Blog Tour | The Tsarina’s Daughter
Hello everyone, welcome to my spot on The Tsarina’s Daughter blog tour! Thank you so much Bloomsbury and Midas PR for hosting the tour and asking me to take part! For my spot I shall be sharing my thoughts on this book and its prequel Tsarina!
Title: The Tsarina's Daughter Author: Ellen Alpsten Published: 8th July 2021 Publisher: Bloomsbury Genre: Historical Fiction
When they took everything from her, they didn’t count on her fighting to get it back… Born into the House of Romanov to the all-powerful Peter the Great and Catherine I, beautiful Tsarevna Elizabeth is the world’s loveliest Princess and the envy of the Russian empire. Insulated by luxury and as a woman free from the burden of statecraft, Elizabeth is seemingly born to pursue her passions. However, a dark prophecy predicts her fate as inexorably twined with Russia. When her mother dies, Russia is torn, masks fall, and friends become foes. Elizabeth’s idyllic world is upended. By her twenties she is penniless and powerless, living under constant threat. As times change like quicksand, an all-consuming passion emboldens Elizabeth: she must decide whether to take up her role as Russia’s ruler, and what she’s willing to do for her country – and for love. -Waterstones
Thank you so much Bloomsbury and Midas PR for sending me a finished copy of both Tsarina and the sequel The Tsarina’s Daughter to read and review. I really enjoyed both these books a lot.
The first Tsarina follows the rise of Catherine I of Russia, from lowly slave girl to Tsaritsa of all of Russia. It is a sweeping and epic narrative filled with betrayal and court drama and intrigue by the barrel. The Tsarina’s Daughter, as the name suggests, follows Catherine’s daughter Elizabeth who is fighting a battle against both greedy friends and foes who want Russia for themselves.
These novels are perfectly paced. Historical novels can often fall into the narrative trap of becoming slow and dragging but these two never do. Russian history itself is action-packed, and the twists and turns in these novels come thick and fast. We are never sure who we can trust (the answer is usually no one) and the outcomes for betrayal are always painful. I couldn’t stop reading the books to find out what happened next, even though I have a fair grasp of Russian history, I was totally engrossed in the story!
The characters in both novels are interesting too, as none are immensely likeable. In The Tsarina’s Daughter, Elizabeth is a headstrong and often cruel character who rushes into things without thinking of consequences or effects on others around her. Despite these traits I did fall for Elizabeth, and I was rooting for her throughout the story, to fall in love and get her happy ever after.
The writing style in both novels is exquisite. Alpsten creates an elaborately described world, and I luxuriated in every single word of it as I read. I was engrossed throughout the novel, and after that ending I need the next one immediately!!
Thank you Bloomsbury and Midas PR for having me on the blog tour!
Buy the book from Waterstones here
