The Romanovs

Starred review from March 7, 2016
Montefiore (Jerusalem: The Biography),
a popular novelist and historian of Russia, describes this extensive account of the rise and fall of the Romanov dynasty as a “blood-spattered, gold-plated, diamond-studded, swash-buckled, bodice-ripping, and star-crossed... chronicle of fathers and sons, megalomaniacs, monsters, and saints.” But
it also reveals the author’s imaginative gift for storytelling and research acumen. From the Romanov dynasty’s inauspicious beginnings in a remote monastery to its violent end in a provincial basement, the family held the Russian crown for just over three centuries, dramatically expanding Russia’s borders and laying the groundwork for what would become the U.S.S.R. and the modern Russian Federation. Montefiore addresses questions of great import as well as more prosaic but equally illuminating details of life in the Romanov regime, examining, for instance, how Catherine the Great went from being “a regicidal, uxoricidal German usurper” to becoming one of Russia’s most successful rulers and “the darling of the philosophes.” Echoes of history resonate through the pages and shed light on the ruthless and autocratic tendencies that have remained salient elements of Russian politics. Montefiore’s compassionate and incisive portraits of the Romanov rulers and their retinues, his liberal usage of contemporary diaries and correspondence, and his flair for the dramatic produce a narrative that effortlessly holds the reader’s interest and attention despite its imposing length.

April 1, 2016

Historian Montefiore (humanities, Univ. of Buckingham; Jerusalem: The Biography) delivers an impressive telling of the Romanov autocratic dynasty in Russia. Covering all Russian rulers between 1613 and 1918, as well as spouses, lovers, confidantes, statesmen, other world leaders, and major conflicts during that time period, this massive volume fills in gaps of Romanov history. There is more of a focus on rulers such as Peter the Great (r. 1682-1721) and Catherine the Great (r. 1762-96) because of their long and accomplished reigns. The book is divided into a prolog, three separate acts, and an epilog. Each "act" begins with a list of characters and a visual family tree to help readers keep track of the multitude of names and titles. Montefiore concludes with a lengthy section of notes (plus footnotes throughout) and a useful index. VERDICT Finishing this hefty read will take effort, but the reward is worth the time. Fans of Russian and world history, those who enjoyed the author's previous works, and anyone interested in royal intrigue and betrayal will find great pleasure here. [See Prepub Alert, 11/9/15.]--Jason L. Steagall, Gateway Technical Coll. Lib., Elkhorn, WI

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