Reviews

I hate rating this at 2.5 stars, because I know some people loved it and I had such high hopes, but I feel so disappointed! I’ve always been fascinated by the Romanovs, and to this day I love the animated Anastasia film, so I expected to love a book that explored what would have happened if she had survived her family’s execution. However, this book just fell so flat. The concept itself is fascinating, but the execution left much to be desired, as I felt the author spent so much time telling rather than showing and didn’t spend enough time building Anna and Evgenia’s friendship. The book felt rushed but also incredibly slow paced at the same time, and despite knowing the tragedy of the time, I never felt connected to either girl’s story.

alshaw10210's review against another edition

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4.0

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read an ARC of this book. At times it's a beautiful historical novel about a period in history that I'm not super familiar with. At other times the descriptions of the torture, violence and death being described is pretty heart wrenching. Would absolutely recommend!

natasha_gatti's review against another edition

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5.0

This book is not in a genre of books I typically read. It’s historical fiction - and an alternate retelling of the famous Anastasia Romanov. This book gripped me and I found myself reading this relatively quickly. However, this book is not for the faint of heart. There’s violence, brutality and everything you would expect from the start of the Russian revolution. It also illustrates how two girls from two different walks of life come together and learn to respect and care for one another. It’s a solemn affair of two unlikely friends dealing with opposing views in a harsh environment and learning that not everything is what it seems and to not judge someone solely by their beliefs.

I received an advance reader copy of this book and leave this honest review voluntarily.

brittanylikesbookies's review against another edition

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5.0

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own!

This was stunning! I absolutely loved Carolyn Tara O'Neil's writing! I have always loved Anastasia and this book drew me right in. It was a delight to read! I thought the plot and characters were well developed and well done and I really enjoyed this!

abi_jae05's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

jackiepreston's review against another edition

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dark tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Content Warnings

solakri's review against another edition

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2.0

Not sure how one can make a tale of a lost Romanov and a revolutionary girl on the run between the Red and White armies boring, but the author certainly managed it

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