Module 11: The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial Russia

Module 11: The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial Russia

Summary: This is the story of the Romanovs, the royal family of Russia. The decadence of the high class society has left the majority of Russians in poverty and despair. The book chronicles the family’s history from before the royal couple was a couple to after their captivity and the discovery of their hidden bones.

Citation: Fleming, C. (2014). The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial   Russia. New York: Random House Children’s Books.

Impression: This book is a great combination of information and excitement. Court intrigue, tragic poverty, and thrilling mystery combine to make a great read. Also the author’s extensive research and use of private diaries to give voices to these historical deceased. The author uses enough quotes from the diaries to show the story is historical and true without turning the novel into a textbook. The setting is detailed enough that without being a historian the reader can tell the people of Russia are desperate for change and the monarchs, although not evil, are spoiled in their wealth. Fleming does a great job of making the royals into people with feelings and thoughts of their own despite their public appearance as cold monarchs. Furthermore, the whole story unfolds with such suspense and elegant interweaving of historical documents and plot that the reader is immersed in that time period and its events completely. I would highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys history and drama.  

Review: Fleming examines the family at the center of two of the early 20th century’s defining events.

It’s an astounding and complex story, and Fleming lays it neatly out for readers unfamiliar with the context. Czar Nicholas II was ill-prepared in experience and temperament to step into his legendary father’s footsteps. Nicholas’ beloved wife (and granddaughter of Queen Victoria), Alexandra, was socially insecure, becoming increasingly so as she gave birth to four daughters in a country that required a male heir. When Alexei was born with hemophilia, the desperate monarchs hid his condition and turned to the disruptive, self-proclaimed holy man Rasputin. Excerpts from contemporary accounts make it clear how years of oppression and deprivation made the population ripe for revolutionary fervor, while a costly war took its toll on a poorly trained and ill-equipped military. The secretive deaths and burials of the Romanovs fed rumors and speculation for decades until modern technology and new information solved the mysteries. Award-winning author Fleming crafts an exciting narrative from this complicated history and its intriguing personalities. It is full of rich details about the Romanovs, insights into figures such as Vladimir Lenin and firsthand accounts from ordinary Russians affected by the tumultuous events. A variety of photographs adds a solid visual dimension, while the meticulous research supports but never upstages the tale.

A remarkable human story, told with clarity and confidence. (bibliography, Web resources, source notes, picture credits, index) (Nonfiction. 12 & up)

(2014). The Family Romanov [Review of the book The Family Romanove: Murder, Rebellion,       and the Fall of Imperial Russia]. Kirkus Review. Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/candace-fleming/the-family-romanov/

Suggestion: This would be a great book to use for a display on intriguing informational books for teenagers.