Soon to be a major motion picture starring Kristin Scott Thomas (The English Patient), directed by Stefan Ruzowitzky (The Counterfeiters) Drawing from decades of work, travel, and research in Russia, Robert Alexander re-creates the tragic, perennially fascinating story of the final days of Nicholas and Alexandra Romanov as seen through the eyes of their young kitchen boy, Leonka. Now an ancient … kitchen boy, Leonka. Now an ancient Russian immigrant, Leonka claims to be the last living witness to the Romanovs’ brutal murders and sets down the dark secrets of his past with the imperial family. Does he hold the key to the many questions surrounding the family’s murder? Historically vivid and compelling, The Kitchen Boy is also a touching portrait of a loving family that was in many ways similar, yet so different, from any other.
“Ingenious…Keeps readers guessing through the final pages.” —USA Today
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A wonderful account of a tragic time in Russia. The account of those tragic times held my interest until the last page.
Unique telling of a tragic event. Liked the use of present day and story told in the past. Twist at the end but not the one I expected. New perspective of the family; I wondered at their naivety as well as their bravery and hope in such a dire situation.
This book is an interesting look at a great tragedy from a different point of view. Well written tale.
Wonderfully written page turner. Though you know the Romanovs story you will be, nevertheless, reading it until the end. Hard to stop reading it. Plus the ending is ingenious.
Very interesting twist to this historical mystery with a surprising ending.
Superb story; well written; touching.
Excellent read!
Excellent read. Mystery ending questionable. Good characters, historic reference, perspective on family- I enjoyed the story.
What an ending. I didn’t see that coming.
this was a great book. I had to keep reminding myself that it was fiction. But so tragic. Highly recommend.
“The Kitchen Boy” is an imaginative retelling of the 1918 house arrest and assassination of Russia’s ex-tsar Nicholas Romanov II, his wife and ex-tsarina Alexandra, their four daughters: Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia, and one son, Alexei.
The story is told from the viewpoint of the Romanov’s young kitchen boy, “Leonka,” who has the advantage of being able to leave the house of arrest, hear the talk of the guards, and interact with each family member. Leonka becomes particularly close to Alexei, the young heir who is in poor health due to the “bleeding disease” (hemophilia) yet desperately wishes to play and run about. The four sisters are portrayed as typical teenaged girls, raised in a loving home with caring, disciplined parents. Throughout the months of June and July, the family takes meals together, exercises, prays, reads, does needlework, plays games and sleeps, all while hoping for rescue from their friends and relatives. A plan for escape is soon hatched, with notes carried by Leonka when he leaves the house to buy fresh food in town.
As history shows, not only does the escape plan fail, but the entire family is brutally assassinated by the Bolshevik guards, the royal bodies poorly disposed of in nearby mines and fields. It will be 1991 before the pieces begin to come together, and forensics prove that two bodies are missing. Did they, as rumors have persisted, somehow manage to escape?
The Russian Orthodox Church canonized the Romanovs in the year 2000, but the bones of the deposed family remain unburied.
The centennial of the Russian Revolution occurs in 2017. It will be up to President Vladimir Putin to decide how to reconcile these two events. After reading “The Kitchen Boy,” a new respect can be found for those born into aristocracy. If not for the institution, at least for the lives of the people in it.
*recommend adults & high school historical fiction re: world history
I never thought about the execution of the last Czar of Russia – I mean, I knew of it but never really thought of the implication of a husband and wife and all their children being brutally murdered. A very sad and horrible part of Russia’s past. This book was well written and well researched. I would have liked to know more about Katya/Kate…a bit more character development there would have been nice. And the twist at the end was unexpected. Overall, a good read.
An ending you won’t believe.