"Tragic Bride" By V. Poliakoff

[Alixz]

I had an "oops" in my ordering process and I received The Tragic Bride a novel set in 20th century Ireland.

I sent it back and am waiting the one I wanted.

From your description Georgiy, it sounds like a completely new (or very old) take on Alix.  Seeing her as a person who loved and was loved instead of a "loose cannon".  Far more sympathetic than we usually see.

[Alixz]

I received my copy of the book yesterday and began to read it last night.  So far it is a much more sympathetic look at Alix than previously seen.  There are a lot of translated copies of letters to and from Nicholas And Alix during their engagment and of Nicholas's diary during the same period.

There are also some copies of original letters in English between the two.

There are several very nice photo sections.

There is a lot of foot noting of who's who so that the reader isn't confused by the nicknames used.

I had to stop for a minute when the author refered to the "Great War" to remember that he wrote this in 1927 and had no clue that another even "greater war" was to come.

My copy is beautiful and has something I have never seen before.  An original bookmark attached to the book by a cord which has the author's name and the publisher printed on it.  What a find!  After nearly 80 years, no one ever removed it.

So far so good!

[Alixz]

OK so now I have finished reading and it was really worth it.

The author's grandfather was present at the wedding of Nicholas and Alix in some very minor capacity.  The author was in the crowd and saw the couple in the carriage as it took them to the Anitchkov.

Poliakoff was called to service in 1914 and (of course) survived his months in the trenches and was on leave in Petrograd when the March Revolution broke out.

He stood in the crowd that bowed to Nicholas at the beginning of the war before the Winter Palace and then sang "God Save the Tsar".

He believes (again of course) since the book was written in 1927 that Solokov had the difinitive answer to the fate of the family.

I found the book wonderful because it was a snapshot of a 1927s mindset, but one that, while it judged Alix, also forgave her because of the situation she found herself in and her inexperience.

Just to hold this book (which is in wonderful condition) and know that it was published just 9 years after the Ekaterinburg murders gave me a quite thrill.

There is so much original material in the form of diary excerpts and letters between Nicholas and Alix and everything is footnoted to keep the reader on track instead of source noted in the back.

I am bubbling over with enthusiasm, I know, but I recommend it if you can find it.

[Alixz]

Just recently, I asked Greg King for a good source of material on the 1894 diaries of Nicholas II.  He surprised me by recommending this book.

I am in the process of re-reading it.

I am still fascinated with the mind set of someone who lived through the years that we study and was actually witness to some of the events, but not from inside the palace walls.

I have to handle it carefully as the copy I have, while still in good condition, always feels as if the binding might break if I am not careful.

If you are interested in the diary of Nicholas as Tsarevich while in England with Alix in 1894, this is a good source.