The Lost Crown shows the effects of the Bolshevik Revolution on the Romanov family. Sarah Miller starts out the book in the months preceding the revolution. She highlights the family's humanity through their jokes and their taking care of soldiers returning from the front lines. Their lives change as their father abdicates and the Provisional Government takes control. This change brings in the meat of the book, where the royal family is confined under house arrest. As the revolution progresses, the Provisional Government moves them from house to house and into more unfamiliar terrain. Each chapter is written from the viewpoint of one of the daughters: Anastasia, Maria, Tatiana or Olga. Miller works to show the inner turmoil within the family and the bravery each member has. She gives personality and depth to a recognized, but solely symbolic family.
I strongly recommend this book to any reader who is interested in historical fiction. Though at times slow-paced and dense, it follows the demise and treatment of the Romanov family during the Bolshevik Revolution. Miller has done her research; she accurately captures the Russian language and culture. Without either basic knowledge of Russian customs or Soviet history, this book could be slightly tedious. I was initially confused because of the changes of narrator and because none of the supporting characters are defined. For anyone who is interested in expanding their knowledge of a revolutionary Russia, this is a book to consider; it is rich with culture and displays the royal family not as figureheads but as real people.
Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Richmond, Virginia United States of America
I strongly recommend this book to any reader who is interested in historical fiction. Though at times slow-paced and dense, it follows the demise and treatment of the Romanov family during the Bolshevik Revolution. Miller has done her research; she accurately captures the Russian language and culture. Without either basic knowledge of Russian customs or Soviet history, this book could be slightly tedious. I was initially confused because of the changes of narrator and because none of the supporting characters are defined. For anyone who is interested in expanding their knowledge of a revolutionary Russia, this is a book to consider; it is rich with culture and displays the royal family not as figureheads but as real people.
Reviewer Age:17
Reviewer City, State and Country: Richmond, Virginia United States of America
