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aylachisholm's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
e_j_cook's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
jenul13's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
libdragon's review against another edition
5.0
Is Anna Anderson really the Grand Duchess Anastasia of Russia? Using some true information, Lawhon piques the reader's curiosity and forces them to continue reading. Using a reverse timeline that took a bit of getting used to, Lawhon tells Anna's story, suspending disbelief one moment and making the reader believe the next. I enjoyed this book - the title made me curious and the story engulfed me. A great read for book clubs!
wdudzik's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
avesducci's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
hoosiercarol's review against another edition
3.0
Such a confusing timeline to follow, but good story.
clark1532's review against another edition
4.0
This was an interesting book. I didn't know much about the Anastasia prior to reading it. It was also written in an interesting timeline, chronologically with Anastasia, and backwards in time with the older Anna. It was a little confusing at first, but once I got used to it I found it interesting. Overall I felt it was well written and entertaining.
lindamarieaustin110159's review against another edition
3.0
I have always been intrigued by the Romanov family, so I was drawn to this title. To Lawhon’s credit a great deal of research formed the framework behind this book. It is truly a fascinating tale. However, I found it difficult to follow with the constant shifting backwards of the date causing Anna Anderson’s narrative to be presented in the reverse order from which it occurred. I understand why it is written in this manner, but believe that at least parts of this could have been presented more chronologically. In my opinion, this would have made it easier to follow and understand the who’s who of some of the characters.
As this story opens in 1970, a woman claiming to be the Russian grand duchess, Anastasia Romanov, is living in Charlottesville, Virginia. She has struggled her entire adult life to establish herself as deserving of the vast inheritance left by Nicolas II, Emperor of Russia. However, she has been unable to prove her identity as his daughter. In order to keep a roof over her head she has married a man she didn’t love and through the years past has relied on the kindness and curiosity of well-to-do strangers to take her in. She has also spent time in hospitals and mental institutions, as doctors struggled to determine the cause of the scars covering much of her body and the reason she would try to take her life by jumping from the Bendlerstrasse Bridge in Berlin.
As this story opens in 1970, a woman claiming to be the Russian grand duchess, Anastasia Romanov, is living in Charlottesville, Virginia. She has struggled her entire adult life to establish herself as deserving of the vast inheritance left by Nicolas II, Emperor of Russia. However, she has been unable to prove her identity as his daughter. In order to keep a roof over her head she has married a man she didn’t love and through the years past has relied on the kindness and curiosity of well-to-do strangers to take her in. She has also spent time in hospitals and mental institutions, as doctors struggled to determine the cause of the scars covering much of her body and the reason she would try to take her life by jumping from the Bendlerstrasse Bridge in Berlin.