“Makes Game of Thrones look like a nursery rhyme.” –Daisy Goodwin, New York Times bestselling author of The Fortune Hunter “[Alpsten] recounts this remarkable woman’s colourful life and times.” –Count Nikolai Tolstoy, historian and author Before there was Catherine the Great, there was Catherine Alexeyevna: the first woman to rule Russia in her own right. Ellen Alpsten’s rich, sweeping debut … to rule Russia in her own right. Ellen Alpsten’s rich, sweeping debut novel is the story of her rise to power.
St. Petersburg, 1725. Peter the Great lies dying in his magnificent Winter Palace. The weakness and treachery of his only son has driven his father to an appalling act of cruelty and left the empire without an heir. Russia risks falling into chaos. Into the void steps the woman who has been by his side for decades: his second wife, Catherine Alexeyevna, as ambitious, ruthless and passionate as Peter himself.
Born into devastating poverty, Catherine used her extraordinary beauty and shrewd intelligence to ingratiate herself with Peter’s powerful generals, finally seducing the Tsar himself. But even amongst the splendor and opulence of her new life–the lavish feasts, glittering jewels, and candle-lit hours in Peter’s bedchamber–she knows the peril of her position. Peter’s attentions are fickle and his rages powerful; his first wife is condemned to a prison cell, her lover impaled alive in Red Square. And now Catherine faces the ultimate test: can she keep the Tsar’s death a secret as she plays a lethal game to destroy her enemies and take the Crown for herself?
From the sensuous pleasures of a decadent aristocracy, to the incense-filled rites of the Orthodox Church and the terror of Peter’s torture chambers, the intoxicating and dangerous world of Imperial Russia is brought to vivid life. Tsarina is the story of one remarkable woman whose bid for power would transform the Russian Empire.
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As detailed as the jewels and enamel inlay on the creations of Faberge…[a] crisp, elegant fictional account of history, woven with emotion and brio.
Historical fiction, biographies, autobiographies, and memoirs are genres I started reading when I was in elementary school and, when one grabs me, still read today. I enjoy learning about people, events, or cultures. Now, my interests are more in the ancient worlds or cultures that predates the 20th century, I will still read 20th century stories. Tsarina was a fascinating read.
I do not know a lot about Russian history, but I did learn a lot reading this story. I have only heard a hand full of Romanovs: Catherine the Great and of course the last Romanov family. It was interesting seeing the history through the eyes of someone not noble or born in Russia. The journey of the build of Saint Petersburg and tragedy of the war going on during the time.
The story of Marta Helena Skowrońska formally known as Catherine I was a true rag to riches/ Cinderella story. She was born a serf and died as a Tsarina/ Empress of Russia. What is sad, was I was not all surprised how her story was, knowing how women were treated in pre-20th century. I would say she was a fighter, strong willed, and remarkable given what she went through. But she was also careful knowing her position of being Peter the Great’s lover and later wife.
The author did an amazing job writing this story. I believe the author imagined some of what they wrote since records do not have personal information like that, but with the time era, it makes sense. People back in those times were vicious. I can see nobles being partiers and recklessly spend their money. Women and girls being treated as property. Life does not seem all that different in today’s world (with many exceptions for us women!)
I recommend reading this if you want to learn about a strong woman. Yes, there is a lot of rape, sex, murder, and drunken parties, but given the time era, what do you expect? It was still a great read with an interesting story.
*I received an ARC from NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.
You can find this review on my website:
https://www.charliadamswriter.com
Astonishing…the ultimate Cinderella story [that] makes Game of Thrones look like a nursery rhyme.
Ever since Doctor Shivago, I’ve been a sucker for Russian stories, and Tsarina is no exception. At first, Tsarina charmed me like an adult fairytale, but quickly swept me into the royal world of Peter the Great, full of intrigue and debauchery. Themes of self-reliance, survival and betrayal intertwine with a lusty and twisty plot. Kept me turning pages to find out Catherine’s fate. Impressive debut novel!
In Tsarina, Ellen Alpsten imagines the life of a peasant widowed soon after her marriage, claimed as a war prize and handed up the ranks until she catches the eye of Peter the Great, Tsar of Russia.
Marta may be illiterate, but she uses her wiles, wit, and physical attractiveness to become Peter’s favorite bed partner. She becomes necessary to his happiness as a man and as a ruler. Renamed Catherine, Peter marries her and then crowns her his equal– Tsarina.
The novel follows Marta/Catherine’s life, taking readers into the peasant villages and the brutal life of serfs, into war, the building of St. Petersburg, and the decadent royal courts with all its intrigue and shifting alliances.
Since the novel is written from the viewpoint of Catherine, we can’t expect to understand much about Peter’s inner life. Which is too bad, since he was a complicated man who pushed Russia to Westernize and modernize but still employed brutality and ruled with a heavy hand. His excesses resulted in terrible health problems. His volatile temper and complete power resulted in the torture and murder of his enemies. It appears that Catherine was able to calm his temper, and minister to him when he suffered seizures.
I did expect to understand more about Catherine’s inner thoughts. Did she truly love Peter, or, as a powerless female, was she merely using her wit to survive? Late in their story, she fears Peter and has doubts.
That Peter loved Catherine appears to be true if we believe the love letters he sent her.
Catherine’s twelve pregnancies resulted in only two surviving children, but not the sons Peter so desperately desired to keep his dynasty intact. Upon Peter’s death, Catherine had to quickly react to maintain control of the government.
The violence of the age comes through, the court entertainment revolving around mistreatment of jesters and anyone the royals decided to force into humiliating situations, including physical abuse, the torturing of political or romantic rivals, real or perceived, to downright murder.
Readers will gain insight into the development of Russia. Peter envisioned a modern Russia, emulating France and European civilization. It required the heavy taxation of serfs, forced labor to build St. Petersburg which would protect Russia’s western border and access to the North Sea for trading. Meanwhile, he fought endless wars with Sweden, Persia, and the Ottoman Empire.
Alpsten’s debut novel has its drawbacks, and yet still was compelling; Catherine’s story is at once that of a fairy-tale princess and of a powerless pawn struggling to survive. My Goodreads friends highly rated Tsarina, swept away.
I did not appreciate the frequent, descriptive sex scenes of rape or lovemaking, which to me were not well written and took up too much space. I really don’t need to know about parting thighs, etc., when knowing feelings and thoughts in response could add depth to a character. The writing is at times awkward. But I have to admit, I did not walk away from the story.
I received a free book through the Book Club Cook Book. My review is fair and unbiased.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this book from NetGalley and St Martin’s Press in exchange for an unbiased review.
In 1725 Catherine Alexeyeyna although born into extreme poverty rises to become a powerful force in Russia as tsarina. Formally known as Marta, she was given to Vassilley to work as a maid. He was a powerful and cruel man who uses people for his own purpose. Her life within that mansion was traumatic yet becomes a turning point in her life. The story begins with Catherine dealing with imminent death of the tsar her husband Peter. The treachery of his brother left no heir to his throne as he lie dying since his living children from Catherine were daughters Anna, Elizabeth and Natalya.
Archbishop of Novgorod, Feifan Promopivich had helped Peter draft his will and stands to read it at Peter’s deathbed. Many are anxious to the future of Russia given there is no direct transfer of power. Catherine wishes to keep his death a secret to avoid disrupting the current balance of power in Russia.
Peter’s first wife Evdokia banished to a convent 30 years ago leaving her son Alexey whom Peter always despised for his timid nature. Although Petrushka, Peter’s grandson, is the rightly heir to throne he is not present at death bed which has Catherine jostling to arrange her role as Peter’s successor.
The story proceeds to describe in excruciating detail the history leading up to this day. The novel clearly explains the strength and determination of Marta who becomes Catherine a great and influential Russian woman. About half way through I found all the day to day details dragging the story to a snail’s pace. While some of the events seem pertinent to explain the atrocities of war in Russia, much of it felt too cinematic in nature.
This book would most likely appeal to those with an extreme interest in Russian history. It was just an overwhelming story for me to totally enjoy in its entirety.
Catherine learned at an early age how to take care of herself. She was actually from one of the poorest families in the area. And due to several intriguing circumstances, she ends up as the Tsarina to all of Russia. Catherine was extremely intelligent, even though she never learned to read. She had and intuitiveness which helped her to achieve goals way beyond anyone’s expectations.
I fluctuated between 4 and 5 stars on this one. It is not without problems. But I was captivated. This is not the first Catherine the Great novel I have read. I love this time period. And I think she is truly one of the most fascinating of all the historical women. The author did a fabulous job with the research and with the realities surrounding this unique monarch.
Like I said earlier, this novel has a few problems. It is slow to start. Plus, at the first of this book several of the same type of things happen to Catherine. I don’t want to give anything away. But I had the thought…if this happens ONE MORE TIME! Luckily, as the book moves along the writing takes on a very good rhythm and I did not want to stop reading. I found myself very caught up in the life of Catherine as well as Peter the Great.
This is a gripping tale you do not want to miss!
Grab your copy today!
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
I have a love/hate relationship with Russian history. I flunked a history class on the tsars twice in college (hate) but visited Russia in the mid-1990s and was fascinated by everything I saw (love). The author managed to convey all of the intrigue and intricacies of the Russian Courts without it being mind-numbingly confusing. That right there is a feat of its own. I liked how the author chose the “warts and all” approach. It made everything much more vivid. And boy, are things vivid. Sexual encounters and fights, feasts and festivities, all get lavish descriptions. I will say that if you are faint of heart, some of the more graphic encounters may be a bit much for you. It’s an epic read for anyone who is interested in historical fiction that sticks to the reality of history (not some romanticized version of it). For a detailed review, please visit Fireflies and Free Kicks. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a digital ARC of the book.
Through a masterful weaving of known historical fact and rich description, Ellen Alpsten has written a fascinating epic, telling the story of Marta Scavronskaya, who becomes the second wife of Peter the Great. From her humble beginnings as the illegitimate elder daughter of a Baltic peasant, Marta rises to the highest position in Russia, Tsarina Catherine I. The tale begins with the death of Peter, who has died without naming an heir. While hatching her plan to become Tsarina, reflects back on her life.
When Marta’s mother dies, she is left in the care of her father, much to the dismay of his wife, who despises the girl. Marta grows into a dark beauty. At the first opportunity she has to rid herself of the girl, Marta’s step mother sells her to a Russian. Thus begins her life of being abused by different men, rape, almost sold into white slavery, taken advantage of by a minister’s son, war, rape again. After her rescue by a kindly Count Sheremetov, Marta joins Prince Menshikov’s household, where she meets Tsar Peter the Great and becomes first his lover, then his wife.
Ellen Alpsten has given a true portrayal of the times, life in the various places, where Marta found herself, the vast regions of Russia, the rages of the war with Sweden, the scorch and burn tactics. This book reminds me a lot of Boris Pasternak’s “Doctor Zhivago”, a book, that I have read and reread many times. We learn a lot about the reign of Peter the Great, his personal life, his accomplishments, his rule and his orgies. These were brutal times, unfortunately, and the author describes them honestly and in detail, too vividly in some people’s eyes. But that was life then. This book is not for the squeamish. Her descriptions of the food in the markets, the menus in the various households and the pleasure taken in consuming these foods actually made me hungry!
I am amazed, that this book is in fact a first novel for the author. I don’t know what Ellen Alpsten can write to top this one. She has set the bar high for herself. She is definitely a writer not to be missed. I look forward to her future works.
It was fun to learn about Peter the Great and Catherine the First of Russia. I have not read anything about these people before and was fascinated with how cruel people could be. Know that this has some very graphic descriptions. Catherine and Peter had a lot of sadness in their life. It is always nice to read about real people and how they lived day to day. I received a copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
A captivating story of Catherine I’s life from washermaid to empress. I do not have much knowledge of Russia’s history and immediately agreed to reading this book to allow myself to learn more. It was very interesting to read about Marta’s obstacles and how she rose above each to become Catherine I of Russia. She was a strong willed woman whom did not shy away from the Tsar Peter and his campaigns to solidify Russia’s lands and countries. As I continued to read, I found myself continuing to root for Marta/Catherine. I really enjoyed this book, it has prompted my interest in reading more about this history.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an early copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
(Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an early reader copy!)
Tsarina is the compelling tale of a young woman who went from peasant to lead the Russian empire. Catherine Alexeyevna is born into poverty and hardship, yet a chance meeting and her own courage lead her to become mistress of Peter the Great (who really isn’t that great…but more on that later) and eventually his wife. Catherine is smart, beautiful and learns quickly how to stay alive in the dangerous world of the Russian court. Even more important, Catherine learns how to influence Peter, even being able to moderate his vicious and violent tendencies. The heir to the Russian throne by Peter’s first wife is loathed by Peter, who treats him abysmally. Peter desperately wants a son with Catherine to replace Alexeya, at the time of his death that son is too young, so Catherine becomes the Russian Empress.
The cruelty of both the times and Peter are clearly detailed in this story, and Catherine’s survival through Peter’s rages and illnesses, mistresses and political factions, is nothing less than miraculous. Not that she’s a perfect angel, far from it, but she does have the ability to influence Peter at times and therefore save lives.
I found this book both a fun and interesting read; I’d never heard of Catherine Alexeyevna, and Ellen Alpsten brings her to life in a wonderful way. At the same time, the cruelty of the times and the people can sometimes get overwhelming; it’s hard to believe that anyone would act as Peter and the nobility did, especially looking at it from modern sensibilities. I judge historical fiction by how much more I want to know about the main character; Tsarina inspired me to find out more about Catherine, and I give it 5 stars.
I loved this book! wonderfully written and filled with such detail that I felt I was actually in the situations Catherine experienced. Interesting complex characters. I could not put this book down! so interesting, kept me turning the pages. I received a copy from netgalley and I absolutely loved this book! A must must read!!
Tsarina gripped me from the beginning and didn’t let go until the ugly, bitter end. Like looking at a gruesome car accident or death scene, my morbid curiosity of just how grotesque the events unfolding could get, spurred me on, and just when I thought it couldn’t get any worse, it got worse.
This was an incredibly hard, yet addictive and fascinating read. Though I love history, Russia’s past has never been one that has held my attention for long. I have heard of Peter the Great, but the details of his reign are hazy, as are the few tidbits I can remember about Catherine I.
To grasp what she endured in her lifetime is incomprehensible. The abuse and heartache alone would’ve killed a weaker woman. To go through everything she did, including being married to the devil himself, and still be so strong and relatively grounded is shocking.
The incredibly graphic sexual depictions had my stomach churching, as I usually stick with much cleaner reads, and try to avoid graphic sex scenes. I fought with myself the entire time, debating on if I should put the book down and not read further, as there were moments I felt as if I were reading soft core porn. But instead, I chose to skip the graphic parts as much as I could (which was insanely difficult since there are SO many scenes involving some form of sexual acts) and while I skimmed the pages I thanked God that I was not a woman during that time!
If this book is a testament to the treatment of women back then, I can say with clear conviction, that they were treated just a smidge better than the animals! The way men took them with no care for their feelings or desires is grotesque, and fidelity certainly wasn’t practiced by anyone. Sex was used as a tool, a weapon, to get what you wanted, nothing more, and loyalty was out the window.
With intimate details of the wars, and the different Russian towns and countryside, I had a feel that this was well researched, though I haven’t had the time to truly see just how accurate it really is. I will say, the fact that there are not any dates does give me pause about the validity of the details.
Tsarina is clocked in darkness from the beginning, a vice growing ever tighter with each depraved sexual encounter, and every inhumane and unimaginable torture and punishment.
What kept me going was my desire to find out if Catherine herself would ever find the peace, love, and happiness that she so craved. Being the wife of Peter the Great, a man that seriously had no soul, I didn’t have high hopes, and when finished the final page feeling numb and in utter shock…well you can imagine it wasn’t he happiest of endings. I couldn’t stop thinking about the novel after I put it down, muttering to myself, “There is no way this all happened in real life! This is the stuff of nightmares!”
Though I rated it higher than I originally intended, thanks to the incredible writing and world building, and the fact that I seriously didn’t put it down for two days, I can’t, with a clear conscience, recommend it. Though I do believe it is a story that needs to be told, I also believe this story could’ve been told without the depravity being so graphically detailed.
*I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book which I received from St. Martin’s Press and read through NetGalley. All views and opinions are completely honest, and my own.
If you love Russian history, and historical fiction in general, this is a good one to read. The writing is amazing, raw and holds nothing back. This time in history was brutal, full of debauchery and selfishness. When you read this, you will feel it all. That being said, you definitely have to be in the right mindset to read this one as it is a slow read. For those with a sensitivity to rape and torture this isn’t one I would recommend.
I appreciate NetGalley providing me with an E-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed herein are mine and mine alone.
Fascinating, insightful, and engaging!
Tsarina is an intriguing interpretation of the rags-to-riches, extraordinary life of Marta Helena Skowrońska (Catherine I of Russia), who started life as the illegitimate child of a peasant and was subsequently sold into slavery, widowed, and sexually violated before becoming the mistress of Peter the Great, and later his wife and successor to the Russian throne, holding the title of Empress of Russia until her untimely death in 1727.
The prose is vivid and rich. The characters are bold, remorseless, and well-drawn. And the plot is an absorbing, sweeping saga of all the hopes, fears, sacrifices, struggles, treachery and entangled relationships found in one of the most powerful families to ever rule the Russian Empire.
Tsarina is, ultimately, a story about life, loss, love, politics, power, war, corruption, greed, riches, fervour, desires, sacrifice, savagery, violence, and murder. It’s a perceptive, alluring, compelling tale by Alpsten that does a beautiful job of highlighting her impressive research and considerable knowledge into the infamous Romanov family, especially those who reigned in the late seventeenth, early eighteenth century and their undeniable influence on Russian history.
What an amazing story.
I was a bit hesitant to start the 480 pages thinking it might be hard to finish but I flew through the pages.
The book is listed as a Novel which gives some wiggle room on the facts but after looking up some items because I wanted to know more it looked like Ellen Alspen whenever possible tried to accurate portray the facts. I love to read historical books because I always learn something new and it is fascinating to get a better understanding of what live was like. That said if you are a person that disliked a book because of the treatment of woman or can’t have an objective view of the cruelty described then do not read this book.
Not having read many historical books on Russia of that time period about the only items I knew about Peter the Great was his obsession with Western Europe, construction of St. Petersburg and the constant wars.
The one thing that surprise me that Catherine never learned to read or write because she was an intelligent woman and must have realized that it could be important for her to be able to do so. Too bad she only had two years of ruling Russia after Peter’s dead before she died herself.
I’ve been reading horror novels for forty years or more and have never read anything quite as horrifying as this historic tale of Russia. I have always found that historical fiction does a far better job of putting past events into context than any textbook. Books about Russia, fiction, non-fiction or historical fiction, are not easy to read. The first hurdle is figuring out just who’s who. In TSARINA, not only must one deal with the names themselves but also keep track of the multiple names for a single person.
Peter, tsar of all the Russias, was a sadist and syphilitic whoremonger and Marta loved him. TSARINA tells of the meteoric rise of a poor girl named Marta to become the consort of the tsar, then his wife, and upon his death the ruler of all the Russias. It was Peter that gave her the name Catherine. It would seem that names were fleeting and could be changed on a whim.
It is difficult to say that I enjoyed reading TSARINA, and it is equally difficult to say that I did not. I definitely learned things about Russian history previously unknown to me. In addition, the book provides insight not only to Russian attitudes toward women from an historical perspective, it shows that today’s attitudes have not changed all that much. Feminists, no matter their gender, will have a hard time reading parts of this book.
Interesting period but lengthy & too much detail
The life story of Peter the Great’s second wife, raised from poverty and obscurity and Peter’s partner during his creation of Saint Petersburg and attempts to make Russia a great Western power, was a compelling basis for a story. It’s obvious that the author did painstaking research in her effort to recreate Caterina and Peter’s world. Caterina/Marta’s journey from contented but poor and illiterate serf’s daughter to palace seems incredible. I found her life before Peter the most interesting part of the book. Once the story moves to her time with the Tsar it became more about him, his ambition, lust and cruelty than about Caterina. In fact, after the big climax of Peter the Great’s death, the story ends quickly without much coverage of her years ruling Russia on her own.
I think that the book was way too long and bogged down by endless description that dominated instead of the action. And the action there was seemed to concentrate on cruelty, torture and violence. Too much harsh reality for me.
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
Compelling historical rendition
Emerson once said, “All history is biography,” and this book is the perfect embodiment of that idea. Based on real-life persons and actual events, this story goes beyond the historical records to bring to life to some of history’s most intriguing people.
Catherine is, first and foremost, a sympathetic character, one with whom women will readily identify. She proves to be stronger than her circumstances, braving each hardship and tragedy with the grace and determination that ultimately solidified her place in history. I enjoyed the writing style and the attention to detail. Since I usually read pure fiction, I’m accustomed to less angst and more HEAs, but I do enjoy seeing history come alive even when that story was not all happiness and serenity.
This is a must-read book for anyone interested in Russian history, especially during the highly-charged days of the tsars. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.