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The Winter Palace: A Novel Of Catherine The Great (2012)

by Eva Stachniak(Favorite Author)

3.54 of 5 Votes: 1

ISBN

0553808125 (ISBN13: 9780553808124)

languge

English

genre

Romance

publisher

Bantam

series

Catherine

review 1: I might have given this 3.5 star is it was available. It was good-ish but a tad too long. The one thing I did not like about this book (as in other historical fictions I've read) is the slavish adoration of the lowly servant protaganist to a noble or royal. But then I often forget that we are talking about mere teenagers when they are often introduced to the court. I quite liked the Empress Elizabeth who was a bit eccentric and liked to marry off her maids so she could dance at their wedding and had numerous lovers. Simpering Catherine got on my nerves sometimes but she turns a corner at the end of the book. I think what I liked most about the book was the style of writing which was straightforward without being sparse. All that being said, I wouldn't read it a... moregain.
review 2: I have a weakness for symmetrical books. I know it is a guilty pleasure, but I always choose the classical side. The ending, last 30 pages, moved this book from 2 starts to 3. I understand the role of details and how they build the characters and give the flavor of the respective times. However, reading this book was a struggle as it was missing the salt and paper. I finally got under the skin of the main character only towards the end. The entire journey did not convince me; it lacked a scope and I did not adhere towards the goal. She lacked authenticity and many times she gave me the impression she had to write something and she struggled to it. The best part about the book is that it motivated me to read again more about the Russian culture and especially about the Romanovs. less

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