This book was a goodreads.com first read contest win.

This book was very interesting. This book allowing insight into something that few people know. While this type of book is not what I usually read I was drawn into this book. Reading about a Tsar and Tsarina I kept wondering how there life's are changed by the whim of the people. Everyone has choices in life whether it is to go one way or the other. This book portrays exactly that in the life of Alix and Nicky. Did they do what was right? In there eyes they probably did.

This is my opinion based on this book. It no way reflects the author or the book. ( )

An interesting study on the lives of Nicholas II and his consort, Alexandra. The book draws heavily from the correspondence between the two principle characters, as well as from letters and diary entries from their closest family and friends. The result is an engaging biography which brings us just a little bit closer to getting a feel for the real Nicholas and Alexandra. ( )

I have read a number of books on the last Tsar and Tsarina as I find it a fascinating subject. This book was OK, and added more to my knowledge about them. Based extensively on letters written between them and related people in history.

I think the most interesting insight I gained was that Alexandra's meddling and championing of the monk Rasputin certainly hastened their demise. However in spite of this they probably would have suffered the same fate as Nicholas never seemed to get a grip on handling the many ministers and enemies bound to topple his reign. The end is always sad to read and it always leaves me with the what if questions had they survived. ( )

I received this book for free as a Goodreads First Reads giveaway.

I have no doubt that in the right hands, this book would get a solid 5 out of 5 star rating. It is obvious that the book was thoroughly researched, and that the author has a great interest in this topic and a passion for acting as a "curator" to gather the various accounts and opinions of Alix and Nicky. I really admire and respect all the work that very clearly went into this book on the part of the author. Unfortunately, I didn't really enjoy reading it.

The "passion" that is in the title refers to both definitions of the word: emotion as well as suffering. When I first read the book's title, I took it to be the emotional kind of passion and looked forward to a book mostly about the love between Alix and Nicky. I think the book is actually heavier on the suffering side; there is a lot of detail about their struggles, their troubles relating to the Russian people, their personality traits, Alix's illness, etc. When the emotional side came up, I really got into it and read eagerly. But there seemed to be more talk of politics and military events; there just wasn't enough of their love story for me. Don't get me wrong - I love history, and I love non-fiction history/biography books, but this book didn't bring history to life for me. It was a rather dry restating of facts and events.

To me, it was simply "ok" - it's just not my type of book. I had to force myself to sit down and read, and then I found myself flipping ahead to see how much more I had to read before I got to the end of the chapter. Because of this, I just can't give it better than 2 stars.

Full review posted on my blog, PidginPea's Book Nook. ( )