The Tsarina's Daughter by Carolly Erickson

[Divia]

If you are a purist when it comes to history then I think you should pass on The Tsarina's Daughter. However, if you like an interesting story of what might have been if all the stars were aligned, then this maybe the novel for you.

This is the story of Tatiana the second oldest daughter to Czar Nicholas and his wife Alexandria. The story focuses on Tatiana's life as she is growing up in the royal palace and also when the family was arrested. The little details about courtly life and the people that surrounded Tatiana are very interesting. Readers also experience Tatiana's life as a nurse during World War I. I will say I was a little disappointed that we did not get more interaction between Tatiana and her sisters. There are some interactions with Olga, but not enough in my opinion. Alexandria is not painted in a sympathetic light and comes off as crazy in the novel. Nicholas, in my opinion, seems out of touch with his family and everything around him. Now I am not sure if this is true or not, but it did not distract me from the story. Also Ms. Erickson's writing was predictable in some spots. There were no surprises, but I let it go and just enjoyed the story for what it was.

I will confess that I was a little leery about this novel, after having read Erickson's last one about Josephine. The characters were more interesting. Overall, I enjoyed it, and I am thrilled that we have another Romanov book on the market. There are so few of them, and we need more.

[SonjaMarie]

I find the lack of interaction between the sisters surprising, as they were, by all accounts, very close. And Nicholas and Alexandra were also very close to each other and the children.

SM

[Misfit]

Hmm. Glad I'm getting this one from the library, although since I know next to nothing about Russia I don't have to be worrying about being a purist :)

[diamondlil]

I will confess that I was a little leery about this novel, after having read Erickson's last one about Josephine. But this plot seems stronger and the characters more interesting. Overall, I enjoyed it, and I am thrilled that we have another Romanov book on the market. There are so few of them, and we need more.

I am glad to hear this in particular about stronger characters. The only one of her books that I have read previously is the Marie Antoinette one, which was okay, but not great.

[Divia]

I find the lack of interaction between the sisters surprising, as they were, by all accounts, very close. And Nicholas and Alexandra were also very close to each other and the children.

SM

Yeah that was my thoughts too.I mean I dont know a whole lot about Russian history but that is one thing I did hear. Although now that I look back on it I dont think there was a lot of interaction betwen Alex and Nick. The children had their tiffs but no real bonding.

[boswellbaxter]

Probably a library read for me. It looks interesting, and I don't know enough about the period to catch any liberties that have been taken, but her Josephine one really irritated me.

[Divia]

Probably a library read for me. It looks interesting, and I don't know enough about the period to catch any liberties that have been taken, but her Josephine one really irritated me.

You arent the only one. While I dont know much about Josephine I said in my review on amazon that it seemed the title should have been The Secret Sex life of Josephine.

[Susan]

You arent the only one. While I dont know much about Josephine I said in my review on amazon that it seemed the title should have been The Secret Sex life of Josephine.

Carolly Erickson should stick to writing non-fiction!

[boswellbaxter]

You arent the only one. While I dont know much about Josephine I said in my review on amazon that it seemed the title should have been The Secret Sex life of Josephine.

LOL! Aside from all of the gratuitous sex, Josephine as portrayed in the novel was thoroughly unappealing--meretricious and disloyal. I lost all patience when she cuckolded Napoleon on their wedding day, or was it the day before the wedding?

[Telynor]

I think I will skip this one. It sounds pretty average. For some truly interesting information about that last generation of Romanovs, see if you can find A Lifelong Passion, which is just letters and diary entries that they all made, and it gets heartbreaking to read the children's letters and notes. The family were incredibly close to one another, especially the daughters. I don't know if Erickson mentions it in her novel, but the four girls would write joint letters and give presents under the name OTMA, using the initals of their names.

A few years back, I went to an exhibition of Romanov possessions in Newark, NJ and it was very moving to walk through, and see the objects that they handled and wore, along with many letters.

[Alaric]

The family were incredibly close to one another, especially the daughters.

Indeed.

I think it was just after he had abdicated to Grand Duke Mikhail, but Nicholas told someone (it may have been to Mikhail) something along the lines of "I comfort the loss of my crown by knowing that I have a happy family," so they were incredibly close with each other irregardless of the throne.

[Divia]

I cannot recall any letters using OTMA.

Also, this book pretty much focused on Tatiana and her sisters were almos an after thought. Or so I believe.

[Susan]

. A few years back, I went to an exhibition of Romanov possessions in Newark, NJ and it was very moving to walk through, and see the objects that they handled and wore, along with many letters.

I wanted to go to that exhibition, but I never did make it. I did visit the Forbes Gallery in New York (it was free!) before they sold their collection of Faberge Eggs. Absolutely amazing!

[Divia]

I have always wanted to see a Faberge Eggs up close. Or at least behind glass. I think they are so pretty in the pics!

[Susan]

I have always wanted to see a Faberge Eggs up close. Or at least behind glass. I think they are so pretty in the pics!

LOL, yes, they were definitely behind glass and the photos do not do them justice at all. Here's where the eggs are except that the Forbes eggs were sold and are no longer at the Forbes Magazine Gallery. Russian businessman Victor Vekselberg bought them in 2004 for a sum estimated between $90 and $120 million.
http://www.pbs.org/treasuresoftheworld/faberge/flevel_2/flevel2_after_whereabouts.html

My favorite eggs are the Coronation Egg and the Lilies of the Valley egg, both of which I saw at the Forbes Collection.

Liiles of the Valley Egg
http://www.pbs.org/treasuresoftheworld/faberge/images/eggs/lilies_egg_large.jpg

Coronation Egg
http://www.bslhome.com/shop/thumb/decorative-accessories/502229/imperial-coronation-yellow-coach-egg.jpg

[Misfit]

I have always wanted to see a Faberge Eggs up close. Or at least behind glass. I think they are so pretty in the pics!

I saw some a few years ago at a special display at the Portland (OR) Art Museum. Pretty cool stuff. This talk just put me in mind of how long it's been since I've been to the Maryhill Museum (http://maryhillmuseum.org/) in timbuktu eastern Washington. One of the main features is items from Queen Marie of Romania who was grandaughter of Victoria and one of the Czars. A seriously cool place to see, let alone the Stonehenge (http://www.legendsofamerica.com/WA-Stonehenge.html) replica nearby.

[cw gortner]

I saw them too; they came as part of an exhibition with the Czar's jewels to San Francisco years ago. They were stunning; I was also stunned to think that a half of one of those eggs could have fed Moscow:eek:

[Telynor]

I wanted to go to that exhibition, but I never did make it. I did visit the Forbes Gallery in New York (it was free!) before they sold their collection of Faberge Eggs. Absolutely amazing!

There is an exhibition catalog with a collection of essays in it, if you want, I can try and find the title of it for you. Absolutely amazing photographs in it.

[princess garnet]

I cannot recall any letters using OTMA.
In Robert K. Massie's Nicholas & Alexandra, he mentions the "OTMA" signature. One sister would sign for all of them on numerous letters.

[SonjaMarie]

Just saw something about this new book out 20 days ago:
Faberge's Eggs: The Extraordinary Story of the Masterpieces That Outlived an Empire - Amazon US (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/140006550X?ie=UTF8&tag=theladyjanegr-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=140006550X)

Amazon UK (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1405053887?ie=UTF8&tag=sonjamariesbu-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=1405053887)

SM