Nonfiction: The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion & The Fall of Imperial Russia

The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion & The Fall of Imperial Russia
By Candace Fleming

Fleming, Candace. The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion & the Fall of Imperial Russia. New York City, NY: Schwartz Wade, 2014. 9780375867828

Plot Summary

Tsar Nicholas II, Empress Alexandra, the Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana, Marie, and Anastasia, and the Tsarevich Alexei were the Romanov family. Nicholas, who was so mild-mannered. never wanted to rule. Alexandra, who was of English and German heritage, felt out of place in the palace life. Their children, raised away from society in the the Alexander Palace at Tsarskoe Selo, knew nothing of the plight of the Russian peasants. Ignorant to the world around them and influenced by those closest to them, the Romanovs' rule was doomed from the start. A perfect storm that included the Great War, civil unrest, and a major overhaul within the government ended the three hundred and four year rule of the once mighty Russian royalty. The many peasant revolts allowed communism to grow within the country, while at the same time, the Russian people struggled to fight in a war that they were vastly underprepared for. Rasputin wormed his way into the inner circle of the Romanovs, earning their deepest trust and ultimately aiding in their downfall. Alexandra, weary from her son's secret illness, felt that she was being guided by God through Rasputin, who had healed Alexei on several occasions, and allowed his influence to cloud her and Nicholas' judgement. Throughout their struggles, the family remained loyal to each other. After abdicating the throne to his brother, Nicholas and his family became prisoners. Soon after fleeing to what would become their final prison, the royal family found themselves in the cellar, facing armed guards. The bodies of Nicholas, Alexandra, Olga, Tatiana, and Marie (according to the American forensic anthropologists) would not be found and identified until communism fell in 1991. They were laid to rest in the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in St. Petersburg. Anastasia and Alexei's bodies would be found in 2007, finally reuniting the lost Romanovs with their family. The Orthodox Church in Russia declared the family saints in 2000, giving them the lowest designation of sainthood, passion-bearers.

Analysis

Candace Fleming brilliantly combines the tragic tale of the Romanov family with the Russian peasant experience, moving between the two experiences throughout the book. She uses captivating photographs and first hand accounts of the events to help bring readers into the story. The story is organized chronologically and separated into four parts: Before the Storm, Dark Clouds Gathering, The Storm Breaks, and Final Days. Fleming includes a brief introduction titled "Before You Begin" that explains how to read Russian names and titles, and how the dates in the book have been converted from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar. After this section, there is a family tree and a map of Russia. Readers might find themselves frequently visiting these pages to familiarize themselves with who is who and where the Romanovs are in the story. There is a bibliography that contains questions and answers from Fleming, as well as an explanation of her primary and secondary sources. A notes section details where each quote is cited from and an index concludes the book. 

This nonfiction book is on outstanding example of a narrative biography that does not cross the lines into fiction. Fleming does not include stories or tales to give the book any added flavor. She identifies areas of speculation in the few instances where it occurs and stays close to her sources. Occasionally, she speculates what the Romanovs might have been feeling, or what Lenin might have said in a situation, adding her own voice into the book but again, not filling in the story with unnecessary or untrue information. Her sources are well documented and the inclusion of photographs with explanations help readers to visualize the pieces of this tragic tale. This book is highly enjoyable and recommended for teens and adults alike.

Cynthia Schulz, writing for the Library Media Connection, claims "The author creates a compelling image of the growing political turmoil in Russia prior to and during World War I ... This is an engaging view of Russian history."

Schulz, Cynthia. 2015. “The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion & the Fall of Imperial Russia.” Library Media Connection 33 (4): 78. https://search-ebscohost-com.ezp.twu.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=brd&AN=100272218&site=ehost-live.

Awards

Boston Globe Horn Book Award for Nonfiction

Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Young Adult Literature

NCTE Orbis Pictus Award

Robert F. Sibert Nonfiction Honor Book

YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Finalist

ALSC Notable Children’s Books, Older Readers, 2015

Booklist Editor's Choice 2014

Booklist Editors Top of the List for Youth Nonfiction 2014

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books Blue Ribbon 2014

Cybils Award in Nonfiction for Young Adults 2014

Horn Book Fanfare 2014

Huffington Post Great Kid Books for Gift-Giving 2014

Junior Library Guild selection

Kirkus Reviews Best Teen Book 2014

Los Angeles Times Literary Book Prize nominee

New York Public Library Best Books for Teens 2014

Publishers Weekly Best Young Adult Books 2014

SCBWI Gold Kite Award for Nonfiction

School Library Journal Best Book 2014

Wall Street Journal 2014

Washington Post Best Books for Kids 2014

Connections

Readers can explore the various websites that Fleming includes in the notes of this book for more information about the Romanovs. 

For further reading about the royal family, for older teens:

Rappaport, Helen: The Romanov Sisters: The Lost Lives of the Daughters of Nicholas and Alexandra. 9781250067456

Massie, Robert K.: Nicholas and Alexandra (Tragic, Compelling Story of the Last Tsar and His Family). 9780575400061

Montefiore, Simon Sebag: The Romanovs: 1613-1918. 9780307280510