In this “superb history” (The Wall Street Journal), award-winning author Candace Fleming tells the extraordinary true story of Russia’s last royal family—and transports readers back to a time when both a bloodline and an empire came tumbling down. “Has all the elements of a fictional thriller . . . woven into a fascinating work of history.”— The Washington Post WINNER: Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Young Adult Literature and Boston Globe–Horn Book Award for Nonfiction • A Robert F. Sibert Honor Book • A YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Award Finalist • A Kirkus Reviews Best Young Adult Book of the CenturyHe was
Tsar Nicholas II of Russia: the wealthiest monarch in the world, who ruled over 130 million people and one-sixth 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 Duchess 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.
Candace Fleming deftly maneuvers between the plight of Russia’s poor masses and the extravagant lives of the Romanovs, 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,
The Family Romanov is history at its most absorbing.
On sale: July 8, 2014
Age: 12 and up
Grade: Grade 7 & Up
Page count: 304 Pages
ISBN: 9780375867828
Reading level: Lexile: 950L
Candace Fleming is the prolific and highly acclaimed author of numerous books for young adults and children, including the nonfiction titles
The Lincolns: A Scrapbook Look at Abraham and Mary, winner of the
Boston Globe–Horn Book Award for Nonfiction;
Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart, a
New York Times Notable Children’s Book of the Year; and
The Great and Only Barnum: The Tremendous, Stupendous Life of Showman P. T. Barnum, an ALA-YALSA Best Book for Young Adults. She lives in Oak Park, Illinois. Visit her at candacefleming.com.
Kirkus starred review, May 15, 2014:
“A remarkable human story, told with clarity and confidence.”
Publishers Weekly starred review, April 28, 2014:
“A wonderful introduction to this era in Russian history and a great read for those already familiar with it.”
Booklist starred review, June 1, 2014:"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, July/August 2014:"Fleming has outdone herself with this riveting work of narrative nonfiction that appeals to the imagination as much as the intellect."
School Library Journal starred review, June 2014:
"This is both a sobering work, and the account of the discovery of their bones and the aftermath is at once fascinating and distressing. A solid resource and good recreational reading for high school students."
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books starred review, September 2014:
“With comprehensive source notes and bibliographies of print and online materials, this will be a boon to student researchers, but it’s also a heartbreaking page-turner for YAs who prefer their nonfiction to read like a novel.”
