This was the first Romanov book I ever read. I was probably 10 or 11 and to that point had no idea that Russia had ever had an Imperial Family -much less one that had been murdered. I remember the artwork depicting the murder but I never found it terribly shocking. I was more intriged...something to the effect of "this girl's family got murdered? Why?". And then I found out and wanted to learn more. As far as I know it was released prior to the cartoon, because I knew enough about the IF at the time the film was released to be offended. I definitely recommend it. Not because it offers new information -because it doesn't= but because it's different. It's more personal than a regular biography.
