Oh my god. Reading this book reignited my love for Anastasia – both the Broadway musical and the classic movie. Ever since this book was announced, it’s been on my most-looked-forward-to list, and I’ve been fortunate enough to get an ARC and let me tell you: it did not disappoint.
As you can probably tell from the title, this book is a retelling of Anastasia’s life and what-could-have-been after the tragic event in 1918. The Romanovs are in exile under the Bolsheviks, and it’s only getting harder day by day. I can’t really say much else without giving away spoilers, but there’s magic! and fantasy! which are honestly really amazing.
At first, I was having a hard time getting into it. Since they were in captivity, it was a pretty repetitive and there wasn’t much room for anything else, but it really started picking up about 60% in. From there on out, I was a goner. I would probably give my soul for this book and Nastya’s character.
I loved that it was still rooted in facts. When I read adaptations and retellings of historical figures and events, facts usually get erased and those books end up with a completely different story. But with Romanov, all the facts are there and the fiction only occurs after. Sure, Zash’s character is completely fictional, but it’s mentioned that he represents all the Bolshevik soldiers who grew sympathetic towards the Romanov family. When I read this, I definitely warmed up to his character and grew to love the book even more. Yes, I do miss Dmitry (my favorite street rat!!!!), but I think that the book was amazing.
Definitely recommend this to everyone interested in history, as well as to the fans of the movie. You won’t be disappointed!
Title: Romanov
Author: Nadine Brandes
Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Fiction
Source: ARC via NetGalley
Publication Date: May 7, 2019
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Rating: 4/5
