The Romanov Bride

Alexander's novel breathes historical accuracy. It is told in the alternating voices of Pavel, who has dedicated his life to overthrowing the Romanovs, and the Grand Duchess Elisavyeta (Ella), who eventually becomes a nun dedicated to helping the poor. Pavel is a fictional character, but his story could be the story of any poor Russian who becomes a believer in the Revolution. As the voice of Pavel, Stephan Rudnicki delivers a perfect Russian accent and a convincing tone of inevitability about his life. As Ella, Gabrielle de Cuir reads with no accent and often is so overly dramatic that she reduces the dialogue to banality. S.S.R. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine

March 3, 2008
In this robust historical set during the Romanov twilight, Alexander (The Kitchen Boy
) chronicles the careers of two emblematic individuals—the real-life Grand Duchess Elisavyeta (“Ella”), sister of Alexandra, the last tsarina, and the fictional Pavel, a young revolutionary. The author's extensive knowledge of Russia allows him to invigorate the narrative with telling details that bring the aristocrat Ella, who eventually became an Orthodox saint, convincingly to life. His depictions of workers' miseries, from the breadlines to sausage made from cat, are especially strong. Pavel takes part in key events affecting Ella—such as the planning for her husband's assassination—as well as in the street violence that metastasizes into the Bolshevik Revolution. Quick-cutting between the two characters' perspectives gives readers the opposing viewpoints of nobility and proletariat, emphasizing the obliviousness of each group to the other. As in Doctor Zhivago
, coincidence abounds and some scenes and themes call to mind that classic, but this is a compelling journey through momentous events that wraps up with a fine, deeply moving finale. 6-city author tour.