Unit 4 Review - The Family Romanov

 

Bibliographic Information

Fleming, Candace. 2014. THE FAMILY ROMANOV : MURDER, REBELLION, AND THE FALL OF IMPERIAL RUSSIA. New York : Schwartz & Wade Books. ISBN 978-0-375-86782-8

Plot Summary

He was Tsar Nicholas II of Russia: the wealthiest monarch in the world, who ruled over 130 million people and one-sixth of the of the earth’s land surface, yet turned a blind eye to the abject poverty of his subjects. She was Empress Alexandra: stern, reclusive, and painfully shy, a deeply religious woman obsessed with the corrupt mystic Rasputin. Their daughters were the Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatiana, Marie, and Anastasia: completely isolated and immature, girls who wore identical white dresses and often signed joint letters as OTMA, the initials of their first names. Their only son was Tsarevich Alexei: youngest of the Romanovs, heir to the throne, a hemophiliac whose debilitating illness was kept secret from the rest of the world. 

Award-winning author Candace Fleming brilliantly showcases the extraordinary lives of the royal family, from their opulent upbringings to the crumbling of their massive empire, and finally to their tragic murders. Using captivating photos and compelling first-person accounts throughout, Fleming deftly maneuvers between the extravagant lives of the Romanovs and the plight of Russia’s poor masses--the starving peasant farmers, the factory workers toiling long hours for little pay, and the disillusioned soldiers fighting in the trenches of World War I. Readers will be transported back to a remarkable time when both a family and an empire came tumbling down. 

Critical Analysis

In The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion & The Fall of Imperial Russia, Candace Fleming provides insight into the final days of Tsarist Russia through a detailed examination of the Romanov family. Fleming weaves the facts about the last Tsar of Russia, Nicholas II, into a detailed story of the decisions he made, his family life, and those who were affected by his choices, the common people of Russia. Given the content, vocabulary used, and the comprehension level needed to understand Romanov history, I would say this is a book geared towards more of a young adult audience. A small connection I could add would be that after reading this novel, I watched Disney’s “Anastasia” with my daughter, which is a movie loosely based on the story of Grand Duchess Anastasia, the youngest daughter of the Tsar. I was able to share facts about the family throughout the film, which even if not completely historically accurate, provides a good visual representation of what some of the people experienced in this time period. 

Candance Fleming writes an incredibly historically accurate story while still keeping the reader's attention. She cites all her sources and made sure to note where the details were gathered from. Under every black and white photo included in the novel, their sources are cited. I appreciated the inclusion of the pictures Fleming included so I was able to picture Olga, Tatiana, Marie, Anastasia, and the rest of the Romanov family clearly in my mind as I read. The text is organized in a chronological order, so that the reader can “watch” the downfall happen as it did in real time. The book describes in outstanding detail the events leading up to the citizens’ rebellion against the Romanovs, and how their lives ended. Included are several excerpts and different points of view from citizens who were not part of the high class society, which adds a unique perspective to the conflict. 

Awards Won & Review Excerpt(s)

*Winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Young Adult Literature

*Winner of the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award for Nonfiction

*A Robert F. Sibert Honor Book

*A YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Award Finalist 

*Winner of the Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction

*Booklist, starred review: “For readers who regard history as dull, Fleming’s extraordinary book is proof positive that, on the contrary, it is endlessly fascinating, absorbing as any novel, and the stuff of an altogether memorable reading experience."

*The Horn Book, starred review: "Marrying the intimate family portrait of Heiligman’s Charles and Emma with the politics and intrigue of Sheinkin’s Bomb, Fleming has outdone herself with this riveting work of narrative nonfiction that appeals to the imagination as much as the intellect."

Connections

*Host a Socratic Seminar in your classroom after reading The Family Romanov. 

*Watch Disney film “Anastasia”, a film loosely based on the story of Grand Duchess Anastasia, the youngest daughter of Tsar Nicholas II

*Read other books by Candace Fleming: 

THE ENIGMA GIRLS: HOW TEN TEENAGERS BROKE CIPHERS, KEPT SECRETS, AND HELPED WIN WORLD WAR II. ISBN 978-1338749571

HONEYBEE: THE BUSY LIFE OF APIS MELLIFERA. ISBN 978-0823442850

MURDER AMONG FRIENDS: HOW LEOPOLD AND LOEB TRIED TO COMMIT THE PERFECT CRIME. ISBN: 978-0593177426