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The Romanov Brides
From the author of A Most English Princess comes a rich novel about young Princess Alix of Hesse—the future Alexandra, last Empress of Imperial Russia—and her sister, Princess Ella. Their decision to marry into the Romanov royal family changed history. They were granddaughters of Queen Victoria and two of the most beautiful princesses in Europe. Princesses Alix and Ella were destined to wed well and wisely. But while their grandmother wants to join them to the English and German royal families, the sisters fall in love with Russia—and the Romanovs. Defying the Queen’s dire warnings, Ella weds the tsar’s brother, Grand Duke Serge. Cultivated, aloof, and proud, Serge places his young wife on a pedestal for all to admire. Behind palace gates, Ella struggles to secure private happiness. Alix, whisked away to Russia for Ella’s wedding, meets and captivates Nicky—heir apparent to the Russian throne. While loving him deeply, Alix hears a call of conscience, urging her to walk away. Their fateful decisions to marry will lead to tragic consequences for not only themselves and their families, but for millions in Russia and around the globe. The Romanov Brides is a moving and fascinating portrait of two bold and spirited royal sisters, and brings to vivid life imperial Russia—a dazzling, decadent world on the brink of disappearing forever.
384 pages, Paperback
First published March 12, 2024
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10612 people want to read
About the author
Clare McHugh
3 books214 followersI am a former newspaper reporter and magazine editor. In my fifties, I left behind those practical professions to write fiction, and my first novel "A Most English Princess," told the story of Queen Victoria's eldest daughter Vicky. It was published in September 2020. I have now written another novel about the Queen's family—featuring her granddaughters, Princesses Victoria, Ella and Alix of Hesse. Alix became Alexandra, the last empress of Russia. "The Romanov Brides" will be published in March 2024. I'm a historian at heart—having the luck and the privilege of excellent instruction both in high school and at college. I read fiction of all kinds, with a special love for Tolstoy, Dickens, Henry James, Shirley Hazzard, Alice McDermott, and Tessa Hadley. Happy to answer questions about the events and characters in my books. How much is true? I imagine my stories within the bounds of known fact.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 168 reviews
January 29, 2024
The Romanov Brides delves into the captivating tale of two sisters from the Grand Duchy of Hesse – a small territory in western Germany - who married into Romanov royal family and altered history.
In 1882, during a visit by their Russian cousins Paul and Serge to Dramstadt, Ella is charmed by Serge, and ten-year-old Alix becomes a fervent advocate for Ella’s marriage to Serge. However, their youth leaves them naïve about live in Russia, and the rest of the family is largely against the union.
With their father’s consent to the marriage, he extracts a promise from Ella to maintain their faith and to support her future husband publicly. Privately, however, he encourages her to be independent and express her own views. Concerned about Ella’s accommodating nature, he fears she may lack the fortitude to assert herself. This worry is echoed by her uncle, who questions the wisdom of raising children in a nation indifferent to its people. Ella’s eldest sister, Victoria, also probes Serge about Russian governance.
In a candid conversation, Serge reveals to Ella his preference for solitude or the company of his regiment, admitting that he had not desired female companionship until meeting her. He vows to respect her innocence and trust, flattering Ella but raising suspicions in her family about his motives.
Approaching seventeen and thus marriageable age, Alix is caught in the plans of her grandmother, the Queen of England. Ella, after a revelation in Jerusalem, argues against letting religious differences impede marriage. This stance irks their father, who views it as disrespectful in light of the wars fought over religion. Alix, smitten with Nicky during her Russian visit, is torn, especially as Nicky faces his own father’s disapproval due to Alix’s minor noble status and reluctance to convert to Orthodoxy.
This enthralling narrative portrays the sisters’ defiance of family and faith to bridge vastly different political realms. The skillfully crafted story weaves intrigue and mystery within a rich historical context, featuring lavish palaces, exquisite gowns, and stunning jewelry. The prose is masterful, evoking awe and immersing the reader in a history that continues to captivate.
Review originally posted at mysteryandsuspense.com
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
In 1882, during a visit by their Russian cousins Paul and Serge to Dramstadt, Ella is charmed by Serge, and ten-year-old Alix becomes a fervent advocate for Ella’s marriage to Serge. However, their youth leaves them naïve about live in Russia, and the rest of the family is largely against the union.
With their father’s consent to the marriage, he extracts a promise from Ella to maintain their faith and to support her future husband publicly. Privately, however, he encourages her to be independent and express her own views. Concerned about Ella’s accommodating nature, he fears she may lack the fortitude to assert herself. This worry is echoed by her uncle, who questions the wisdom of raising children in a nation indifferent to its people. Ella’s eldest sister, Victoria, also probes Serge about Russian governance.
In a candid conversation, Serge reveals to Ella his preference for solitude or the company of his regiment, admitting that he had not desired female companionship until meeting her. He vows to respect her innocence and trust, flattering Ella but raising suspicions in her family about his motives.
Approaching seventeen and thus marriageable age, Alix is caught in the plans of her grandmother, the Queen of England. Ella, after a revelation in Jerusalem, argues against letting religious differences impede marriage. This stance irks their father, who views it as disrespectful in light of the wars fought over religion. Alix, smitten with Nicky during her Russian visit, is torn, especially as Nicky faces his own father’s disapproval due to Alix’s minor noble status and reluctance to convert to Orthodoxy.
This enthralling narrative portrays the sisters’ defiance of family and faith to bridge vastly different political realms. The skillfully crafted story weaves intrigue and mystery within a rich historical context, featuring lavish palaces, exquisite gowns, and stunning jewelry. The prose is masterful, evoking awe and immersing the reader in a history that continues to captivate.
Review originally posted at mysteryandsuspense.com
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 8, 2024
It is not titles that honor men, but men that honor titles. ~ Niccolo Machiavelli
It is no wonder that WW I was such a hot mess. This book clearly illustrates the intertwining of families from Great Britain (Queen Victoria) to the German States and the Romanov court. As I read this book I could see the Bolshevik Revolution and WW I on the horizon. Clare McHugh has given us such a richly curated snapshot of this part of the world at the end of the 19th century. Alongside the threat of disease like diphtheria, cholera, and hemophilia are the machinations of leaders like Queen Victoria to arrange marriages across the various royal courts. While focusing on two of the granddaughters (Hessian princesses), there are so many other characters we get to know. I was enthralled by the narrative and loved her endnotes. While the lives of the last Tsarina (Alix) and her sister Ella ended so tragically in Russia, oldest sister Victoria lives to see here grandson Phillip become the husband of Elizabeth II and is one of the eight godmothers for King Charles III.
A big thank you to William Morrow Paperbacks and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
It is no wonder that WW I was such a hot mess. This book clearly illustrates the intertwining of families from Great Britain (Queen Victoria) to the German States and the Romanov court. As I read this book I could see the Bolshevik Revolution and WW I on the horizon. Clare McHugh has given us such a richly curated snapshot of this part of the world at the end of the 19th century. Alongside the threat of disease like diphtheria, cholera, and hemophilia are the machinations of leaders like Queen Victoria to arrange marriages across the various royal courts. While focusing on two of the granddaughters (Hessian princesses), there are so many other characters we get to know. I was enthralled by the narrative and loved her endnotes. While the lives of the last Tsarina (Alix) and her sister Ella ended so tragically in Russia, oldest sister Victoria lives to see here grandson Phillip become the husband of Elizabeth II and is one of the eight godmothers for King Charles III.
A big thank you to William Morrow Paperbacks and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
March 8, 2024
Louis IV The Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine and his wife Princess Alice of the United Kingdom, lived modestly in Darmstadt, in Southern Germany and the couple have seven children, this book focuses on the lives of two of their daughters Princess Elisabeth and Princess Alix.
Princess Alice’s mother was Queen Victoria and her father Prince Albert and they arranged marriages for their children and the Queen wanted to continue the tradition with her granddaughters and for them to marry into the German royal family. The last thing Queen Victoria wanted was her beloved granddaughters to marry any of the Romanovs, they lived in Russia and she thought it’s was in remote and desolate place and extremely dangerous.
The first to marry was Princess Elisabeth, she weds Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich of Russia and becomes the Grand Duchess Elisabeth Feodorovna of Russia. The Grand Duchess was known for her beauty, poise and her husband showered her with expensive jewellery and gifts and it's not what she really wanted.
Later Princess Alix of Hesse and by Rhine married Nicholas the last Tsar of Russia who she met at her older sister’s Elisabeth’s wedding when she was twelve and he was sixteen. The last Tsarina carried the gene for hemophilia, which she passed on to her only son Alexei and we all know the terrible fate that awaited the entire family.
I received a copy of The Romanov Brides by Clare McHugh from HarperCollins and Edelweiss plus in exchange for an honest review. The stories centre of attention is on two sisters who marry into the Romanov dynasty, the extravagant and opulent life they lead in imperial Russia, and while the Russian peasants struggled to survive.
Both sisters went against the wishes of their grandmother Queen Victoria and especially Alix who was her favourite, she didn’t want them to give up their religion and convert to be members of the Russian Orthodox Church.
I had no idea just how complicated the Royal families of England, Germany and Russia were and their intertwined family trees. I really enjoyed the parts of the narrative about the Hesse family, how they visited Queen Victoria and her relationship with them. You really need to concentrate while reading this fascinating novel, it’s intricate and complex and four stars from me.
Princess Alice’s mother was Queen Victoria and her father Prince Albert and they arranged marriages for their children and the Queen wanted to continue the tradition with her granddaughters and for them to marry into the German royal family. The last thing Queen Victoria wanted was her beloved granddaughters to marry any of the Romanovs, they lived in Russia and she thought it’s was in remote and desolate place and extremely dangerous.
The first to marry was Princess Elisabeth, she weds Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich of Russia and becomes the Grand Duchess Elisabeth Feodorovna of Russia. The Grand Duchess was known for her beauty, poise and her husband showered her with expensive jewellery and gifts and it's not what she really wanted.
Later Princess Alix of Hesse and by Rhine married Nicholas the last Tsar of Russia who she met at her older sister’s Elisabeth’s wedding when she was twelve and he was sixteen. The last Tsarina carried the gene for hemophilia, which she passed on to her only son Alexei and we all know the terrible fate that awaited the entire family.
I received a copy of The Romanov Brides by Clare McHugh from HarperCollins and Edelweiss plus in exchange for an honest review. The stories centre of attention is on two sisters who marry into the Romanov dynasty, the extravagant and opulent life they lead in imperial Russia, and while the Russian peasants struggled to survive.
Both sisters went against the wishes of their grandmother Queen Victoria and especially Alix who was her favourite, she didn’t want them to give up their religion and convert to be members of the Russian Orthodox Church.
I had no idea just how complicated the Royal families of England, Germany and Russia were and their intertwined family trees. I really enjoyed the parts of the narrative about the Hesse family, how they visited Queen Victoria and her relationship with them. You really need to concentrate while reading this fascinating novel, it’s intricate and complex and four stars from me.
June 14, 2024
I have mixed feelings about this book. While I love the descriptions of the homes, lands and traditions, the bulk of the book is mostly fictional imaginings of the sister’s most private inner dialogues.
Most interesting is that the author mentions that Serge was rumored to be gay and then writes fictional accounts about Elizabeth’s intimate, attempt at sexual encounters with Serge and what she was thinking during and after them. She goes so far as to have Elizabeth understand and accept that he is gay. I understand wanting to include rumors in the book but to fictionalize a true persons intimate thoughts about them is going to far, in my opinion. Someone may read this book and take it for fact. If you have not read much about the Romanov’s you would not know what part of the thoughts came from collected correspondence, journals or was purely imagined.
Another idea I find perplexing is that the blurb for the book attributes Alexandra’s and Elizabeth’s marriages as the factor that “ led to tragic consequences for not only themselves and their families, but for millions in Russia and around the globe.” I think it’s quite a leap to say that their marriages are what caused the revolution.
I also noticed that the Russian people, religion and culture were negatively portrayed.
The book, although having adult themes, is mostly written from their point of view when they were children to young adult so it has more of a YA feel.
I would not recommend this to anyone wanting to learn true facts about the sister’s lives.
Many thanks to William Morrow Publishing and Clare McHugh for the free ARC via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.
Most interesting is that the author mentions that Serge was rumored to be gay and then writes fictional accounts about Elizabeth’s intimate, attempt at sexual encounters with Serge and what she was thinking during and after them. She goes so far as to have Elizabeth understand and accept that he is gay. I understand wanting to include rumors in the book but to fictionalize a true persons intimate thoughts about them is going to far, in my opinion. Someone may read this book and take it for fact. If you have not read much about the Romanov’s you would not know what part of the thoughts came from collected correspondence, journals or was purely imagined.
Another idea I find perplexing is that the blurb for the book attributes Alexandra’s and Elizabeth’s marriages as the factor that “ led to tragic consequences for not only themselves and their families, but for millions in Russia and around the globe.” I think it’s quite a leap to say that their marriages are what caused the revolution.
I also noticed that the Russian people, religion and culture were negatively portrayed.
The book, although having adult themes, is mostly written from their point of view when they were children to young adult so it has more of a YA feel.
I would not recommend this to anyone wanting to learn true facts about the sister’s lives.
Many thanks to William Morrow Publishing and Clare McHugh for the free ARC via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 19, 2024
This gorgeously written histfic novel of two granddaughters of Queen Victoria, who marry into the Russian Romanov royal family during a momentous time, will keep you captivated until the last page. The author's sweeping narrative style and assured character development made me feel I was with them as history swirled around me, threatening to change the world forever. Highly recommended for histfic fans intrigued by the Romanovs, Russian history, and the lives of exceptional women.
January 30, 2024
This is an engrossing, well-written novel about the courtships of two Hessian princesses, Ella and Alix, who respectively become enamored with a Russian grand duke and with the heir to the Russian throne. History tells us that the sisters' choices ended in tragedy, but McHugh nonetheless makes us sympathize with the young women as well-meaning relations, particularly the sisters' maternal grandmother, Queen Victoria, attempt to derail the budding romances. The Romanovs are hardly ignored in historical fiction, but McHugh takes a fresh approach by focusing on the largely neglected Ella and on Alix's early life. Highly recommended.
January 23, 2024
Review upon reading
This book was given to me as an advanced read copy, for which I would like to thank the author, publisher and NetGalley. My review is unbiased.
Not every historical fiction author has the gift of truly entering their subjects' minds and capturing their personalities as they existed. Most historical fiction, particularly when it's about female royals, usually just settles for a vaguely feminist narrative with historical details, which is...fine. I like the genre, so I know what to expect.
Clare McHugh is not one of those authors. I read and loved her first book A Most English Princess: A Novel of Queen Victoria's Daughter, and what impressed me with that book was how accurately Princess Vicky was characterized, even though she wasn't really the most likable person. It takes, in my view, an exceptionally talented author to make a narrative compelling if you do not like the main character, and doubly so if you are trying to stay true to a historical figure
That book was one of my favorites from last year. When I saw the next book McHugh was going to write was from the perspective of Tsarina Alexandra, I about flipped. I adore Romanov books, and I knew that if anyone could capture the Tsarina's difficult personality, it would be Clare McHugh. I was not disappointed. Alix develops realistically throughout the book, and you see hints of the haughty, arrogant, deeply feeling woman she would become.
I like to say that a Romanov book succeeds if I want to throw the Tsarina into the Neva, which I did, so nicely done. The number of times someone gave her decent advice and she acted like no one had the right to speak to her unless they agreed with her...
This book also concentrates a great deal on Alix's elder sister, Ella, who married into the Russian royal family first, and she is not usually included in most Romanov novels, because by the time most of them start, she and Alix weren't on speaking terms. Her personality is less known to me, and if it didn't ring as true, it seems as if there were fewer sources to track her down. However, knowing Ella's story (she would later become an Orthodox nun), her conversion and developing devotion to the Orthodox faith felt authentic. Even before that, during her marriage, there are glimpses of her viewing her unhappy marriage as deserved suffering, which fits with her later religious sensibilities.
The side characters are just as developed as the main ones; Ella's husband Serge and Nicky, along with Alix's other siblings and Victoria, feel like what I knew of their historical counterparts. You'll hate Serge, as you should. What a jerk. But an accurately portrayed one. I particularly enjoyed the last little point of view switch to Bertie, Prince of Wales, future Edward VII at the end.
Especially Victoria. McHugh captured her voice in letters so accurately I barely even realized they were fictionalized.
I enjoy character driven books like this, which you may not, because the draw here is the accuracy of the characterization. Very little actually happens - Ella gets proposed to and marries, Alix gets proposed to, flies off the handle about having to convert to Orthodoxy, has a few other suitors suggested to her, then finally marries Nicholas. Most of the book is their inner lives and feelings about all this, which for someone who knows the story, is the next best thing to being there. For someone who doesn't, this is easily the best introduction there is. But the action isn't there, which is fine by me.
Now, this was a 4.5 rounded up. There were a few tiny quibbles I had.
One involved the proposed match between Prince Eddy, heir to the British throne, and Alix. While this did actually happen, I felt the ending of it was rushed - Alix writes refusing his proposal and then he isn't mentioned again until an offhand mention twenty pages later that he died of pneumonia. I think a few brief pages mentioning that resolution, his betrothal to May of Teck (later Queen Mary) and then mention of his illness might have tied things up less suddenly.
The second was the only inaccuracy I found in the book, which was the attempt to marry Alix to Eddy's brother, George, after Eddy's death. While Alix was considered as a possible bride for George at around the same time she was being considered for Eddy, after George was the heir to the throne, I don't think any bride other than his brother's erstwhile fiancee was ever considered. May of Teck was certainly suitable to be queen, and was already in the country preparing for the wedding. I'm sure Victoria thought it was economical if nothing else.
The other quibble I had was about Nicholas's affair with Madame Kschenssinka, the dancer. This was told from her perspective, which added an odd POV switch that didn't fit with the alteration between Alix, Ella, and a few other royals. I would have preferred to get Nicky's perspective on this, actually, because he was already deeply in love with Alix at this point, and had been since she was 12 and he was 16 (seriously, can we talk about this extremely weird fact?), and I would have loved to get his view on her reluctance to marry him, his decision to take a mistress, or really, anything at all. I don't know why we got a POV from Kaiser Wilhelm (excellently done) and not Nicky.
Those sound like a lot of quibbles, but they didn't really affect my enjoyment, and I now have a high standard for this author (as well as a high standard for Romanov novels in general, as I've read many excellent ones). But overall, my biggest complaint isn't a complaint at all but a compliment - I want more! This book takes you up to Nicky and Alix's wedding, which is, for most Romanov novels, where the story begins. I would LOVE to have the accuracy of these points of view take us through the entire familiar story, and especially, I would love to see what McHugh would do with Rasputin.
The historical note seems to preclude this idea, but I can live in hope that someday, there will be a sequel.
Review upon shelving: Give me ALL the Romanov books. ALL OF THEM
This book was given to me as an advanced read copy, for which I would like to thank the author, publisher and NetGalley. My review is unbiased.
Not every historical fiction author has the gift of truly entering their subjects' minds and capturing their personalities as they existed. Most historical fiction, particularly when it's about female royals, usually just settles for a vaguely feminist narrative with historical details, which is...fine. I like the genre, so I know what to expect.
Clare McHugh is not one of those authors. I read and loved her first book A Most English Princess: A Novel of Queen Victoria's Daughter, and what impressed me with that book was how accurately Princess Vicky was characterized, even though she wasn't really the most likable person. It takes, in my view, an exceptionally talented author to make a narrative compelling if you do not like the main character, and doubly so if you are trying to stay true to a historical figure
That book was one of my favorites from last year. When I saw the next book McHugh was going to write was from the perspective of Tsarina Alexandra, I about flipped. I adore Romanov books, and I knew that if anyone could capture the Tsarina's difficult personality, it would be Clare McHugh. I was not disappointed. Alix develops realistically throughout the book, and you see hints of the haughty, arrogant, deeply feeling woman she would become.
I like to say that a Romanov book succeeds if I want to throw the Tsarina into the Neva, which I did, so nicely done. The number of times someone gave her decent advice and she acted like no one had the right to speak to her unless they agreed with her...
This book also concentrates a great deal on Alix's elder sister, Ella, who married into the Russian royal family first, and she is not usually included in most Romanov novels, because by the time most of them start, she and Alix weren't on speaking terms. Her personality is less known to me, and if it didn't ring as true, it seems as if there were fewer sources to track her down. However, knowing Ella's story (she would later become an Orthodox nun), her conversion and developing devotion to the Orthodox faith felt authentic. Even before that, during her marriage, there are glimpses of her viewing her unhappy marriage as deserved suffering, which fits with her later religious sensibilities.
The side characters are just as developed as the main ones; Ella's husband Serge and Nicky, along with Alix's other siblings and Victoria, feel like what I knew of their historical counterparts. You'll hate Serge, as you should. What a jerk. But an accurately portrayed one. I particularly enjoyed the last little point of view switch to Bertie, Prince of Wales, future Edward VII at the end.
Especially Victoria. McHugh captured her voice in letters so accurately I barely even realized they were fictionalized.
I enjoy character driven books like this, which you may not, because the draw here is the accuracy of the characterization. Very little actually happens - Ella gets proposed to and marries, Alix gets proposed to, flies off the handle about having to convert to Orthodoxy, has a few other suitors suggested to her, then finally marries Nicholas. Most of the book is their inner lives and feelings about all this, which for someone who knows the story, is the next best thing to being there. For someone who doesn't, this is easily the best introduction there is. But the action isn't there, which is fine by me.
Now, this was a 4.5 rounded up. There were a few tiny quibbles I had.
One involved the proposed match between Prince Eddy, heir to the British throne, and Alix. While this did actually happen, I felt the ending of it was rushed - Alix writes refusing his proposal and then he isn't mentioned again until an offhand mention twenty pages later that he died of pneumonia. I think a few brief pages mentioning that resolution, his betrothal to May of Teck (later Queen Mary) and then mention of his illness might have tied things up less suddenly.
The second was the only inaccuracy I found in the book, which was the attempt to marry Alix to Eddy's brother, George, after Eddy's death. While Alix was considered as a possible bride for George at around the same time she was being considered for Eddy, after George was the heir to the throne, I don't think any bride other than his brother's erstwhile fiancee was ever considered. May of Teck was certainly suitable to be queen, and was already in the country preparing for the wedding. I'm sure Victoria thought it was economical if nothing else.
The other quibble I had was about Nicholas's affair with Madame Kschenssinka, the dancer. This was told from her perspective, which added an odd POV switch that didn't fit with the alteration between Alix, Ella, and a few other royals. I would have preferred to get Nicky's perspective on this, actually, because he was already deeply in love with Alix at this point, and had been since she was 12 and he was 16 (seriously, can we talk about this extremely weird fact?), and I would have loved to get his view on her reluctance to marry him, his decision to take a mistress, or really, anything at all. I don't know why we got a POV from Kaiser Wilhelm (excellently done) and not Nicky.
Those sound like a lot of quibbles, but they didn't really affect my enjoyment, and I now have a high standard for this author (as well as a high standard for Romanov novels in general, as I've read many excellent ones). But overall, my biggest complaint isn't a complaint at all but a compliment - I want more! This book takes you up to Nicky and Alix's wedding, which is, for most Romanov novels, where the story begins. I would LOVE to have the accuracy of these points of view take us through the entire familiar story, and especially, I would love to see what McHugh would do with Rasputin.
The historical note seems to preclude this idea, but I can live in hope that someday, there will be a sequel.
Review upon shelving: Give me ALL the Romanov books. ALL OF THEM
December 4, 2023
Many thanks to Goodreads, Harper Collins Publishers Inc, and Clare McHugh for gifting me an advance copy of this book to be released in March of 2024.
For someone that is fascinated with Russian history and the Romanov family, I couldn't have been more excited to read this book. The reading was easy and the research impeccable. Some of the history I was familiar with but that which I wasn't, was a pleasure to learn.
Because of the author's research and immersion into the subject, I've ordered her first book A Most English Princess and can't wait to begin reading it. I look forward to many future historical novels from Clare McHugh!
For someone that is fascinated with Russian history and the Romanov family, I couldn't have been more excited to read this book. The reading was easy and the research impeccable. Some of the history I was familiar with but that which I wasn't, was a pleasure to learn.
Because of the author's research and immersion into the subject, I've ordered her first book A Most English Princess and can't wait to begin reading it. I look forward to many future historical novels from Clare McHugh!
June 18, 2024
Lukewarm on this one. Think I have just read too many books on this subject/family and there was nothing new for me here.
March 11, 2024
*Thank you to William Morrow and Netgalley for the e-arc in return for an honest review*
The Romanov Brides is a fascinating look at some of the final years of imperial Russia, through the lens of Germanic princesses Alix and Ella. Alix would later become Tsarina Alexandra, wife of the final Tsar of Russia, Nicholas II. The story begins in Alix and Ella's childhood, following the pair through royal marriage negotiations facilitated by their grandmother, Queen Victoria of England, and the various forces influencing their ultimate decisions.
There is a lot that I enjoyed in this story. Our opening scene follows Alix and Ella as an illness sweeps their family in childhood, a tragic event that will shape the rest of their lives. As the story unfolds, McHugh's detailed research is paramount, as she eloquently illustrates scenes from Alix and Ella's lives as they move closer to their eventual marriages. While the book generally follows the perspective of Alix or Ella, McHugh includes a number of scenes from outside characters, allowing a fuller understanding of the world and the political ramifications of these unions. While a few of these felt superfluous or unnecessary, the majority truly helped the overall story.
My biggest issue with the book is the timeline. Starting in childhood, the story continues up to Alix's wedding day, including every bit of detail regarding changing issues with her eventual marriage to the heir to the Russian throne. As a historian myself, I enjoyed this attention to detail of marriage politics in the period. However, I was drawn to the title due to the knowledge that Alix would become the last Tsarina, a fact that we do not see on the page. The story ends at her wedding, and a short afterward details the end of her and Ella's lives. I would have loved to have seen her role as Tsarina, and how she and Ella continued to balance their lives with the tumultuous times in Russia.
Overall, this was a very interesting take on an aspect of Russian history that I would like to know more about. If you are interested in how royal marriages came to be in the late nineteenth century, this is a fantastic read. If you are more interested in the end of the Romanovs and the Russian Revolution, I am afraid this is not the book for you. I look forward to more of McHugh's writing, as she clearly balances fact and fiction well in her historical fiction writing.
The Romanov Brides is a fascinating look at some of the final years of imperial Russia, through the lens of Germanic princesses Alix and Ella. Alix would later become Tsarina Alexandra, wife of the final Tsar of Russia, Nicholas II. The story begins in Alix and Ella's childhood, following the pair through royal marriage negotiations facilitated by their grandmother, Queen Victoria of England, and the various forces influencing their ultimate decisions.
There is a lot that I enjoyed in this story. Our opening scene follows Alix and Ella as an illness sweeps their family in childhood, a tragic event that will shape the rest of their lives. As the story unfolds, McHugh's detailed research is paramount, as she eloquently illustrates scenes from Alix and Ella's lives as they move closer to their eventual marriages. While the book generally follows the perspective of Alix or Ella, McHugh includes a number of scenes from outside characters, allowing a fuller understanding of the world and the political ramifications of these unions. While a few of these felt superfluous or unnecessary, the majority truly helped the overall story.
My biggest issue with the book is the timeline. Starting in childhood, the story continues up to Alix's wedding day, including every bit of detail regarding changing issues with her eventual marriage to the heir to the Russian throne. As a historian myself, I enjoyed this attention to detail of marriage politics in the period. However, I was drawn to the title due to the knowledge that Alix would become the last Tsarina, a fact that we do not see on the page. The story ends at her wedding, and a short afterward details the end of her and Ella's lives. I would have loved to have seen her role as Tsarina, and how she and Ella continued to balance their lives with the tumultuous times in Russia.
Overall, this was a very interesting take on an aspect of Russian history that I would like to know more about. If you are interested in how royal marriages came to be in the late nineteenth century, this is a fantastic read. If you are more interested in the end of the Romanovs and the Russian Revolution, I am afraid this is not the book for you. I look forward to more of McHugh's writing, as she clearly balances fact and fiction well in her historical fiction writing.
April 30, 2024
This book is for someone, but not me. I could not finish it. Too many times, I rolled my eyes in reaction to the tired way the female characters were hinted at as "different" than they would have been at that time. The author does a good job of writing characters as their age, though.
March 17, 2024
I will also do a video review here at my channel: http://www.youtube.com/magicofbooks
"The Romanov Brides" by Clare McHugh tells the story of sisters Alix and Ella, princesses of Hesse, who both marry into the Russian Romanov dynasty and the challenges and obstacles they face to secure their own personal happiness and success.
First, I won this book through a Goodreads Giveaway.
This was quite enjoyable. Very generic historical fiction, but that's not a bad thing. I'm a sucker for all things when it comes to the Romanovs, so I really appreciated Clare McHugh's approach by focusing on Alix and Ella, sisters and princesses of Hesse, and showing them as young women before they marry into the family that will be their unfortunate demise. This book is not about their deaths. There's plenty of other books out there that focus on that in detail. This book is about their lives prior to their marriages. Their personalities. Their strengths and weaknesses. Their vulnerabilities and their desires. It's about their individual love stories. It's about their bond as sisters. It's about how they defy those who would tear them from the men they want to marry. I got a kick out of the several appearances Queen Victoria made. Queen Victoria absolutely did not want her granddaughters marrying into the Romanov family. And you know what, since we know where it goes, she probably had the right idea. I think Clare McHugh did a great job of differentiating the voices of Ella and Alix. Both came across as their own unique person. Ella is more confident and outspoken, willing to give up her religion and convert to another. Alix is quieter, stubborn, but can be demanding in her own way. I also liked that Clare McHugh would occasionally have a different point of view from someone else to show an outsiders perspective of what was going on. Ella and Alix's brother Ernie had a few chapters to himself. I loved that Ernie was always loyal to his sisters. Even Kaiser Wilhelm gets a random moment to shine when he's trying to hook Alix and Nicholas together. It's very well known that Tsar Nicholas II had an affair with the ballet dancer Matilda Kschessinska in his youth, and Matilda has a chapter to herself where we see her perspective of Nicholas. There's even a brief chapter where Queen Victoria's ambassador hires someone to look into Grand Duke Serge's private life because it was hinted at that he might be gay which might be a problem for the family in the future. That was a nice way to explain to the reader Serge's behavior around Ella until she was able to get the hint and explain a possible explanation why they never had children. The random chapters may not work for some readers, but I liked them as a way to fill in information that would not be privy to Ella or Alix.
There's a certain degree of sadness while reading this book. It's like, you're happy seeing Alix and Nicholas finally get together after they face so many obstacles over the course of the novel. It's nice seeing Ella finally find a comfortable place with Serge and find her own happiness. But the whole time you know where it ends. Nicholas, Alexandra, their children, and Ella all die brutally by 1918. Clare McHugh delivers a novel that showcases the excess and splendor of Russia during this time period. Once Ella is Serge's finance, he hands her an excessive amount of jewels. Ella and Alix's weddings are a spectacle. There are many times a character says that reforms need to happen or changes need to take place if Russia is to survive. Once again, Queen Victoria in the novel is perhaps, oddly enough, the most rational when she thinks it's a bad idea for her granddaughters to marry into a country of excess and superiority where they aren't willing to change. The novel ends on a happy high note, but you definitely feel the foreshadowing of the doom to come for all these characters.
I definitely recommend this book if you are a lover of the Romanov dynasty like I am, especially if you are looking for a book focusing on Ella and Alix as young women, full of hope and joy for the future. Like I said, there are plenty of doom and gloom books out there that focus on the deaths of these characters, so this is certainly a bit more on the lighter side.
"The Romanov Brides" by Clare McHugh tells the story of sisters Alix and Ella, princesses of Hesse, who both marry into the Russian Romanov dynasty and the challenges and obstacles they face to secure their own personal happiness and success.
First, I won this book through a Goodreads Giveaway.
This was quite enjoyable. Very generic historical fiction, but that's not a bad thing. I'm a sucker for all things when it comes to the Romanovs, so I really appreciated Clare McHugh's approach by focusing on Alix and Ella, sisters and princesses of Hesse, and showing them as young women before they marry into the family that will be their unfortunate demise. This book is not about their deaths. There's plenty of other books out there that focus on that in detail. This book is about their lives prior to their marriages. Their personalities. Their strengths and weaknesses. Their vulnerabilities and their desires. It's about their individual love stories. It's about their bond as sisters. It's about how they defy those who would tear them from the men they want to marry. I got a kick out of the several appearances Queen Victoria made. Queen Victoria absolutely did not want her granddaughters marrying into the Romanov family. And you know what, since we know where it goes, she probably had the right idea. I think Clare McHugh did a great job of differentiating the voices of Ella and Alix. Both came across as their own unique person. Ella is more confident and outspoken, willing to give up her religion and convert to another. Alix is quieter, stubborn, but can be demanding in her own way. I also liked that Clare McHugh would occasionally have a different point of view from someone else to show an outsiders perspective of what was going on. Ella and Alix's brother Ernie had a few chapters to himself. I loved that Ernie was always loyal to his sisters. Even Kaiser Wilhelm gets a random moment to shine when he's trying to hook Alix and Nicholas together. It's very well known that Tsar Nicholas II had an affair with the ballet dancer Matilda Kschessinska in his youth, and Matilda has a chapter to herself where we see her perspective of Nicholas. There's even a brief chapter where Queen Victoria's ambassador hires someone to look into Grand Duke Serge's private life because it was hinted at that he might be gay which might be a problem for the family in the future. That was a nice way to explain to the reader Serge's behavior around Ella until she was able to get the hint and explain a possible explanation why they never had children. The random chapters may not work for some readers, but I liked them as a way to fill in information that would not be privy to Ella or Alix.
There's a certain degree of sadness while reading this book. It's like, you're happy seeing Alix and Nicholas finally get together after they face so many obstacles over the course of the novel. It's nice seeing Ella finally find a comfortable place with Serge and find her own happiness. But the whole time you know where it ends. Nicholas, Alexandra, their children, and Ella all die brutally by 1918. Clare McHugh delivers a novel that showcases the excess and splendor of Russia during this time period. Once Ella is Serge's finance, he hands her an excessive amount of jewels. Ella and Alix's weddings are a spectacle. There are many times a character says that reforms need to happen or changes need to take place if Russia is to survive. Once again, Queen Victoria in the novel is perhaps, oddly enough, the most rational when she thinks it's a bad idea for her granddaughters to marry into a country of excess and superiority where they aren't willing to change. The novel ends on a happy high note, but you definitely feel the foreshadowing of the doom to come for all these characters.
I definitely recommend this book if you are a lover of the Romanov dynasty like I am, especially if you are looking for a book focusing on Ella and Alix as young women, full of hope and joy for the future. Like I said, there are plenty of doom and gloom books out there that focus on the deaths of these characters, so this is certainly a bit more on the lighter side.
March 24, 2024
As the author of "Alexandra Feodorovna Diaries and Correspondence - Volumes I and II" (with Volume III to be published later this year) this is a book I read with great interest.
In the course of my compiling and transcribing Alexandra Feodorovna's childhood diaries and correspondence in the period focussed on in this book, I have come to know the personality, language and 'vibe' of Alexandra Feodorovna extremely well. I found that Clare McHugh has quite accurately captured Princess Alix's voice and personality in this novel - she rings true for me as someone who knows this period of Alix's life very well.
There are a couple of quibbles I have, but relatively minor ones that don't distract hugely from the story. The first being Alix's older sister Victoria's views on Russia which to me did not ring true, but I think as a plot device to set the idea that the throne was unstable etc, this may have been a necessary part of the story telling. It is interesting to note that Victoria of Hesse actually learned Russian very well and would write to her nieces (Alix's daughters) in Russian.
It was a shame, I thought, that the author decided to go along with the rumours that Ella's husband, Grand Duke Sergei was homosexual, when there is nothing to prove (or disprove) this rumour. Again, not a major flaw, but I did find it a disappointing indulgence of speculation.
Finally, a couple of notes about the wedding of Nicholas and Alexandra - in an Orthodox wedding, the ceremony begins at the entrance to the Church and then proceeds to the centre of the Church in front of an analogion with an icon upon it, but not at the altar as women cannot proceed past the Royal Doors, behind which is the altar. Also there are no vows said, rather the couple are questioned as to whether they are marrying of their own free will and that they have not promised themselves to any other person. Perhaps the author was not aware of the differences in an Orthodox wedding as compared to a western Christian wedding.
The author has Nicholas talking about how he is not prepared to rule several times towards the end (a bit too often in my opinion.) Now, his brother-in-law, Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich did write that on the death of Alexander III, Nicholas told him that he had no idea how to rule or even talk to ministers, but I do suspect that the Grand Duke might have been embellishing things here quite a bit, as it is very clear throughout Nicholas's correspondence to Alix through their engagement that he is often filling in for his father, having meetings with Ministers etc, so he certainly wasn't completely unprepared for his future role, though at such an emotional time as the death of his father, it wouldn't be at all surprising for someone to say something along the lines of how he feels unprepared for the role.
But, as I said, these are minor quibbles which do not overall detract from this book. Quality writing, based on primary sources, this is historical fiction at a very high standard.
In the course of my compiling and transcribing Alexandra Feodorovna's childhood diaries and correspondence in the period focussed on in this book, I have come to know the personality, language and 'vibe' of Alexandra Feodorovna extremely well. I found that Clare McHugh has quite accurately captured Princess Alix's voice and personality in this novel - she rings true for me as someone who knows this period of Alix's life very well.
There are a couple of quibbles I have, but relatively minor ones that don't distract hugely from the story. The first being Alix's older sister Victoria's views on Russia which to me did not ring true, but I think as a plot device to set the idea that the throne was unstable etc, this may have been a necessary part of the story telling. It is interesting to note that Victoria of Hesse actually learned Russian very well and would write to her nieces (Alix's daughters) in Russian.
It was a shame, I thought, that the author decided to go along with the rumours that Ella's husband, Grand Duke Sergei was homosexual, when there is nothing to prove (or disprove) this rumour. Again, not a major flaw, but I did find it a disappointing indulgence of speculation.
Finally, a couple of notes about the wedding of Nicholas and Alexandra - in an Orthodox wedding, the ceremony begins at the entrance to the Church and then proceeds to the centre of the Church in front of an analogion with an icon upon it, but not at the altar as women cannot proceed past the Royal Doors, behind which is the altar. Also there are no vows said, rather the couple are questioned as to whether they are marrying of their own free will and that they have not promised themselves to any other person. Perhaps the author was not aware of the differences in an Orthodox wedding as compared to a western Christian wedding.
The author has Nicholas talking about how he is not prepared to rule several times towards the end (a bit too often in my opinion.) Now, his brother-in-law, Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich did write that on the death of Alexander III, Nicholas told him that he had no idea how to rule or even talk to ministers, but I do suspect that the Grand Duke might have been embellishing things here quite a bit, as it is very clear throughout Nicholas's correspondence to Alix through their engagement that he is often filling in for his father, having meetings with Ministers etc, so he certainly wasn't completely unprepared for his future role, though at such an emotional time as the death of his father, it wouldn't be at all surprising for someone to say something along the lines of how he feels unprepared for the role.
But, as I said, these are minor quibbles which do not overall detract from this book. Quality writing, based on primary sources, this is historical fiction at a very high standard.
January 13, 2024
3.5 but rounded up. I’m a fan of Russian history from this time period, so I enjoyed this fictional account of these two future Romanovs and their large families. I did find myself skimming the book here and there because it was a little dense on the details at times. I also thought some of the emotions/actions were one dimensional. Entire personalities miraculously shifted in just a paragraph or two… but all in all enjoyed this book.
November 26, 2024
3.5 Rounded Up
This dragged in a few places.
Mostly I hate this ends at the marriage of Alix & Nicky.
The really good stuff happens AFTER the marriage.
���🏾♀️
This dragged in a few places.
Mostly I hate this ends at the marriage of Alix & Nicky.
The really good stuff happens AFTER the marriage.
���🏾♀️
April 29, 2024
I have had a fascination with the Romanov’s for many years, the rich and beautiful family that ended in tragedy. I was very grateful to Anne Cater and Harper 360 for my copy of The Romanov Brides as part of the blog tour, but the passing of my Dad has meant that I was unable to post on my designated day. The Romanov Brides focuses on Alix, Nicholas and Alix’s sister Ella as children, and how both sisters married in to the Russian Royal Family. I didn’t know much about their childhood, how Alexandra and Nicholas met, or how their relationship was viewed by their families, and the difficulties they faced.
Historical Fiction is still my favourite genre, I love learning new things and The Romanov Brides was a fascinating and enlightening read. The brides mentioned in the title are Alix (Alexandra) and her sister Ella, but their other sister Victoria also played an important role in their stories. It was intriguing to see Alix as a child; she was intelligent, fun and took her responabilities seriously. We see her through the eyes of her family, as a dutiful daughter to her father the Grand Duke of Hesse, as a sister who was always full of fun and as the grandaughter to the formidable Queen Victoria. I found her to be as captivating as a child and young woman as she was as an adult, resilient, intelligent, loving and as formidable as her grandmother. Clare HcHugh really brings these characters to life, making their feelings and situations relatable so that you become invested in their story even though you know what happens.
The historical detail and research is superb, with a lot of the information coming from letters between Alix and Nicky and excerpts from their diaries that have survived. There is a lot of detail in this book, and I loved the descriptions of the very different royal courts of Britain and Russia; the restrained world of Queen Victoria and the flamboyant extravagance of the Russian court. Clare McHugh has included the family trees at the beginning of the book which I found helpful in keeping track of the royal houses and their characters, most of which were descended from Queen Victoria. The combination of historical fact and fiction blends seamlessly making it feel like Clare McHugh was an fly on the wall to the conversations and interactions of her characters, and seeing what they saw.
If you are a fan of historical fiction, or the Romanov’s, then The Romanov Brides is a must read. At the heart of this book is an epic love story of a young couple whose relationship had ramifications across Europe. Beautifully written, taking us to a world of the decadence of a bygone era, this is a stunning and sumptuous read.
Historical Fiction is still my favourite genre, I love learning new things and The Romanov Brides was a fascinating and enlightening read. The brides mentioned in the title are Alix (Alexandra) and her sister Ella, but their other sister Victoria also played an important role in their stories. It was intriguing to see Alix as a child; she was intelligent, fun and took her responabilities seriously. We see her through the eyes of her family, as a dutiful daughter to her father the Grand Duke of Hesse, as a sister who was always full of fun and as the grandaughter to the formidable Queen Victoria. I found her to be as captivating as a child and young woman as she was as an adult, resilient, intelligent, loving and as formidable as her grandmother. Clare HcHugh really brings these characters to life, making their feelings and situations relatable so that you become invested in their story even though you know what happens.
The historical detail and research is superb, with a lot of the information coming from letters between Alix and Nicky and excerpts from their diaries that have survived. There is a lot of detail in this book, and I loved the descriptions of the very different royal courts of Britain and Russia; the restrained world of Queen Victoria and the flamboyant extravagance of the Russian court. Clare McHugh has included the family trees at the beginning of the book which I found helpful in keeping track of the royal houses and their characters, most of which were descended from Queen Victoria. The combination of historical fact and fiction blends seamlessly making it feel like Clare McHugh was an fly on the wall to the conversations and interactions of her characters, and seeing what they saw.
If you are a fan of historical fiction, or the Romanov’s, then The Romanov Brides is a must read. At the heart of this book is an epic love story of a young couple whose relationship had ramifications across Europe. Beautifully written, taking us to a world of the decadence of a bygone era, this is a stunning and sumptuous read.
March 20, 2024
Historical Fiction
Wonderful historical fiction novel.
Most everyone has heard the story of Anastasia and what happened to her family during the revolution in 1918. This is the story of Anastasia's mother Alix and her sister Ella and how they ended up married to a tsar and his uncle. I really enjoyed learning more about these 2 women and getting a better look at the Romanov family.
The author did a stellar job of weaving these 2 stories together. They were sisters and married relatives, but there is quite a timeline gap, so keeping the reader interested in the time between Ella's marriage to Serge and Alix's marriage to Nickoli took a deft hand. The author's writing style is a little different and took a moment to get used to - for me. Sometimes it's a little like a book report - most often at the start of a chapter. That is a small complaint, but is probably the reason for 4* rather than 5*'s.
Thank you to Swampfox bookstore and the publisher for my ARC of this novel.
Wonderful historical fiction novel.
Most everyone has heard the story of Anastasia and what happened to her family during the revolution in 1918. This is the story of Anastasia's mother Alix and her sister Ella and how they ended up married to a tsar and his uncle. I really enjoyed learning more about these 2 women and getting a better look at the Romanov family.
The author did a stellar job of weaving these 2 stories together. They were sisters and married relatives, but there is quite a timeline gap, so keeping the reader interested in the time between Ella's marriage to Serge and Alix's marriage to Nickoli took a deft hand. The author's writing style is a little different and took a moment to get used to - for me. Sometimes it's a little like a book report - most often at the start of a chapter. That is a small complaint, but is probably the reason for 4* rather than 5*'s.
Thank you to Swampfox bookstore and the publisher for my ARC of this novel.
November 19, 2023
This review is based on an uncorrected proof received through goodreads.com.
It makes me quite sad to rate this book so low, but I believe the publisher, editor(s), and author knew or should have known that this review copy was printed totally incorrectly. The book is amazingly reversed, so a reader would have to read each page literally from the back to the front! Sorry, I cannot read this book. It gives me a queasy stomach just to think of this:(
It makes me quite sad to rate this book so low, but I believe the publisher, editor(s), and author knew or should have known that this review copy was printed totally incorrectly. The book is amazingly reversed, so a reader would have to read each page literally from the back to the front! Sorry, I cannot read this book. It gives me a queasy stomach just to think of this:(
August 15, 2024
This novel is centered around the sisters Ella and Alix of Hesse, who both marry into the Romanov dynasty. Ella, the older sister, is courted by the Grand Duke Serge, but the younger Alix falls in love with the future Tsar Nicholas II. Knowing the ultimate fates of these women and their families makes this a poignant read, even through it concludes long before. I appreciated the focus on the early portions of their lives, and the portrayal of the larger family network of European royalty. Overall, a good read, but a story that will be familiar to fans of historical fiction set in Russia.
September 6, 2024
This was a solid historical fiction about Queen Victoria's family and their ties to Russia. It followed the stories of Ella and Alix (two of Queen Victoria's granddaughters) finding love with their Russian relatives. (Disclaimer: at this point in time, it was common for families to marry within each other, i.e. second cousins - and even first cousins - marrying. So it may seem odd and incestuous to us, but in a historical context, it makes sense.)
I feel like I leared about the extended Royal Family in this book. My brain is still trying to compute how everyone is related. The author does include a simplified family tree and list of characters, as well as an Afterword explaining how these people connect to the current Royal Family, so that helped me a ton. It's just hard to keep straight because so many people have the same or similar names.
The writing was very informative at times and a little dry, but at other times it was light and easy to follow.
The focus of this story is Ella and Alix's journey to find a husband, so it is more of a historical romance - but it's also not very romantic. If anything, I felt pity for these two because their married life is not what I imagine to be happy or fulfilling.
Overall, good historical fiction, especially if you're someone who likes to learn a lot from books.
I feel like I leared about the extended Royal Family in this book. My brain is still trying to compute how everyone is related. The author does include a simplified family tree and list of characters, as well as an Afterword explaining how these people connect to the current Royal Family, so that helped me a ton. It's just hard to keep straight because so many people have the same or similar names.
The writing was very informative at times and a little dry, but at other times it was light and easy to follow.
The focus of this story is Ella and Alix's journey to find a husband, so it is more of a historical romance - but it's also not very romantic. If anything, I felt pity for these two because their married life is not what I imagine to be happy or fulfilling.
Overall, good historical fiction, especially if you're someone who likes to learn a lot from books.
August 12, 2024
Enjoyable Read
I read this book and enjoyed it. I liked the story. It was a bit long but did like it
I read this book and enjoyed it. I liked the story. It was a bit long but did like it
May 27, 2025
Ella may be a saint, but if my husband called me "my child" after we got married and refused to be intimate, I'm signing up for that annulment.
September 4, 2025
great read and insight in the Royal families of the time
January 9, 2025
I know a lot about the actual facts of the romanovs and their marriage and I find it difficult to agree with any of the ways they are portrayed in this book. Just because someone can’t have children doesn’t mean the husband is gay, we don’t know this and shouldn’t just assume after hundreds of years have past. Also she makes them sound as silly girls which they weren’t in the slightest.
June 17, 2025
4.25/5 - I picked this out randomly at the library and I'm so glad I did! I love historical fiction and I love ROYAL historical fiction even more. I ate this book up. It was so well written and I feel like it helped me out of my reading slump. Nothing like a little Romanov history to hook ya. I immediately went to the library to pick up the other book by this author.
December 2, 2023
This is not what I typically read but I won a copy and have been fascinated with the history behind the Romanovs. The book was really well written and a great story. At times, it was hard to follow who everyone was and how they were related. The characters were very flawed but I think that was more real life than fiction and as much as I like this book and had to do my own research on what happened to these characters in real life, I did ultimately feel sad at the end knowing what the real ending would be for them. This book was rich in European history and I think the author did a great job telling this story.
November 30, 2023
Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and Clare McHugh for this ARC in exchange for my honest review! If you like historical fiction and Romanov period this book is for you. Author did an amazing research on historical events and Russian culture. This book helped me to learn so much more about tsar's family and their relationships with other countries. I liked that Clare McHugh gave each character a separate chapter, it wasn't confusing at all and helped to keep up with a lot of events. My only wish was to read more about Nicky's and Alix's life after they got married, but it would probably have to be another book because a lot of things happened before the revolution. Very solid 4 stars!
November 27, 2023
I enjoyed this novel thoroughly.
The Romanov period has always fascinated me especially with Anastasia.
I must say I did learn a lot about the Romanovs. I almost felt sorry for them.
This is a can't put down book that had me turning each page to see what happened to the sisters
This new to me author has done a fabulous job with each character without missing a beat.
I usually don't like the characters to have their own chapter because it is confusing but I thought this was done rather well. In my opinion it worked rather well and I did enjoy getting to know each sister and how they felt about what they were getting into.
5 stars for a well written novel. I highly recommend!
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
The Romanov period has always fascinated me especially with Anastasia.
I must say I did learn a lot about the Romanovs. I almost felt sorry for them.
This is a can't put down book that had me turning each page to see what happened to the sisters
This new to me author has done a fabulous job with each character without missing a beat.
I usually don't like the characters to have their own chapter because it is confusing but I thought this was done rather well. In my opinion it worked rather well and I did enjoy getting to know each sister and how they felt about what they were getting into.
5 stars for a well written novel. I highly recommend!
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
April 25, 2024
The full title of this book includes the following tagline: A Novel of the Last Tsarina and Her Sisters. But while the novel begins in 1882 during the childhood of Princess "Alix" Alexandra of Hesse (1864-1918) and ends with her 1894 marriage to the last Tsar of Russia (Nicolas II) - it doesn't exactly cover the other sisters in great depth.
Author Clare McHugh does a thorough job making Alexandra a three-dimensional character and a reasonable job with her elder sister, Princess "Ella" Elizabeth (1864-1918) who marries Russian Grand Duke Sergei (1857-1905), brother of Nicolas II's father, the repressive Tsar Alexander III (1845-1883).
Ella's selection of a husband is the focus of the first part of the book, while Alexandra's coming-of-age and her own rocky road to matrimony is the focus of the second. Their other sisters -- May, Irene, and Victoria -- play much more incidental roles.
To say Ella's marriage winds up being unconventional is an understatement. There are a number of important questions that remain unanswered by the historical record. But McHugh crafts a believable story by making use of what information is available.
And no wonder Alix's road to matrimony is so rocky. Beautiful, deeply religious, stubborn, and intensely shy, she isn't exactly an ideal candidate to marry the Tsar of all the Russias and assume a very public role full of endless social obligations.
Think of this novel as the story of a large extended family with all the inherent drama. Love and loyalty, power dynamics and sibling rivalry, and plenty of unsolicited advice from every direction. Then, on top of THAT, layer on all the complexity of royal politics, especially when it comes to selecting a spouse. With almost everyone looking down on Russia for its backward and outdated autocracy.
Everyone you will meet in this book is connected to everyone else:
• All the Hesse sisters are granddaughters of England's Queen Victoria whose dream it is to connect all the royalty of Europe in one peaceful family. As family matriarch, she views herself as chief matchmaker.
• Tsar Nicolas II’s mother, Maria Feodorovna, is the sister of England’s future Queen, Alexandra, Princess of Wales (married to the future British King Edward VII, firstborn son of Queen Victoria).
• The boorish German Kaiser Wilhelm II is Queen Victoria’s grandson, eldest son of her daughter Victoria*, Princess Royal, and longtime German Crown Princess.
I found there's an episodic feel to the book - where chapters can skip a number of years and pick up people in a different point in life. No one comes off as a fabulous human being. The drama is drama of the privileged -- conflicts over religion, in-law difficulties, and rigid expectations. (All the while, covered in jewels!) But, overall, I found the book enjoyable, with no heavy lifting. I think maybe McHugh just tried to tell too many stories in this one novel.
Author Clare McHugh does a thorough job making Alexandra a three-dimensional character and a reasonable job with her elder sister, Princess "Ella" Elizabeth (1864-1918) who marries Russian Grand Duke Sergei (1857-1905), brother of Nicolas II's father, the repressive Tsar Alexander III (1845-1883).
Ella's selection of a husband is the focus of the first part of the book, while Alexandra's coming-of-age and her own rocky road to matrimony is the focus of the second. Their other sisters -- May, Irene, and Victoria -- play much more incidental roles.
To say Ella's marriage winds up being unconventional is an understatement. There are a number of important questions that remain unanswered by the historical record. But McHugh crafts a believable story by making use of what information is available.
And no wonder Alix's road to matrimony is so rocky. Beautiful, deeply religious, stubborn, and intensely shy, she isn't exactly an ideal candidate to marry the Tsar of all the Russias and assume a very public role full of endless social obligations.
Think of this novel as the story of a large extended family with all the inherent drama. Love and loyalty, power dynamics and sibling rivalry, and plenty of unsolicited advice from every direction. Then, on top of THAT, layer on all the complexity of royal politics, especially when it comes to selecting a spouse. With almost everyone looking down on Russia for its backward and outdated autocracy.
Everyone you will meet in this book is connected to everyone else:
• All the Hesse sisters are granddaughters of England's Queen Victoria whose dream it is to connect all the royalty of Europe in one peaceful family. As family matriarch, she views herself as chief matchmaker.
• Tsar Nicolas II’s mother, Maria Feodorovna, is the sister of England’s future Queen, Alexandra, Princess of Wales (married to the future British King Edward VII, firstborn son of Queen Victoria).
• The boorish German Kaiser Wilhelm II is Queen Victoria’s grandson, eldest son of her daughter Victoria*, Princess Royal, and longtime German Crown Princess.
I found there's an episodic feel to the book - where chapters can skip a number of years and pick up people in a different point in life. No one comes off as a fabulous human being. The drama is drama of the privileged -- conflicts over religion, in-law difficulties, and rigid expectations. (All the while, covered in jewels!) But, overall, I found the book enjoyable, with no heavy lifting. I think maybe McHugh just tried to tell too many stories in this one novel.
January 8, 2024
Actual rating: 3.25 stars rounded down to 3
When I delved into "The Romanov Brides," I didn't quite realize that the title would be very literal. The majority of the story is the process of Alix and Ella of Hesse (the future Tsarina Alexandra and Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna respectively) brokering their marriages into the Russian royal family. Along the way, we encounter a lot of "what-ifs" on alternative suitors suggested by the British and Prussian royal families that could have helped these two women avoid their ultimately tragic fate.
I do appreciate the faithfulness of history that McHugh presented in this novel. There isn't a whole lot of bending dates or events, and the major plotline in this novel follows most closely with what we know about how these marriages came to be, complete with all the Victorian condescension towards the Romanovs. The book is by and large character driven, as it should be.
McHugh's characters are on the whole also solid, albeit with a few exceptions. Her male characters are easy to parse, and their motivations are quite clear, whether it be romance, honor, or familial duty. Alix too is presented as a shy noblewoman from a minor family suddenly thrust into the glamor and heavy responsibility of the Russian court, a fantastic way to reconcile the distant, arrogant mien that contributed to her alienation from the Russian people and her inevitable doom.
Ella is the wild card that even to the end, I could not quite figure out her motivation or her desires. It seemed to waver from approval from Serge, validation by the Russian court, a child of her own, and for Alix to adopt Russia as her new home. At times she was an active character, at times a passive one, and her reasons for selecting Serge as her spouse was as mystifying as the dynamics of her marriage to historians today.
Another critique I have is the lack of an epilogue depicting the tragic end of these two women. While anyone who has seen any iteration of "Anastasia" knows what happened to Alix, unless you are a history buff, you may be less familiar with Ella and her end. I feel that one last chapter in her eyes about one of the major turning points of Russian contention in her later life, whether it be the death of her husband or her own demise, would have allowed the story to come full circle as opposed to the foreshadowing and historical note that McHugh opts for.
Thank you to Goodreads and the author for allowing me to read a free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
When I delved into "The Romanov Brides," I didn't quite realize that the title would be very literal. The majority of the story is the process of Alix and Ella of Hesse (the future Tsarina Alexandra and Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna respectively) brokering their marriages into the Russian royal family. Along the way, we encounter a lot of "what-ifs" on alternative suitors suggested by the British and Prussian royal families that could have helped these two women avoid their ultimately tragic fate.
I do appreciate the faithfulness of history that McHugh presented in this novel. There isn't a whole lot of bending dates or events, and the major plotline in this novel follows most closely with what we know about how these marriages came to be, complete with all the Victorian condescension towards the Romanovs. The book is by and large character driven, as it should be.
McHugh's characters are on the whole also solid, albeit with a few exceptions. Her male characters are easy to parse, and their motivations are quite clear, whether it be romance, honor, or familial duty. Alix too is presented as a shy noblewoman from a minor family suddenly thrust into the glamor and heavy responsibility of the Russian court, a fantastic way to reconcile the distant, arrogant mien that contributed to her alienation from the Russian people and her inevitable doom.
Ella is the wild card that even to the end, I could not quite figure out her motivation or her desires. It seemed to waver from approval from Serge, validation by the Russian court, a child of her own, and for Alix to adopt Russia as her new home. At times she was an active character, at times a passive one, and her reasons for selecting Serge as her spouse was as mystifying as the dynamics of her marriage to historians today.
Another critique I have is the lack of an epilogue depicting the tragic end of these two women. While anyone who has seen any iteration of "Anastasia" knows what happened to Alix, unless you are a history buff, you may be less familiar with Ella and her end. I feel that one last chapter in her eyes about one of the major turning points of Russian contention in her later life, whether it be the death of her husband or her own demise, would have allowed the story to come full circle as opposed to the foreshadowing and historical note that McHugh opts for.
Thank you to Goodreads and the author for allowing me to read a free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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