Bought at the YWCA Literacy Book Sale in 2012 to read and release in the wild.

What is it about the Romanovs that is so fascinating, even almost 100 years since their demise? While most stories focus on Nicholas II and Alexandra, this one focuses on Alexandra's sister, Ella (Elisabeth), who was married to Nicholas II's uncle, Sergei, and Pavel, a peasant-turned-revolutionary after the death of his wife and unborn child on Bloody Sunday. Although they were born worlds apart—Ella to royalty in Germany, Pavel to poverty in Russia—global events bring them together and they end up telling each other the stories of their lives, and how they ended up in the same place at the same time. It is a sad and brutal yet wistfully beautiful snapshot of history.

The books are taking over my house so in order to retain my sanity, I'm sending this in a box to HI77 in Florida to read and/or release. Thank you and enjoy!

When the war against self

is more vicious than outside,
eat doughnuts and be done with it.

I've never been all that interested in the Romanov's but in a casual way. I'm not overly fond of brutality and extreme violence and this is that and more.

It was an interesting perspective to take of the German wife married into that horrible time period of extreme change but it seems like she was up for the challenges of such a life.

It was a hard thing to listen to though. You could feel the pain of both sides, and also the blindness on both sides. I've read all 3 of this series and as good as a snap shot as they were for this time period, they were just too sad and brutal for me. There's too much sadness in the world as it is, I don't willingly go into a book for more of it.

Still, it was a good story. Well written and carries through nicely, if I'm to take it face value.

There was somebody else that wanted to read it.

So off it goes!! :)

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