Zinaida Natasha Romanova’s Reviews > The Romanov Empress: A Novel of Tsarina Maria Feodorovna > Status Update

Maria's final goodbye to Nicholas. It is painful to read. He made so many mistakes, listened to the wrong people. But in this final interaction you can't help but to feel sorry for him. The way Gortner describes his walk and body language is heartbreaking. What's worse that even now he is resigned to date and is putting off fighting for his families safety.

Miechen is the books voice of reason. Or Meichen and Minnie together. WWI is here, the way these people are running to war reminds me of the US during the build up to Iraq. This book is a literature and history lesson. Though the build up to WWI is as confusing in here as it is in real life.

Haha. Every chapter i have to pull out the dictionary. I have never read some of these words Maria uses to describe people countenance.
Bloody Sunday has just occurred. Within the context of the story Nicholas needs to be ousted by his family, the man is inept. Again this is within the story not real life.

Alexei was just born. The countdown has officially started. I know Alexandra was a disaster Empress but I wonder if she was this horrible. And Nicholas reminds me of Prince Harry.

Ugh. Nicholas is marrying Alexandra. The doom of the Romanovs is upon us.

Yes the attempt to blow up the palace did happen. Never heard about that one, only the last one that took poor Alexander III's life. Such a harrowing read. The author has the Czar, Czarevich, and other Grand Dukes digging in the rubble to save people who are trapped.