The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial Russia - Review

The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial Russia by Candace Fleming. 

Published in 2014 by Schwartz & Wade. 304 pages. Recommended for ages 12 and up, Lexile 950.

Starting with the childhood of Tsar Nicholas II, The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion & the Fall of Imperial Russia covers the life of the last Tsar of Russia and his family. Fleming takes a narrative approach to this look at the Romanov family, referencing primary sources from the royal family themselves, including letters and journals, as she tells the story of their luxurious life and eventual downfall. Black and white photos are also included for reference throughout the book.

(Fleming, 2014)

Interspersed between the scenes of affluence and wealth enjoyed by Romanovs, Fleming references the terrible poverty and misery experienced by the majority of Russian peasants and workers. Readers can’t help but see the unfair dichotomy between the Romanov children, who want for nothing, and the impoverished Russian children, who want for everything. Perhaps nothing illustrates this more than when comparing the descriptions of joy the Tsar and Empress felt at the birth of their children, with this peasant lullaby from a mother too poor to feed her own child:

“Hush, hush, hushaby my baby, 

A man lives at the end of the village. 

He’s neither poor, nor rich,

He has many children,

They sit on a bench

And eat straw. 

I’ll make you suffer even more, 

I won’t give you anything to eat. 

I won’t make a bed for you” (Fleming, 2014, p.40). 

In spite of these bleak comparisons, readers will still find themselves drawn to the plights of the Romanov family. Perhaps because most readers will begin this book already knowing how it ends, even the happy moments feel bittersweet. Fleming weaves a narrative that showcases the many possible turning points that could have led to a better outcome, if only some actions had been taken earlier, or the Tsar had been better prepared to rule his people.

Fleming doesn’t flinch from some of the terrible events towards the end of the book, although she doesn’t relish or dwell on the violence of the Romanovs’ deaths, either. Much like with the majority of the book, she is interested in showing an unbiased look at the events, without excessive or gratuitous embellishment. Her writing is masterful, compelling, and appropriate for teen or even upper elementary readers.

While this book is primarily focused on the Romanov family, Fleming includes enough history and events happening elsewhere during the timeline of the book that readers will have a good grasp of the reasons behind the downfall of the last Tsar. She even includes a few pages of what happens to Russia after the death of the Tsar and his family, and the fate of their remains. An extensive bibliography, notes, and index are also included.

The Family Romanov is an impeccably researched, expertly told narrative of the last royal family of Russia. While written for young adults, this book is also appealing to an adult audience, and any reader with an interest in this subject will find more than enough to keep their interest from beginning to end.

Other resources to consider:

The Romanov Sisters by Helen Rappaport. Published in 2015 by St. Martin’s Griffin. 544 pages. Recommended for adult readers. 

This non-fiction work for adults would be an excellent companion book for The Family Romanov for older readers. Also written in a narrative style, it gives a more in-depth look into the lives of the four Grand Duchesses, leading up to their early and tragic end. 

Where is the Kremlin? by Deborah Hopkinson. Published in 2019 by Penguin Workshop. Recommended for ages 8-12 years. Lexile 890. 

Written by an award-winning author and part of the popular “Where is” series, Where is the Kremlin? would be a good introduction to Russian history for younger readers before reading The Family Romanov. 

Video - Russian Revolution and Civil War: Crash Course European History #35. Located at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6KR4cLLVzQ 

While this video doesn’t cover the Romanovs specifically, it does give a good overview of what was happening in Russia during, and after, the events of The Family Romanov, and would make a great review before or after reading the book.

References:

Fleming, C. (2014). The family Romanov: Murder rebellion and the fall of Imperial Russia. Scwartz & Wade.