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frantically's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I was so sure when I started reading this book: I wouldn't fall for Anna Anderson's claims. After all, it had been proven time and time again, that she wasn't Anastasia Romanov, that the Imperial family had all been murdered, their remains all uncovered.
But somehow, even I, not only a history student but also someone who's taken courses on genetic testing and its benefits for historians, started to desperately hope for this to end differently — what if we'd been wrong? What if one of the Romanovs had truly managed to escape the actions of that horrid night. Fuck all that genetic testing. It just felt to terrible to bear that all of these children had been brutally murdered.
And that's what this author manages to convey so, so well. Yes, they're entitled, they're spoiled, they think they deserve to rule over other people but in the end, it was still a massacre. No matter how much one is personally against royalty (and god, was I happy to read a book about royals written by someone who despises them — such a difficult concept to explain to people who know that I do royal history but don't understand who I can still wholeheartedly be against royalty).
I really appreciated the author's honesty in her own probable shortcomings when it came to the historical research. It's something we see way too little in historical fiction and I'd love to see it more! After all, there's a reason why I picked up fiction instead of my books for uni — I don't want to read about historical facts, I want something that can make these historical facts and historical people feel real. And this book definitely managed to do that.
But somehow, even I, not only a history student but also someone who's taken courses on genetic testing and its benefits for historians, started to desperately hope for this to end differently — what if we'd been wrong? What if one of the Romanovs had truly managed to escape the actions of that horrid night. Fuck all that genetic testing. It just felt to terrible to bear that all of these children had been brutally murdered.
And that's what this author manages to convey so, so well. Yes, they're entitled, they're spoiled, they think they deserve to rule over other people but in the end, it was still a massacre. No matter how much one is personally against royalty (and god, was I happy to read a book about royals written by someone who despises them — such a difficult concept to explain to people who know that I do royal history but don't understand who I can still wholeheartedly be against royalty).
I really appreciated the author's honesty in her own probable shortcomings when it came to the historical research. It's something we see way too little in historical fiction and I'd love to see it more! After all, there's a reason why I picked up fiction instead of my books for uni — I don't want to read about historical facts, I want something that can make these historical facts and historical people feel real. And this book definitely managed to do that.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Gore, Rape, and Sexual violence
Minor: Animal death, Mental illness, and Medical content
rachelwierick's review against another edition
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
I don’t usually like historical fiction but I love the legend of Anastasia, so I decided to give this book a try. I loved it. I ended up listening to the second half on audiobook because I wanted to keep listening while I couldn’t sleep, drove to work, etc. and finished in less than a day. This book is really well written and has a unique structure that keeps the reader engaged. One of the most tragic scenes is written about so beautifully, it’s not graphic but you know exactly what happens. Major kudos to Ariel Lawhon for that. I really enjoyed I Was Anastasia.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
rynicolereads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I went into this book not knowing much about Anastasia or the rest of the Romanov family and ended up completely lost in their story. Is Anna Anderson really Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanov? Lawhon tackles this notion through two narratives in different timelines — Anna's in reverse and Anastasias advancing forward. Although I found the structure to be confusing in the beginning, once I wrapped my head around it I really enjoyed the way the converging storylines built suspense.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Sexual assault
bexdubyah's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Sexual assault