make such terrible choices!?" the whole time. I feel like Erickson did a lot of pointing out instances where the tide of history might have possible been turned or at least altered which added to this feeling of frustration.
September 10, 2013
Very interesting and imformative. Through Alexandra's live we know about Queen Victoria, Alexandra's life in Germany before her marriage to Prince Nicholas and their life together from the start portaying life in Russia, the birth of their children and the tragedy of her son. We know so many secrets about the Royal Family and the real causes behind the Soviet Russia which so many people should know about. The style is really interesting. Good book.
December 14, 2007
I found this book to be vague when it came to dates; most of the time it was around this time this happened. I got the impression that the writer had some expectation that the readers of this book already knew a lot of what had happened to the tsarina, so she didn't need to go into detail about what happened at a specific date.
September 25, 2017
Devo ammettere che conoscevo pochissimo la storia dei Romanov e che Alessandra non mi ha fatto impazzire come persona, sempre insoddisfatta, depressa, piena di malanni più o meno psicosomatici. Certo non deve essere stato facile vivere in un paese straniero senza veri appoggi familiari, ma se si paragona la sua vita a quella di un qualunque altro abitante russo (e non solo) di quegli anni l'abisso è notevole.
In più, leggendo le biografie dei vari sovrani che in un modo o nell'altro sono stati detronizzati nei vari secoli, non può non saltare all'occhio il fatto che tutti hanno ignorato, sottovalutato o peggio finto di non vedere, se non addirittura acuito le situazioni di disagio e miseria in cui versavano i propri sudditi. Quindi certamente spiace per loro, soprattutto quando a rimetterci sono stati anche tanti innocenti, ma la miopia della classe regnante era davvero scandalosa.
Detto questo il libro è scritto benissimo, interessante e ben contestualizzato, la vita della zarina è resa appassionante da uno stile piacevole e scorrevole. Quindi lo consiglio sicuramente, anche a chi non fosse particolarmente interessato a questa casata nello specifico.
In più, leggendo le biografie dei vari sovrani che in un modo o nell'altro sono stati detronizzati nei vari secoli, non può non saltare all'occhio il fatto che tutti hanno ignorato, sottovalutato o peggio finto di non vedere, se non addirittura acuito le situazioni di disagio e miseria in cui versavano i propri sudditi. Quindi certamente spiace per loro, soprattutto quando a rimetterci sono stati anche tanti innocenti, ma la miopia della classe regnante era davvero scandalosa.
Detto questo il libro è scritto benissimo, interessante e ben contestualizzato, la vita della zarina è resa appassionante da uno stile piacevole e scorrevole. Quindi lo consiglio sicuramente, anche a chi non fosse particolarmente interessato a questa casata nello specifico.
January 16, 2024
Come sempre questa scrittrice è una garanzia, la sua scrittura è lineare e chiara, fa amare tutte le sue biografie ed i suoi personaggi.
Non so se grazie a questo libro potrò giustificare il comportamento dei rivoluzionari e le decisioni prese dagli zar; sicuramente so che proverò più empatia e compassione verso questa famiglia sfortunata e su questa donna per tanti versi forte e determinata.
Si fa male, molto male, a rimanere impassibili davanti ad una vicenda drammatica e cruda; il mio giudizio al riguardo è che i rivoluzionari hanno fatto un grande errore nel giustiziare completamente la famiglia reale russa, nonostante comprenda i motivi per cui sono arrivati a questa tremenda decisione.
Alessandra da queste pagine emerge molto di più rispetto a qualsiasi altro libro di storia, il suo animo è segnato profondamente dalle sue malattie e preoccupazioni, vittima della sua stessa psiche, della sua fanaticità religiosa e di decisioni sbagliate e superficiali. Per non parlare del suo carattere riservato ed austero. Sicuramente tutte queste cose non hanno aiutato la reputazione che si è fatta nel popolo che governa.
Ho rivisto nelle vicende degli ultimi zar molte similitudini con Luigi XVI e Maria Antonietta: un reggente che non voleva il trono e completamente inadatto a governare (ad un certo punto Nicola dichiara che il suo sogno era sempre stato quello di fare il contadino), una moglie straniera e non amata dal popolo, la necessità di riforme per aiutare la loro nazione, carestie, guerre, ministri incapaci e parassitari, aggiungendo poi tanta sfortuna e incompetenza sono gli elementi necessari per far sì che si arrivi ad un epilogo sanguinoso e violento.
La parte finale come sempre mi strazia il cuore e devo ammettere che mi sono anche un po’ commossa nell’epilogo.
Non so se grazie a questo libro potrò giustificare il comportamento dei rivoluzionari e le decisioni prese dagli zar; sicuramente so che proverò più empatia e compassione verso questa famiglia sfortunata e su questa donna per tanti versi forte e determinata.
Si fa male, molto male, a rimanere impassibili davanti ad una vicenda drammatica e cruda; il mio giudizio al riguardo è che i rivoluzionari hanno fatto un grande errore nel giustiziare completamente la famiglia reale russa, nonostante comprenda i motivi per cui sono arrivati a questa tremenda decisione.
Alessandra da queste pagine emerge molto di più rispetto a qualsiasi altro libro di storia, il suo animo è segnato profondamente dalle sue malattie e preoccupazioni, vittima della sua stessa psiche, della sua fanaticità religiosa e di decisioni sbagliate e superficiali. Per non parlare del suo carattere riservato ed austero. Sicuramente tutte queste cose non hanno aiutato la reputazione che si è fatta nel popolo che governa.
Ho rivisto nelle vicende degli ultimi zar molte similitudini con Luigi XVI e Maria Antonietta: un reggente che non voleva il trono e completamente inadatto a governare (ad un certo punto Nicola dichiara che il suo sogno era sempre stato quello di fare il contadino), una moglie straniera e non amata dal popolo, la necessità di riforme per aiutare la loro nazione, carestie, guerre, ministri incapaci e parassitari, aggiungendo poi tanta sfortuna e incompetenza sono gli elementi necessari per far sì che si arrivi ad un epilogo sanguinoso e violento.
La parte finale come sempre mi strazia il cuore e devo ammettere che mi sono anche un po’ commossa nell’epilogo.
May 19, 2024
Bellissimo romanzo-biografia sulla base dei diari della protagonista, dello zar Nicola e di altri familiari delle famiglie reali dell'epoca; stile scorrevole e avvicente
October 1, 2016
Ennesima figura tragica e fortemente travisata questa della Zarina Alessandra, principessa d'Assia e nipote della Regina Vittoria, donna bellissima, malinconica, riservata ma, anche determinata, dignitosa, capace di una feroce autodisciplina che affinò durante i suoi anni alla corte russa, dove, mai accettata, per difendersi dalla sua timidezza e sopratutto dai loro pregiudizi, dall'ostilità e dal disprezzo assumeva atteggiamenti glaciali, di totale distacco, a volte anche bizzarri, realizzando, per esempio, vignette satiriche dove ritraeva membri della corte ma anche della famiglia imperiale a lei più vicini.
Innamoratissima del marito Nicola non mancava però di riconoscergli una forte fragilità, insicurezza e incompetenza nell' esercizio di un ruolo così determinante in un Paese come la Russia che necessitava, in quel periodo storico di forti fermenti, di una guida autorevole e solida, tanto che cercò disperatamente di consigliarlo e guidarlo durante i periodi più critici che poi sfociarono nella tragedia finale.
Molte le analogie con la figura di Maria Antonietta: devote entrambe alla famiglia e alla corona, come lei fu accusata di essere una spia, nel suo caso tedesca, insultata e vilipesa, sopratutto durante gli anni della sua vicinanza e dipendenza dall'inquietante Rasputin (furono accusati di essere amanti) come, in precedenza, da altri personaggi ambigui dell'esoterismo. In realtà la coppia imperiale traeva grande conforto da queste dottrine, sopratutto dopo la nascita del tanto agognato erede affetto disgraziatamente da emofilia, causa di indicibili dolori che mettevano a dura prova il suo stato psico-fisico.
Una vita tormentata anche da sofferenze e da malattie che però, nei momenti più critici, riusciva a superare, meravigliando tutti con la forza e la risolutezza con cui affrontava ogni cosa sempre lottando contro le diffidenze dei suoi sudditi.
Capro espiatorio e alla fine martire rimane una figura segnata fatalmente da una fine storicamente tra le più atroci e ingiuste, paradossalmente ad un passo dalla salvezza...
Innamoratissima del marito Nicola non mancava però di riconoscergli una forte fragilità, insicurezza e incompetenza nell' esercizio di un ruolo così determinante in un Paese come la Russia che necessitava, in quel periodo storico di forti fermenti, di una guida autorevole e solida, tanto che cercò disperatamente di consigliarlo e guidarlo durante i periodi più critici che poi sfociarono nella tragedia finale.
Molte le analogie con la figura di Maria Antonietta: devote entrambe alla famiglia e alla corona, come lei fu accusata di essere una spia, nel suo caso tedesca, insultata e vilipesa, sopratutto durante gli anni della sua vicinanza e dipendenza dall'inquietante Rasputin (furono accusati di essere amanti) come, in precedenza, da altri personaggi ambigui dell'esoterismo. In realtà la coppia imperiale traeva grande conforto da queste dottrine, sopratutto dopo la nascita del tanto agognato erede affetto disgraziatamente da emofilia, causa di indicibili dolori che mettevano a dura prova il suo stato psico-fisico.
Una vita tormentata anche da sofferenze e da malattie che però, nei momenti più critici, riusciva a superare, meravigliando tutti con la forza e la risolutezza con cui affrontava ogni cosa sempre lottando contro le diffidenze dei suoi sudditi.
Capro espiatorio e alla fine martire rimane una figura segnata fatalmente da una fine storicamente tra le più atroci e ingiuste, paradossalmente ad un passo dalla salvezza...
April 26, 2010
(in 2008)
My Thoughts:
I thought the book was fantastic. I’ve had a few experiences with reading bland biographies. The author does a great job making this accessible and readable. It felt like reading a novel rather than a biography. She did a fantastic amount of research but also brought real emotion into the characters. I thought it was great, I’ve never even had a huge interest in tsarist Russia, but I could definitely get into it if there are more books were this interesting! If I had to list a downside it was that it was a little overly melodramatic, but as far as I know, that is how they all are because that is how these people were. It made you overly sympathetic with the Tsarina and her family, but I felt it was more like reading a personal diary (emotion and circumstance wise) and wasn’t really meant to focus on the whole big picture, you have to do more research to figure all that out. It was more ‘through her eyes’ and in that sense I felt it was okay to occasionally be melodramatic or biased and not focus on analyzing her actions. That is my argument against some of the reviews about the book I read on Amazon. My greenness in the area could be affecting my opinion though, be forewarned. Definitely made learning some history enjoyable. Definitely recommended, if you can get past the weirdness and general incompetence of most royal families, lol. I plan on reading more about the Romanovs, I’ve developed an interest in Russian history (which is why I picked up this book in the first place). Perhaps I’ll read more throughout the year and possibly re-evaluate this one.
My Thoughts:
I thought the book was fantastic. I’ve had a few experiences with reading bland biographies. The author does a great job making this accessible and readable. It felt like reading a novel rather than a biography. She did a fantastic amount of research but also brought real emotion into the characters. I thought it was great, I’ve never even had a huge interest in tsarist Russia, but I could definitely get into it if there are more books were this interesting! If I had to list a downside it was that it was a little overly melodramatic, but as far as I know, that is how they all are because that is how these people were. It made you overly sympathetic with the Tsarina and her family, but I felt it was more like reading a personal diary (emotion and circumstance wise) and wasn’t really meant to focus on the whole big picture, you have to do more research to figure all that out. It was more ‘through her eyes’ and in that sense I felt it was okay to occasionally be melodramatic or biased and not focus on analyzing her actions. That is my argument against some of the reviews about the book I read on Amazon. My greenness in the area could be affecting my opinion though, be forewarned. Definitely made learning some history enjoyable. Definitely recommended, if you can get past the weirdness and general incompetence of most royal families, lol. I plan on reading more about the Romanovs, I’ve developed an interest in Russian history (which is why I picked up this book in the first place). Perhaps I’ll read more throughout the year and possibly re-evaluate this one.
May 25, 2017
Po pravdě - nejsem si úplně jistá historickou přesností, chybí bibliografie (i když v originále asi je), ale je čtivá.
Alexandra roky milovala Mikuláše II. a radši by zůstala na ocet, ale nikoho jiného si prostě nevezme. A pak když ji požádá o ruku, tak řeší, že nemůže přestoupit na jeho víru. To jí to za ty roky nedošlo?
s. 63
Nicky si byl dobře vědom také toho, že by otec mnohem raději předal svou vládu milovanému synu Michailovi než jemu, jenž měl tu smůlu, že byl prvorozený. Michail ješt�� nebyl dospělý, ale podle cara on jediný ze tří carských synů (...) Nicky byl příliš mírný (...), třetí syn, Georgij, byl sice chytrý, ale též povrchní a postrádal vážnost nutnou pro autoritu cara.
Tohle je matoucí formulace, protože „třetí syn Georgij“ byl v nástupnictví druhý, před Michailem.
s. 167
V noci na 17. října (podle nového kalendáře 27. října) 1905
Není po roce 1900 rozdíl mezi gregoriánským a juliánským kalendářem 13 dní?
s. 15 přidala ke svým černým šatům dlouho bílou vlečku
s. 237 pověila
s. 269 opírala se jednou rukou u lavici
s. 288 na rukou a nohu
ji/jí - s. 32
Alexandra roky milovala Mikuláše II. a radši by zůstala na ocet, ale nikoho jiného si prostě nevezme. A pak když ji požádá o ruku, tak řeší, že nemůže přestoupit na jeho víru. To jí to za ty roky nedošlo?
s. 63
Nicky si byl dobře vědom také toho, že by otec mnohem raději předal svou vládu milovanému synu Michailovi než jemu, jenž měl tu smůlu, že byl prvorozený. Michail ješt�� nebyl dospělý, ale podle cara on jediný ze tří carských synů (...) Nicky byl příliš mírný (...), třetí syn, Georgij, byl sice chytrý, ale též povrchní a postrádal vážnost nutnou pro autoritu cara.
Tohle je matoucí formulace, protože „třetí syn Georgij“ byl v nástupnictví druhý, před Michailem.
s. 167
V noci na 17. října (podle nového kalendáře 27. října) 1905
Není po roce 1900 rozdíl mezi gregoriánským a juliánským kalendářem 13 dní?
s. 15 přidala ke svým černým šatům dlouho bílou vlečku
s. 237 pověila
s. 269 opírala se jednou rukou u lavici
s. 288 na rukou a nohu
ji/jí - s. 32
August 27, 2022
Alexandra Feodorovna, (Princess Alix of Hesse and Rhine), was born in 1872 in the German Empire. She was the daughter of Princess Alice, the second daughter of Queen Victoria of Ireland and Great Britain. Her father was Louis IV, Grand Duke of Hesse. She was one of Queen Victoria's favorite grandchildren. She was considered to be a very beautiful girl. She was quite shy, and often shut down around people when she felt uncomfortable. She was also extremely religious and was really unsure about switching religions to marry Nicholas II. As a child, she contracted diphtheria. One sister was away at the time, escaping the outbreak. Alexxandra, three sisters, her brother, and her father all wound up contracting diphtheria. Her mother, Alice, did not. She died when Alexandra was six. One sister also died.
Alexandra married Nicholas II in 1894. During the coronation, a group of people were trampled to death trying to watch the events. Alexandra and Nicholas were horrified. She was very unpopular amongst the people, partly because she arrived so soon after the death of the former Tsar. She was considered a bad omen. They also did not care for her attitude, not understanding that she was quite shy. She did not host parties and events like her predecessors, because she wasn't into the drama and love affairs that seemed to be rampant in the court. They also were unimpressed by how many daughters she had. The couple had Olga, Maria, Tatiana, Anastasia, and, one son, Alexei. Alexandra was not in the best of health, and many have suggested that she suffered from Grave's Disease, though that has never been proven. She was also a carrier for hemophilia, passing it to her son, Alexei. In an effort to help Alexei, she became involved with Rasputin, a creep by all measures. Of course, we all know what happened to the family during World War I and the Russian Revolution, so I will not get into that.
As far as the book itself goes, I learned a decent amount Alexandra and her family. I noticed a few other reviews that complained about the author using familiar names, such as Alix and Nicky, which I also found a bit familiar. This is not the only author to use those particular familiar names, so I assume that must be common. I am by no means an expert in Russian history, so I cannot say if that is inappropriate or not. It just struck me as uncommon compared to other historical biographies that I have read. I think that Alexandra was very misunderstood and her actions were taken the wrong way. I would imagine it would be difficult to be brought up one way and marry into a completely different culture and expectations. I feel that this book offered a lot of detail and personal information about Alexandra, her family, and her reign.
Alexandra married Nicholas II in 1894. During the coronation, a group of people were trampled to death trying to watch the events. Alexandra and Nicholas were horrified. She was very unpopular amongst the people, partly because she arrived so soon after the death of the former Tsar. She was considered a bad omen. They also did not care for her attitude, not understanding that she was quite shy. She did not host parties and events like her predecessors, because she wasn't into the drama and love affairs that seemed to be rampant in the court. They also were unimpressed by how many daughters she had. The couple had Olga, Maria, Tatiana, Anastasia, and, one son, Alexei. Alexandra was not in the best of health, and many have suggested that she suffered from Grave's Disease, though that has never been proven. She was also a carrier for hemophilia, passing it to her son, Alexei. In an effort to help Alexei, she became involved with Rasputin, a creep by all measures. Of course, we all know what happened to the family during World War I and the Russian Revolution, so I will not get into that.
As far as the book itself goes, I learned a decent amount Alexandra and her family. I noticed a few other reviews that complained about the author using familiar names, such as Alix and Nicky, which I also found a bit familiar. This is not the only author to use those particular familiar names, so I assume that must be common. I am by no means an expert in Russian history, so I cannot say if that is inappropriate or not. It just struck me as uncommon compared to other historical biographies that I have read. I think that Alexandra was very misunderstood and her actions were taken the wrong way. I would imagine it would be difficult to be brought up one way and marry into a completely different culture and expectations. I feel that this book offered a lot of detail and personal information about Alexandra, her family, and her reign.
July 6, 2024
The life of Tsarina Alexandra, or Alix of Hesse, can be described at best as a tragic one. Losing her mother at a young age, she grew up to be a rather beautiful, rather outspoken duchess with strict upbringing in Protestantism, turning her a somewhat uptight and awkward figure with a touch of warmness. She fell in love with one of his cousin, the future Tsar Nicholas II of Russia since they were teenagers and the feelings were, yet his parents disapproved of their relationship. This, coupled with Queen Victoria’s insistence to marry her to one of her sons, turned her into an anomaly among European royals: a girl who married late. Only in his deathbed that Nicholas father, the Tsar Alexander III of Russia allowed them to marry. Even so, there was still his mother, who continued to be a thorn in Alexandra’s life.
Her being a German in Russian Court, coupled with her consistent failures to deliver a baby boy, endeared her to few people in Russia. Even when she succeeded in delivering a boy, the baby was plagued with haemophilia. In this labyrinth of neverending stresses, she found solace in religion and occultism. She sought out supposedly holy relics and holy people, the most infamous being Father Grigoriy Rasputin, who she believed could heal her son.
The advent of World War I brought further troubles for her and the house of Romanov. The Russian army was badly mauled by the German, while the Government was filled by incompetent people, courtesy of Alexandra’s rather misguided advices to his husband, who were very inept in governing his subjects. The disastrous decision of Nicholas taking over the military command was partly due to her, effectively leaving her as Regent in Petrograd while being sorrounded with bumbling politicians and other charlatans, all the while being branded as a German spy.
The came the Revolution and Russian Empire fell. They had to endure the humiliating treatment under the revolutionary government and then the Bolsheviks. The upcoming Russian Civil War in Russia turned Alexandra and her whole family into most prominent victims of communism. Today, they were beatified as martyrs, yet in fairness, both Alexandra and Nicholas brought disasters onto Russian Empire because of their inability and the reluctance to let go of absolutist tradition of Russian Empire. After all, this book is rather irritating one to read, yet with tragic tinge.
Her being a German in Russian Court, coupled with her consistent failures to deliver a baby boy, endeared her to few people in Russia. Even when she succeeded in delivering a boy, the baby was plagued with haemophilia. In this labyrinth of neverending stresses, she found solace in religion and occultism. She sought out supposedly holy relics and holy people, the most infamous being Father Grigoriy Rasputin, who she believed could heal her son.
The advent of World War I brought further troubles for her and the house of Romanov. The Russian army was badly mauled by the German, while the Government was filled by incompetent people, courtesy of Alexandra’s rather misguided advices to his husband, who were very inept in governing his subjects. The disastrous decision of Nicholas taking over the military command was partly due to her, effectively leaving her as Regent in Petrograd while being sorrounded with bumbling politicians and other charlatans, all the while being branded as a German spy.
The came the Revolution and Russian Empire fell. They had to endure the humiliating treatment under the revolutionary government and then the Bolsheviks. The upcoming Russian Civil War in Russia turned Alexandra and her whole family into most prominent victims of communism. Today, they were beatified as martyrs, yet in fairness, both Alexandra and Nicholas brought disasters onto Russian Empire because of their inability and the reluctance to let go of absolutist tradition of Russian Empire. After all, this book is rather irritating one to read, yet with tragic tinge.
May 18, 2021
(◔◡◔) 𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜 𝕣𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨
.
тíтυℓσ: "Alexandra-A última Czarina"
αυтσя: Carolly Erickson
ρágιηαѕ: 371
¢ℓαѕѕιƒι¢αçãσ:⭐⭐⭐⭐
.
A Czarina Alexandra, é mulher de Nicolau II, czar da Rússia.
Esta família é uma família normal até a anormalidade tomar conta das suas vidas.
Este casamento, apesar de ter sido, em parte, por amor, tinha como objetivo dar um herdeiro ao trono da Rússia.
As várias tentativas traziam sempre meninas. Todavia, o grande dia chegou e eis que nasceu o tão esperado herdeiro. Todavia, este herdeiro vinha doente e, por isso, as suas chances eram muito poucas. Nesse momento, aparece Rasputine. Ele era uma espécie de curandeiro e, todos os males do menino, sempre que ele intercedia por ele, acalmavam. Por isso, Alexandra torna-se uma fiel seguidora dele.
.
Após uns tumultos na Rússia, o czar Nicolau II, sem ter grande jeito para o cargo que desempenhava, começa a ser descredibilizado pelo povo e, por isso as revoltas começam.
Após vários episódios de revoltas a família real vê - se obrigada a andar de casa em casa, pois estavam como prisioneiros.
.
No fim, a família estava com a expectativa de uma fuga. Todavia, foram levados para uma espécie de cave e fora todos assassinados.
.
O que dizer sobre este livro? Bem, gostei de ler algo mais verídico sobre a história da família dos últimos czares da Rússia.
Como sabem eu já tinha visto a série da Netflix sobre eles, todavia não chegou. Senti a necessidade de procurar mais e, por isso, encontrei este exemplar na @mbookspt.
.
Gostei imenso da leitura, por saber que era algo bem fundamentado. No entanto, esta edição apresenta alguns erros. Mas, recomendo na mesma. Porque a história desta família, apesar de ser trágica, tem aspetos muitos interessantes.
.
Até breve 😍
.
#leituras2021 #adoroler #adoroler ❤️ #LIVROSEMAISLIVROS #bookcommunity #bookhaolic #bookstagrammer #lererespeitarahistoria #lerjuntos #historia #historiarussia #historiarussiaimperial #czares #book #literatura #literaturaestrangeira #amoler #amolivros #livroseleitura #livrosemaislivros
.
тíтυℓσ: "Alexandra-A última Czarina"
αυтσя: Carolly Erickson
ρágιηαѕ: 371
¢ℓαѕѕιƒι¢αçãσ:⭐⭐⭐⭐
.
A Czarina Alexandra, é mulher de Nicolau II, czar da Rússia.
Esta família é uma família normal até a anormalidade tomar conta das suas vidas.
Este casamento, apesar de ter sido, em parte, por amor, tinha como objetivo dar um herdeiro ao trono da Rússia.
As várias tentativas traziam sempre meninas. Todavia, o grande dia chegou e eis que nasceu o tão esperado herdeiro. Todavia, este herdeiro vinha doente e, por isso, as suas chances eram muito poucas. Nesse momento, aparece Rasputine. Ele era uma espécie de curandeiro e, todos os males do menino, sempre que ele intercedia por ele, acalmavam. Por isso, Alexandra torna-se uma fiel seguidora dele.
.
Após uns tumultos na Rússia, o czar Nicolau II, sem ter grande jeito para o cargo que desempenhava, começa a ser descredibilizado pelo povo e, por isso as revoltas começam.
Após vários episódios de revoltas a família real vê - se obrigada a andar de casa em casa, pois estavam como prisioneiros.
.
No fim, a família estava com a expectativa de uma fuga. Todavia, foram levados para uma espécie de cave e fora todos assassinados.
.
O que dizer sobre este livro? Bem, gostei de ler algo mais verídico sobre a história da família dos últimos czares da Rússia.
Como sabem eu já tinha visto a série da Netflix sobre eles, todavia não chegou. Senti a necessidade de procurar mais e, por isso, encontrei este exemplar na @mbookspt.
.
Gostei imenso da leitura, por saber que era algo bem fundamentado. No entanto, esta edição apresenta alguns erros. Mas, recomendo na mesma. Porque a história desta família, apesar de ser trágica, tem aspetos muitos interessantes.
.
Até breve 😍
.
#leituras2021 #adoroler #adoroler ❤️ #LIVROSEMAISLIVROS #bookcommunity #bookhaolic #bookstagrammer #lererespeitarahistoria #lerjuntos #historia #historiarussia #historiarussiaimperial #czares #book #literatura #literaturaestrangeira #amoler #amolivros #livroseleitura #livrosemaislivros
May 4, 2021
This was a fascinating read. Mainly I have always heard of Alexandra as snobbish and emotionally unstable but she is far more captivating than that. After recently seeing the docu-drama The Last Czars and reading this at the same time there are quite a few discrepancies especially in her earlier life in Russia.
She was in fact extremely shy, so perhaps I found myself empathizing with her on some level of public anxiety and the desire to be invisible. Alix was the granddaughter of Queen Victoria who was completely against her marriage even though she came to like Nicholas herself. Unfortunately Nicholas was weak willed and looked to Alix as his strength even though he ruled the whole nation. The tragedy is that Alix was seen as controlling even though she had to be because her husband was the more useless partner.
She also received very little support from her domineering mother in law, who remained in control of everything such as charities and formal functions. Her inability to produce an heir to the throne only turned the nobility against her which affected her mental health and she would lock herself away in Tsarskoe Selo with her daughters.
Eventually she did give them an heir, Alexei; who inherited hemophilia through his mother's genes; the one thing Alix feared above all else. One of her own brothers had died through it and her uncle too; she knew the ramifications of the disease and so the couple kept the secret to a select few which eventually led to the downfall of the Romanov dynasty in 1917.
The biography sheds fresh light on an often vilified woman, even if she was far from perfect she was also a mother who protected her children to the best of her abilities; a wife who had to take charge when her ineffectual husband could not; a humanitarian thwarted at every turn; and a victim who was forced into the role of villain.
For anyone who wants to see another side to the last Tsarina then this biography is worth a read.
She was in fact extremely shy, so perhaps I found myself empathizing with her on some level of public anxiety and the desire to be invisible. Alix was the granddaughter of Queen Victoria who was completely against her marriage even though she came to like Nicholas herself. Unfortunately Nicholas was weak willed and looked to Alix as his strength even though he ruled the whole nation. The tragedy is that Alix was seen as controlling even though she had to be because her husband was the more useless partner.
She also received very little support from her domineering mother in law, who remained in control of everything such as charities and formal functions. Her inability to produce an heir to the throne only turned the nobility against her which affected her mental health and she would lock herself away in Tsarskoe Selo with her daughters.
Eventually she did give them an heir, Alexei; who inherited hemophilia through his mother's genes; the one thing Alix feared above all else. One of her own brothers had died through it and her uncle too; she knew the ramifications of the disease and so the couple kept the secret to a select few which eventually led to the downfall of the Romanov dynasty in 1917.
The biography sheds fresh light on an often vilified woman, even if she was far from perfect she was also a mother who protected her children to the best of her abilities; a wife who had to take charge when her ineffectual husband could not; a humanitarian thwarted at every turn; and a victim who was forced into the role of villain.
For anyone who wants to see another side to the last Tsarina then this biography is worth a read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 24, 2020
One of those incredibly 'readable' books, where it's very easy to pick it up and find yourself 200 pages in. It doesn't feel substantial.
Erickson's depiction of both Alexandra and Nicholas II in the last months before the abdication makes them both seem like they are spiralling uncontrollably into actual insanity; but they seem to recover miraculously after they are put under arrest. This seems to be the fault of the writer overdoing it a little. Dates are vague and hard to come by - I'm not a fan of history that is nothing BUT dates and times, but it was sometimes quite confusing what year certain things were happening (after Khodynka field, especially).
I thought the last chapter was handled well; but the epilogue should definitely have given a more thorough explanation of what happened after her death. It feels incomplete to just tell the reader that she died with a single bullet to the head, and then was buried properly eighty years later, leaving out literally everything in between. At least give an explanation as to why it took them eighty years to be buried, why some of the bodies were missing/disputed. It is a hard subject to tackle, but to write an entire book on the subject and not give a hint of a large section of its history (or even a book recommendation for the next part of the story) seemed odd to me.
Erickson's depiction of both Alexandra and Nicholas II in the last months before the abdication makes them both seem like they are spiralling uncontrollably into actual insanity; but they seem to recover miraculously after they are put under arrest. This seems to be the fault of the writer overdoing it a little. Dates are vague and hard to come by - I'm not a fan of history that is nothing BUT dates and times, but it was sometimes quite confusing what year certain things were happening (after Khodynka field, especially).
I thought the last chapter was handled well; but the epilogue should definitely have given a more thorough explanation of what happened after her death. It feels incomplete to just tell the reader that she died with a single bullet to the head, and then was buried properly eighty years later, leaving out literally everything in between. At least give an explanation as to why it took them eighty years to be buried, why some of the bodies were missing/disputed. It is a hard subject to tackle, but to write an entire book on the subject and not give a hint of a large section of its history (or even a book recommendation for the next part of the story) seemed odd to me.
January 26, 2021
I've read countless books about the Romanovs (especially about Nicholas II and his family) and I usually simply adore them. I'm like a sponge who wants to soak up as much information as I can about them. With this one I'm more torn. First I was happy to be reading about the Romanovs again (because it definitely is my favourite non-fiction subject) but then I started to see some faults in the book that I couldn't quite get over.
My biggest issue with this book is the fact that it's not very well balanced. I feel like the author spent a lot of time explaining Alix's life before the marriage and then wanted to rush through the rest of her life (you have to know a thing or two about the Romanovs before reading this because some of the things are not greatly explained!). And with that I feel like she completely forgot that Alix was deeply in love with her husband and children. They were mostly absent (yes, Alexei was mentioned many times but the girls got barely a sentence here and there)! It's weird that the author was able to write book about Alexandra and then leave so much of her family out. That bothered me a lot.
This wasn't a bad book and I did like it (because of the subject) but I wish it would've been even better. Guess I have to pick another book from my shelf and try if that would appease my appetite.
My biggest issue with this book is the fact that it's not very well balanced. I feel like the author spent a lot of time explaining Alix's life before the marriage and then wanted to rush through the rest of her life (you have to know a thing or two about the Romanovs before reading this because some of the things are not greatly explained!). And with that I feel like she completely forgot that Alix was deeply in love with her husband and children. They were mostly absent (yes, Alexei was mentioned many times but the girls got barely a sentence here and there)! It's weird that the author was able to write book about Alexandra and then leave so much of her family out. That bothered me a lot.
This wasn't a bad book and I did like it (because of the subject) but I wish it would've been even better. Guess I have to pick another book from my shelf and try if that would appease my appetite.
May 29, 2018
The story of Alexandra, the last tsarina of Russia, and what was fated for her, her family, and her country. Infinitely tragic.
As a historical account, this book is flawed in the sense that at least one of the sources Erickson used is disreputable (that of Alexandra’s maid, Martha Mouchanow) and in that the author, looking to achieve a certain desired effect, makes a conscious decision to end the book, and Alexandra’s life, with a single bullet to the head as opposed to describing the horrific melee that actually occurred. Embellishments aside, the Romanovs’ story as told from Alexandra’s perspective is interesting, making the effort worthwhile, and the blending of a textbook writing style with dialogue obtained from letters and memoirs results in the overall reading experience being similar to that of historical fiction and, therefore, more enjoyable.
(Having some basic background on Russian history before diving into this book would be helpful, as the author does make some assumptions that her audience already possesses certain knowledge.)
As a historical account, this book is flawed in the sense that at least one of the sources Erickson used is disreputable (that of Alexandra’s maid, Martha Mouchanow) and in that the author, looking to achieve a certain desired effect, makes a conscious decision to end the book, and Alexandra’s life, with a single bullet to the head as opposed to describing the horrific melee that actually occurred. Embellishments aside, the Romanovs’ story as told from Alexandra’s perspective is interesting, making the effort worthwhile, and the blending of a textbook writing style with dialogue obtained from letters and memoirs results in the overall reading experience being similar to that of historical fiction and, therefore, more enjoyable.
(Having some basic background on Russian history before diving into this book would be helpful, as the author does make some assumptions that her audience already possesses certain knowledge.)
June 27, 2025
An Abominable Crime
Erickson is kind to Alexandra who was most unsuited to be the Empress and wife to a man who was unsuited to be an Emperor/Tsar. Queen Victoria was right to be horrified that her granddaughters Elizabeth and Alexandra married into the cesspit which was and is Russia. The Romanov Royal family hated her from the start, Alix had no chance. That she was devoted to Nicholas, and he to her, makes it touchingly sad but they were totally unfit intellectually and politically to rule that country.
The murder of the Tsar, the Tsarina, the Tsaravitch, the four Grand Duchesses and their few servants was a crime that stank all the way to heaven. Maybe a case could have been made to execute Nicholas and even his son. That would have put paid to the dynasty but to shoot and bayonet four young girls and their innocent servants was and remains an abomination. I hope they are at rest.
Erickson is kind to Alexandra who was most unsuited to be the Empress and wife to a man who was unsuited to be an Emperor/Tsar. Queen Victoria was right to be horrified that her granddaughters Elizabeth and Alexandra married into the cesspit which was and is Russia. The Romanov Royal family hated her from the start, Alix had no chance. That she was devoted to Nicholas, and he to her, makes it touchingly sad but they were totally unfit intellectually and politically to rule that country.
The murder of the Tsar, the Tsarina, the Tsaravitch, the four Grand Duchesses and their few servants was a crime that stank all the way to heaven. Maybe a case could have been made to execute Nicholas and even his son. That would have put paid to the dynasty but to shoot and bayonet four young girls and their innocent servants was and remains an abomination. I hope they are at rest.
April 15, 2018
Erickson's biography of the last empress of Russia has its' good points and its bad points. On the one hand, it's a rare book which seems to deliberately show Alexandra's deeply rooted flaws and the mistakes she made as empress. It also is one of the few which flat out states that she likely had some form of mental illness, especially as she grew older. Conversely, there is a distinct lack of dating of events, some are glossed over while others spoken about in detail. And the style of writing is very chatty, more in common with historical fiction than non-fiction. A good book for comparing with other volumes - as you'll find some details here that are not in other biographies of Alexandra - but not a book with which to start your readings into the fall of the Romanovs.
May 31, 2020
This is not the first book I have read about the Romanov dynasty or Nicholas and Alexandra. How much more was there to say about the last tsar and tsarina? I read the book because of the author. I enjoyed this book and it gave me a better understanding of Alexandra's life and her relationship with others .This book shows more insight into both their characters - their flaws, her spiritualism mixed with mysticism and for Alexandra's love of her son, husband and daughters.
I felt sympathy for her in places but in most cases I felt she made things much more difficult for herself. Neither Alexandra or Nicholas were prepared for leadership. A great read if you are into history and royalty.
I felt sympathy for her in places but in most cases I felt she made things much more difficult for herself. Neither Alexandra or Nicholas were prepared for leadership. A great read if you are into history and royalty.
February 2, 2021
This book was just okay for me. Not a lot of new insight and the second half simultaneously dragged and felt really rushed, whole years passing in a single short chapter. I thought the first chapters about Alix and her family before the engagement were most interesting, but still wished for less detail and more conjecture. Helen Rappaport’s book on Alix’s four daughters had more information about Alix than this book did! This book relied heavily on secondary sources and had a lot of conjecture about what Alix might have seen or felt, but not much real analysis or even interesting speculation about what was really going on with her physical or mental health troubles. Interesting, but not a lot of new information and left me wishing for something more.
January 25, 2022
I'd been meaning to read this book for a long time. Finally got around to it. I have read several books nonfiction and historical fiction about the Romanovs. In my opinion, the best is Robert K. Massey's Nicholas and Alexandra which I read in the late 80s. This book focuses on Alexandra. I found the details of her youth interested. I already know the story. Erickson's version really stressed how absolutely clueless these royals were to the suffering of the citizens. Maybe that was his intention. I found that take on the story very interesting. After reading this, one can definitely understand the uprisings and anger among the Russian citizens. Through strong research and vivid storytelling, the author brought these events to life.
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