This book was not at all what I was imagining it to be. And that's really not a bad thing. I guess the "bride" in the title and the synopsis made me think it was going to be more fiction than historical...or maybe more romance. That is not the case.

Here's what it's about:

There are always two sides of every revolution. Robert Alexander does a wonderful job laying the two sides of Russia's Bolshevik Revolution out in this novel. Each chapter is alternately narrated by the Grand Duchess Elisavyeta (Ella) and by Pavel, a revolutionist. Both sides are justly represented and the character's stories do intertwine a bit, at the beginning when Pavel is helping to plan the assassination of the Duchess' husband and then later at the very end of the story.

While Alexander makes both characters sympathetic, the novel really is a tribute to the outstanding character of the Grand Duchess. Even though she lived a life of luxury, after the eventual assassination of her husband, she devoted her life to God and the sick and needy Russian people. Even though she had the chance to flee, she stayed on became an abbess, and opened a woman's monastery.

The novel is quite sad and touching at points and but Alexander does a great job of making it very historically accurate and engaging. Not favoring one side or the other, he just points out the obvious regret that both sides could have reconciled their difference if only different choices where made.

My copy had an Introduction and a Conversation with Robert Alexander section at the back of the book which was actually my favorite part of the book. I am just in awe of the character and life of the Grand Duchess. She was actually canonized in 1981 and her statue is depicted with others above the Great Door of Westminster Abbey in London. ( )

I wrote a term paper on Rasputin over 25 years ago and it was encouraging to me that I still recognized some of the names like Stolypin, the White Army , Father Gapon, and of course Nicholas and Alexandra.
The book is written with two contrasting main characters, Pavel, a peasant revolutionary and Grand Duchess Elisavyeta, sister to the Empress Alexandra of Russia. Pavel loses his wife to a soldier's bullet and Ella's husband, Grand Duke Sergei Romanov is assassinated. Pavel and Ella react to their spouse's death by trying to change society in diametrically different ways. She sells her possessions and starts a convert to help the needy. Pavel joins the revolutionists. Pavel's way is based on murder and lies and Ella's methods are of compassion and Christian love.

I'm a sucker for Russian royal history and Robert Alexander really does it well. The story moves along at a quick pace and you feel equal sympathy for both sides. It was fascinating to learn about a more minor figure of the Romanov dynasty that you don't here as much about. ( )

Good book. Intriguing story line. ( )

This book goes back and forth between the viewpoints of the wife of a Romanov - who loses her husband and gives up her fortune to take the veil and help the Russian people - and a revolutionary - the one who she shared her story with in her last days. The story was well written and involved the Russian Revolution and the fall of the Romanovs (one of my favorites in history). Alexander's other books are just as good and a must read for those interested in the fall of the Romanov family. ( )