Day: February 7, 2022

To truly enjoy The Last Grand Duchess, a new book by Bryn Turnbull, there are a few things that you need to have straight in your mind.

1)  This is Russian History. It’s dark. Dense doesn’t begin to describe it. Complexity is normal. It is epic and a huge topic to tackle.

2) There is a love/hate relationship with the Romanov family in the overall arc of Russian history. They are a pivotal family, and (as such) they are not always treated as people may expect.

3) Because of their position, and the era of history they occupy, there is little documentation available. Therefore, there is possibly a lot of supposition in any story involving them.

4) From what is known, Olga was a shy introvert. Therefore, even anecdotal evidence of her is difficult to find. She is also young and, therefore, immature.

5) You will absolutely, positively need to refer to the multi-page character list that precedes the story (see point number 1).

How do I know all of this?

Because I flunked a History of Russia class in college.

Twice.

It actually totally derailed my major. But I digress. To the book review.

If you have those four points in mind, you will enjoy this book so much more because you will know what to expect. The author does what she can with scant information, filling in blanks, and crafting a compelling story.

I should add here that I visited Russia in the mid-1990s, and one of our stops was the last known residence of the Romanov family. However, our tour guide was cagey about certain details. We were told this was typical. So, there is that as well.

As mentioned above, Olga is young. Her perspectives are not as informed as those of an adult. But this is what makes her interesting. We get to see the history unfold from her point of view.

I feel like this is a vital point, because she is of the age where her concerns are not political or futuristic. She wants the life that a grand duchess should enjoy. The passages involving her experiences with her aunt illustrate this brilliantly.

The author also captures the intrigue of Russian politics in a time of turmoil accurately (at least from my knowledge).

I am not quite sure what else I can say. The story itself is intricate and detailed. For this reason, this is not a book that you can read in fits and spurts, catching chapters here and there.

You need to allow yourself to be immersed in Olga’s world, embracing the atmosphere and attitudes. Only then will you be able to fully enjoy the epic story that Bryn Turnbull has crafted.

For another perspective on Russian history, check out my book review of Tsarina by Ellen Alpsten.

Bryn Turnbull is the bestselling author of The Woman Before Wallis. Equipped with a master’s of letters in creative writing from the University of St. Andrews, a master’s of professional communication from Ryerson University and a bachelor’s degree in English literature from McGill University, Bryn focuses on finding stories of women lost within the cracks of the historical record. She lives in Toronto.