The Tsarina's Daughter - Carolly Erickson

[Lalee]

I read this over at "reading the Past"   http://readingthepast.blogspot.com/  Purist might not like it, but eh I'm cool with it, if the story is written well.

A couple posts back, people were wondering what Carolly Erickson's The Tsarina's Daughter was about. According to St. Martin's Press's fall catalog, it is indeed about Tatiana - the cover told the truth for a change - and is what I'd properly call an alternate history, although it's not labeled as such. The blurb begins as follows: "Daria Gradov is an elderly grandmother living in the rural West in the 1980s. What neighbors and even her children don't know, however, is she began her life as the Grand Duchess Tatiana, daughter of Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra..." Then it describes her romance with a young soldier.

Thank you Divia for providing more information on The Tsarina's Daughter. Unfortunately I'm a little disappointed with the storyline. I don't know about others, but stories which centre around one of the children of Nicholas and Alexandra surviving the execution, are not really to my taste.

Thanks again, Divia!

[helenazar]

I don't know about others, but stories which centre around one of the children of Nicholas and Alexandra surviving the execution, are not really to my taste.

Yeah, it's a little unfortunate that Erikson chose to take that angle instead of focusing on the real Tatiana, but again, this is a work of fiction and if it actually has an interesting storyline it may work, some "what ifs" can be fun to read IMO...

[Lalee]

I suppose "What If?" stories can be entertaining. But yes, I agree with you Helen, that it would have been better if Ms. Erickson focused on the real life of Tatiana Nicholaievna.

[oksander1]

Hi,
To anyone that might be interested: I came across an advance readers edition on Ebay.
It is a pure fictional work. I thought I was buying something tastefull and exciting like Robert Alexander's books,
but I was shocked by the large number of historical mistakes in the book and blames and insults cast upon the Nicholas and Alexandra.
Possibly I'm not allowed to tell anything about this book since it's not out yet but Romanov fans will be disgusted.
Oh yes, it is about Tatiana.

[Lalee]

Hi,
To anyone that might be interested: I came across an advance readers edition on Ebay.
It is a pure fictional work. I thought I was buying something tastefull and exciting like Robert Alexander's books,
but I was shocked by the large number of historical mistakes in the book and blames and insults cast upon the Nicholas and Alexandra.
Possibly I'm not allowed to tell anything about this book since it's not out yet but Romanov fans will be disgusted.
Oh yes, it is about Tatiana.

I thought this book probably wouldn't be highly praised. It's a real shame. I was actually looking forward to a book on Tatiana.

[AnnaAnderson101]

i love the work of carolly erickson., i loved reading Alexandra

[Lalee]

I think Ms. Erickson's book Alexandra reads more like fiction rather than a real biography. I wouldn't rely on it very much for facts.

In the mean time, I have found a longer storyline and put in some of the advanced praise for The Tsarina's Daughter:

From the bestselling author of The Hidden Diary of Marie Antoinette comes a dramatic novel and powerful love story about the last Russian imperial family.

It is 1989 and Daria Gradov is an elderly grandmother living in the rural West. What neighbors and even her children don’t know, however, is that she is not who she claims to be—the widow of a Russian immigrant of modest means. In actuality she began her life as the Grand Duchess Tatiana, known as Tania to her parents, Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra.

            And so begins the latest entrancing historical entertainment by Carolly Erickson. At its center is young Tania, who lives a life of incomparable luxury in pre-Revolutionary Russia, from the magnificence of the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg to the family’s private enclave outside the capital. Tania is one of four daughters, and the birth of her younger brother Alexei is both a blessing and a curse. When he is diagnosed with hemophilia and the key to his survival lies in the mysterious power of the illiterate monk Rasputin, it is merely an omen of much worse things to come. Soon war breaks out and revolution sweeps the family from power and into claustrophobic imprisonment in Siberia. Into Tania’s world comes a young soldier whose life she helps to save and who becomes her partner in daring plans to rescue the imperial family from certain death.

It has received some praise as well! By Publisher's Weekly:

"A top-notch narrative …Erickson creates an entirely convincing historical backdrop, and her tale of a family’s fall from power and a country in transition is both romantic and gripping.”

And by Library Journal:

"Erickson weaves historical details into this imaginative account of how Tatiana Romanov . . . escaped the Bolshevik assassins who killed Russia's royal family in 1918. . . . Despite knowing the real Tatiana's fate, readers will rejoice in the fictional version's survival. A sure winner for public library fans of historical romance."

[clockworkgirl21]

I was looking forward to a book on Tatiana, too! Even fiction would have been okay, but any book talking about their surviving the murder isn't of any interest to me.

[Joyann1]

i would read the book. i will enjoy everything what i read that happends before the execution, even if it's fiction.

[Ortino]

Interesting. Amazon seems to have posted an entirely different synopsis of the novel--I do hope that the one above (however inaccurate) is indeed the storyline of this novel, because the one below makes me sick.

From Publishers Weekly
Historical maven Erickson (The Hidden Diary of Marie Antoinette) delivers a top-notch narrative featuring beautiful and courageous Tatiana Romanov, daughter of Nicholas and Alexandra, during the final years of their reign. As life becomes increasingly bleak in prerevolution Russia, Tatiana sneaks out of the palace and sees firsthand the poverty and violence pervading her country. With Communist rebels shouting for equality and enemy countries invading, Tatiana befriends a young and destitute pregnant woman whose fiancé has just been murdered by Cossacks, opening up her conscience in unexpected ways. But as the czar falters and the czarina takes refuge from her afflictions in the company of Father Gregory (better known as Rasputin), Tatiana finds solace in the arms of a fierce patriot. Erickson creates an entirely convincing historical backdrop, and her tale of a family's fall from power and a country in transition is both romantic and gripping.

[Sarushka]

I've seen both descriptions from official sources. I'd wager both are correct -- they don't strike me as mutually exclusive.

[Ortino]

Thanks for the info, Sarushka.

What utter crap. I don't find anything about this story line to be "romantic" or "gripping." I think a more accurate description would be "illness inducing."

[gorgeousbutterfly]

the tsarina's daughter by Carolly Erickson. Anybody heard of it? I'm not a fan of this author but because she is going to write about one of the grand duchesses i have to read it.  it comes out in sept 30th here.

[Ally Kumari]

There is already a thread on this in Book section. You cannot miss it there.

[Holly]

When are people going to get tired of these books?? It's the same plot over and over and over again.