The Family Romanov

On the day the 2015 Newbery winners were announced, I read Shannon Hale's blog post and saw that she mentioned that Candace Fleming won a Sibert Honor (most distinguished informational book for children) for her book The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial Russia. I decided to get the book from the library because I've always been intrigued by the Romanovs (mainly because all I know is from the movie Anastasia, which I knew was completely inaccurate historically). This book tells about Tsar Nicholas II of Russia (an incredibly wealthy monarch who was somehow chose to ignore the greatest needs of his people), his wife Alexandra (obsessed with the mystic faith healer Rasputin), and their five children Olga, Tatiana, Marie, Anastasia, and Alexei. The book also describes the lives of others in Russia, the political uprisings, and what eventually brought about the downfall of the Romanovs.

This book was fascinating, and I learned so much. It was incredibly well-researched but didn't feel like a slow, nonfiction read. I was engaged and interested and was anxious to see how things would turn out for this family. The author did a good job presenting both sides--I could see the Tsar and his family in both a super positive light and a super negative light. I love books like this that give me a great history and education in a readable format--not too long and not too boring. I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in this time period in Russia or in the Romanov family.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)